Hitman (2007)

Director:

Xavier Gens

Writer (WGA):

Skip Woods (written by)

Release Date:

21 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as 'The Agency' is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Eastern Europe.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Shot To Death | CIA | Shootout | President

Cast

Timothy Olyphant	...	Agent 47
Dougray Scott	...	Mike Whittier
Olga Kurylenko	...	Nika Boronina
Robert Knepper	...	Yuri Marklov
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Mikhail Belicoff
Henry Ian Cusick	...	Udre Belicoff
Michael Offei	...	Jenkins
Christian Erickson	...	General Kormarov
Eriq Ebouaney	...	Bwana Ovie
Joe Sheridan	...	Captain Gudnayev
James Faulkner	...	Smith Jamison
Jean-Marc Bellu	...	Hitman #2
Nicky Naude	...	Hitman #3
Abdou Sagna	...	Hitman #4
Ilya Nikitenko	...	Hitman #5

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | Russian | Serbo-Croatian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | DTS

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | France:Unrated | UK:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Finland:K-15 | South Africa:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Ireland:16 | Taiwan:R-12 | Hungary:18 | Canada:18A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Japan:PG-12 | Germany:18 | Germany:18 (uncut) | Ireland:18 | South Korea:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Australia:MA | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Malaysia:18PL | USA:R (certificate #43962)

Filming Locations:

Cape Town, South Africa

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Olga Kurylenko was distraught after having to cut her hair for the role. She said she didn't feel like herself anymore, which she used to help her connect with her character.

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout the first few scenes Nika is in, her makeup is smeared. After 47 lets her out of the trunk and gives her breakfast sandwich, her makeup is suddenly flawless, and she has much less on.

Quotes:

Agent 47: Because that suitcase perfectly holds my Blazer Sniper Rifle, two .45s and a gag for irritating, talkative little girls like yourself. You want me to stop and get it out?
Nika Boronina: I don't know - you think we have time for foreplay?

Movie Connections:

References A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Soundtrack:

Swingville Sashay

A straight to DVD Seagal actioner, disguised as a flashy adaptation of a stellar video game franchise.

I confess that I am a masochist. Every time a movie based on a video game hits theaters or the local rental spot, I always see them. Why you ask?, dunno. Maybe I have faith that there will actually be a good movie based on a video game since the first Mortal Kombat, or maybe I just love video games too damn much. Xavier Gens latest movie, Hit-man is obviously based on the incredibly good stealth-action game that has spawned three sequels since the first one hit the PC shelves in 2000. Sadly agent 47 has been reduced to a near indestructible commando. We see him jumping off buildings, fighting with swords on a train, smiling, and ultimately falling in love. This is the most bland and boring experience since RE:Extinction, but alas, not as painfully bad.

The script is filled with clichés left and right. It reminds me of the straight to DVD action vehicles that Seagal and Snipes have been putting consecutively on the market, and thats not a very good reminder. Our beloved assassin is framed, and the next thing you know, a political conspiracy unravels that involves the president of Russia, Interpol and the Russian military, even the people from his own agency. Granted the script is poor, chugging every bit of crappy dialog and F words that it can muster. The films tries to be funny in some cases, but it just fails. And the little love story involving Agent 47 and a very hot Orga Kurylenko is embarrassingly bad, cheesy and just not necessary. There isn't even a backstory worthy enough for the character of 47; Eidos must be crying in shame.

The acting is decent. Let me just say, that I hate Timothy Oliphaunt. Ever since his appearance in Deadwood, I cant help but despise the man. And his villainous role in Die Hard 4 didn't help things either. In here, he redeems himself somewhat. His wooden acting helps the character in a way that it doesn't show emotion, which is what agent 47 is all about in the games. So with that being said, his performance is passable. Olga Kurylenko is decent as the whore with the heart of gold, or whatever the scriptwriters wanted her to be. And Dougray Scott was decent as well, the better acted in the movie, playing an alternative role since his performance in Mission Impossible 2, which is were I recognized him.

The action sequences are from extremely flashy and cool (the bathroom scene), to the ridiculous (all the other ones). The movie places little references from the game for obviously the fans, which is kinda enjoyable.

There are certain things I enjoyed: The music was well done, the intro was again well done, and the scenes where the camera follows Agent 47 behind him is extremely reminiscent to the games, which is good.

Overall, Hit-man is disappointing. A clichéd script, with crappy action sequences and bad dialog don't make for a good movie. As a rental, well you cant go wrong there. But wasting money on this to see it in theaters is like buying a DVD for an Uwe Boll flick, just not worth it. Hit-man gets a 4.