Hitman

Year of Release: 2007
Genre: Action / Thriller
Rating: R for strong bloody violence, language and sexuality / nudity.
Director: Xavier Gens
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Thomsen, Henry Ian Cusick

Date Of Review: February 2008

Based on the smash hit videogame of the same name, “Hitman”, sees Timothy Olyphant (“Die Hard 4”) play a bald headed assassin known as Agent 47, complete with supermarket bar code tattooed on the back of his head (a silly visual gag just for sensationalism). There is very little explanation about his past (probably a good thing) and we are shown (only visually) glimpses of him as a child in training over the opening credits. Then we are quickly caught up in the thick of things as the film finds Agent 47 embroiled in a plot to kill the Russian president. Along the way Agent 47 gets himself in all sorts of bother, a few gunfights, a sword fight, chase sequences and so on as he treks across Europe on his mission.

Aside from the action-set pieces and nonsensical plot elements, it’s the relationship between Agent 47 and a prostitute named Nika (Olga Kurylenko, who is set to appear as a Bond Girl in Daniel Craig’s second Bond film), that he just so happens to pick up along the way, that is the glue that holds the film somewhat together. Yes, this hard-boiled, machine-like mercenary, with precision killing skills, protects and does eventually fall for her. As their relationship develops we are given only a few small glimpses of vulnerability behind Agent 47’s tough veneer. I have heard that fans of the video game wanted either Vin Diesel or Jason Statham to play Agent 47, nevertheless, Olyphant does his best with the role and was probably the best choice. All in all “Hitman” is a mildly entertaining action thriller. If it’s bullets, stunts and espionage you are looking for, “Hitman”, although not a great film, may be just your ticket. Just don’t think about the plot too much and you might enjoy some of the mayhem more than you would expect.

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