Directed by:
Xavier GensScreenplay:
Skip WoodsCinematography:
Laurent BarèsComposer:
Geoff ZanelliCast:
Timothy Olyphant, Robert Knepper, Dougray Scott, Ольга Куриленко, Ulrich Thomsen, Henry Ian Cusick, Patrick Ligardes, Eriq Ebouaney, James Faulkner (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
The "Hitman" is a genetically-engineered, elite assassin known only as Agent 47. His hallmarks are lethal grace, unwavering precision, and resolute pride in his work. But even 47 couldn't anticipate a "random equation" in his life exactitude: the unexpected stirrings of his conscience and the unfamiliar emotions aroused in him by a mysterious Russian woman. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (11)
The script takes the worst of the 1980s, the director doesn't step out of the average and the whole thing takes itself too seriously to be fun. Timothy Olyphant is not bad, the supporting characters are not interesting and the action is far from impressive. And a few winks at fans of the game aren't enough to make an entertaining film.
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I only played part two of the game this is based on, but I would say that it looked completely the opposite to what Gens tries to present us here (although it’s clear from various details that he knows the series of games back to front, cf. the rubber duck). Instead of wild action sequences and dialog, the game was more about crawling and thinking up the least obvious approach possible. Even “Forty-Seven" had some depth of character. While Olyphant (although I like him and I have no issues with uncompromising hard guys who ooze respect) is about as charismatic as me in this role. So, great material, but nothing comes of it. And the screenplay... Even if any screenplay was ever written, you won’t come across it for the entire ninety minutes. Gens’ Hitman is simply an action pastiche with uninspiringly filmed action that is closer to being a C-movie, rather than coming anywhere near being an A-movie. Lots of stealing (as far as music is concerned), unfaithful to the game it was based on (and to god knows what else) and dumb to the very core. But does that necessarily mean that it isn’t entertaining? No in the least. Because the celluloid Hitman is entertaining. Intentionally or not.
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It's really disappointing that Gens didn't quite understand the game, so there are really minimal references to the famous silent action (kids at the PC, one disguise), there’s no steel wire, and Hitman is not a silent assassin (the Matrix-like action in the club didn't impress me). Although Olyphant doesn't hold back and is usually ruthless, overall the film not really up to par because of the above mentioned flaws. The one-on-one fights are oddly edited and not much to speak of. So we're left with just raw, surprisingly bloody action, which is worth watching. Otherwise, Hitman is more of a pure action movie than a successful adaptation of the game.
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The nightmare of all fans of the video game, promised by the trailers, turned out to be a surprisingly decent B-movie. In addition, the main star of the expected tragedy is not so much Timothy Olyphant, who at least looks like a man after all, nor Xavier Gens, who doesn't understand the atmosphere of the game, but at least the film goes by fast, but Skip Woods - an inept screenwriter who should have had his license taken away for Swordfish and his hands chopped off for this. There are unnecessary characters (the Russian whore, the Interpol agent), and zero references to the game (2 disguises, the kids sitting at the PC), and instead, we get a lot of filler and a point that goes to waste. As a whole, it’s still off the mark and another notch in the dysfunctional video game adaptations category. However, since I had zero expectations I'll give it 3 stars in the end because if you’re in a good mood, it's a fun and sufficient way to fill an hour and a half.
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It's true that there were a lot of logic errors, but I decided to be generous with my rating. The biggest problem with the writing was that it was so dumb in places that it bored me. Olga had been looking forward to finally starring in a porn movie, but they didn't let her use her full potential. Also, the machine gun burst from the Mil Mi- 24 fired at the temple came from the launchers of unguided missiles, but okay...
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