Hitman

Another videogame-turned-movie bites the dust

By Geoff Berkshire

November 21, 2007

 
Critic's Rating:
2

Hitman
Timothy Olyphant in "Hitman" (Credit: 20th Century Fox)
Photos:
A scene from the film "Hitman." A scene from the film "Hitman." A scene from the film "Hitman." On the set of the film "Hitman."
Hitman
Running time:
93 minutes
Rated:
R
Cast:
Timothy Olyphant -
Agent 47
Dougray Scott -
Mike Whittier
Olga Kurylenko -
Nika Boronina
Robert Knepper -
Yuri Marklov
Ulrich Thomsen -
Mikhail Belicoff
See full cast
Director:
Xavier Gens
Genre:
Action
Official Movie Web Site:
http://www.hitmanmovie.com/
Movie Trailer:
Overall User Rating:
3 1/2 (10 ratings)
Be the first to review
A nameless assassin known only as “Number 47” (Timothy Olyphant) carries out elite contract killings for a company known as “The Agency.” When his assignment to assassinate a Russian leader (Ulrich Thomsen) doesn’t end as planned, 47 finds himself being pursued by Interpol agent Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott) and trying to protect beautiful prostitute Nika (Olga Kurylenko).

Big question: Is it possible that one day someone will actually make a great, or even really good, movie based on a videogame?

Skip it:
“Hitman” doesn’t really feel like a videogame transferred to film, but it never feels remotely original either. It’s just a routine assassin movie with an incessant score directly ripped off from the “Bourne” franchise (which adds nothing but a consistent reminder of far superior action flicks). Olyphant fares slightly better than he did as the bad guy in “Live Free or Die Hard,” but the narrowly defined lead role does little to showcase his skills.

Catch it:
If you think hitmen can’t be gentlemen. After 47 takes Nika out for dinner she tries to seduce him, but he politely declines by shooting her with a tranquilizer. OK, so maybe that’s not the recommended first date etiquette.

Bottom line: A movie so bland it’s hard to believe it was inspired by anything more than a Wikipedia entry on “action thrillers.”

Bonus:
Henry Ian Cusick, better known as the Scottish castaway Desmond on “Lost,” tries out a different accent here as the sleazy brother of 47’s Russian target.

Add a comment

Please log in to comment

SHOWTIME LISTINGS

Movie theaters and showtimes for Hitman in Chicago.

Narrow search by zipcode:

No Showtimes available

More on Metromix.com

Ornament-bottom-yellow