Okay before we begin, let's take a look at the title of the film in question: Hit-man. Not only that, but the T is created by pressing two handguns together upside down. Okay, now we know what kind of film we're dealing with. Hit-man is a strange kind of film. It seemed to pop up around the end of the summer with it's teaser trailer and then stay below most people's radar, with the exception being fans of the game. Then in popped up again with a full blown trailer and then two weeks later it was released. This is the approach of a studio that doesn't exactly believe in it's product. However, Hit-man isn't actually all that bad. While not breaking or even bending the rules, the action is load, violent, and stylish. Some of the movies strongest moments are when the hit-man, Agent 47 (Olyphant) is doing his thing, staying one step ahead of the game before the action explodes onto the screen. The plot is a bit convoluted, but it was bound to be. 47 is hired to assassinate Mikhail Belicoff, a Russian politician running for reelection. His problems begin when the man he killed holds a press conference showing him to be simply grazed by the bullet. Judging by the ample amounts of blood used in the assassination scene, he didn't miss. From there 47 finds himself running for his life from Russian goons as well as people from his own organization. And along the way of course he find the hooker with a heart of gold, Nika (Olga Kurylenko). The plot is linear and not complicated. The film carried a serious, but not too serious, tone. Moments of levity surround 47 and his awkward sexual frustration; we see him reading articles about what women want, and he has some humorous back and forths with Nika. However, we all know that Nika's really purpose in this film is to wear a very revealing dress, and then take it off. In the end, Hit-man manages to be a decent action flick, perhaps even slightly above average. I disagree with most people and think that Olyphant did a fine job playing the hit-man. Would Vin Diesel have been a better choice? Maybe, but not necessarily; Olyphant's mild mannered disposition carries the tone of the film very well. So, will it win any Oscars... no. Will we ever be talking about the cinematic significance of Hit-man... no. Will I buy it on DVD... probably.
Review of Hitman
