Hitman (I) (2007) User Reviews

Better than expected!

[sir-montag · 7/10 · 22 November 2007]

Being a big fan of the Hit-man games, I was fairly worried when I heard that they were going to make a movie based on it because movies based on video games don't tend to be very good movies...

But after seeing it last night, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually quite a good movie. It may not win an Oscar or anything, but it's amazing to see Agent 47 up on the big screen. Timothy Olyphant does a surprisingly good job of portraying him too.

The love interest is a bit awkward to anyone who knows Agent 47's nearly complete lack of emotion in that department, but despite what the trailer may lead you to expect, it really doesn't go very far outside of what you've come to know in the games (and what happens when she tries to seduce him is absolutely hilarious and very much in the Agent 47 tradition).

It is indeed a violent movie, and 47 is as cold-blooded as you'd expect him to be. Seeing it tends to make me wish other movie heroes had the same level of guts, just to shoot the bad guy in the face instead of letting him live or anything silly like that. The fight scenes with the other assassins from the Agency are also very well done and quite a treat to see.

All in all, it's quite a good movie. Definitely worth paying to see in the theaters. Hopefully there'll be another one!

Enjoyed It!

[AngelHonesty · 6/10 · 20 January 2020]

Normally movies based off of video games are really bad; in terms of being filmed, written and acted poorly. But Hitman hit the mark right on. It's not the greatest film in the world, but it's very entertaining. I'm a big fan of assassin films and this one caught my attention. I loved the actor they picked to play agent 47, he did a great job with his role. The filming was great and the lines weren't cheesy in anyway. The storyline was easy to follow and decently entertaining. I just wish they would have made the film longer!

Quite a good movie. I enjoyed it.

[chumdeg · 7/10 · 7 January 2012]

My first big question is: - Was this movie originally produced in French? It seemed to me that the Lip-sync was totally English, although I was told that it was produced in French. Technology has improved so much, so please let me know. The action scenes were fantastic. Very interesting storyline, but it was funny how they all dropped their guns and fought with their hands. I liked Olyphant for Agent 47, but I think he could have showed more action. He was a bit laughable at times. However, it was fun looking at the film. I did not expect too much when I started looking at the movie, but I must say that the action was placed at the right time, so it kept me interested. I also liked very much the girl, Nika, if I did, then I am sure she was a favourite.

Clones and Orphans

[tedg · 22 October 2011]

I found this solid and competent. The curious thing is that what it did well, it did not because of what it is, but because it did not stick closely to the world of the video game. This is also why the fan base rejected it.

Apparently, the agent in the game is one of the 47th generation of clones, where the movie has him as the best of a collection of specially trained orphans. Instead of a name, he simply has the number 47.

I also liked the mashup, conventional as it is: Russian mafia, secret supercapable murder enterprise, worldwide conspiracy of priests. Its the spice of the priests that matters, after the Dan Brown conspiracy to make it seem ridiculous and taking the style out of it. It is easier somehow to believe a cabal lead by a Moscow Patriarch instead of the inept Rome.

The girl does what the girl is supposed to do: claim that she is sexually exploited, and then proceed to be exploited by us in much the same way. The assassin does what he is supposed to and does it well: show us unexpected ways that he can manipulate the world, anticipating coincidences and odd subplots. Our designated watcher, the typical American detective, also does his job: watching at a distance.

Why this film deserves a comment and others I see do not, is the way it ends. The form here is reverse noir. In noir, we have a hero, an everyman, who is manipulated by the world of the viewer. He is subject to cosmic coincidences that come not from any natural unfolding, but from our need to have a structured narrative. The watcher unconsciously manipulates the character.

In reverse noir, the character somehow can control the world, so that minor coincidences are anticipated, even controlled by a plan he has that we do not know. We, the viewer, are placed in the thing to be befuddled as we end up as the manipulated soul. I am not sure when this reversed form first appeared; I am hoping a reader can advise. But the form is common enough now to have some endemic problems, the most challenging of which is how to end the film.

This film does that admirably, and it can be said that all the automatic stuff in the middle of the film is arranged to set up this satisfactory ending. The film starts with the beginning of that ending, with the remainder an implicit flashback (meaning only that the story is recalled and not repeated aloud). The ending is set up emotionally as our hit man is incapable of controlling the world so far as a mate, a family. We see him tortured about this. Yes, it is a juvenile portrayal of such an emptiness, but we get it.

So the only way he can get the pleasure of a family is the same way we get the pleasure of killing scads of bad guys: by watching. So while for 90 minutes our detective has been our surrogate watcher, giving us expected thrills and surprises, we reverse once again at the end: now the hit man is the watcher of love and family. We know he will never approach 'the girl' or the detective again, but that he will watch, which we see him doing through the only instrument available, a rifle sight.

This is good writing my friends, where the screenwriter understands the form well enough to manipulate it and us. He was able to give the fanboys something; he was able to give the studio bosses their key elements (boobs, explosions, creation myth, societal anchoring); and yet he was able to give himself a cleverly well ended story. Of how many films can you say that? I see he is working on the next Bruce Willis 'Die Hard.' Bet it is well written too.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

Hit-man the Movie

[freeyourmind775 · 7/10 · 24 November 2007]

First, I've heard mostly mixed comments about this movie. But, I'm glad that for the first time in a long time, an "action" movie has had an in-depth plot. Not to mention, they captured the personality of 47 near perfectly. When I went to see this, I didn't think I would like it because Timothy Olyphant played such a convincing geek in Die Hard 4, but he did an incredible job of changing roles. The basis behind the movie is that the hit-man is sent to assassinate someone, but it goes bad, which results in him picking up Olga Kurylenko. Now, they tried to add some jokes in, and he does do some things that are completely out of character (such as smiling), but for the most part, he plays the part very well. Now, the hit-man games aren't known for the best plot of all time, but, since the movie focused more on plot then on actual action, it feels a bit refreshing since the games are basically "Target, Money, Kill". I'd like to see the next Hit-man game focus more on the plot.

Anyway, it's got a great story, 47 is for the most part, played as he should be, and there is enough action to keep you from getting bored.

Ranking wise, it's definitely no "Die Hard 3" or "Big Fish", but it is probably one of the best video-game to movie transitions thats been done in a long time.

Agent 47 ROCKED

[m_ezzat · 7/10 · 26 November 2007]

.. despite the fact that the longest period i have spent playing hit-man the game was 10 minutes , i really did enjoy this movie

I've seen some comments call the movie horrible and disappointing , as i can see the movie was very good , but being short was the only bad thing about it .. IMHO there should have been more to watch maybe another target for him to kill .. still i highly recommend the movie even if you aren't a big fan of the game.

Timothy Olyphant was great in the way he performed agent 47 .. the way he walks , the way he moves or look , he literally rocked .

After all , i wish that the 20th century would think of producing another hit-man as good as this one or maybe better .

It's fun, just go with it.

[movieman430 · 7/10 · 23 November 2007]

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.

Unsatisfying action and a largely incoherent story makes this a movie not worth watching

[Gravesofthetrust · 4/10 · 27 November 2007]

A disturbing trend that seems to have no end in sight is the constant making of movies based upon video games. The fact of the matter is that these movies largely end up being horrendous misinterpretations of the source material. As evidenced by such cinematic horror shows like the Resident Evil movies, Street Fighter, Super Mario Brothers, Tomb Raider, and every movie by Uwe Boll. Of course there is the occasional movie that proves the maxim wrong, I for one enjoyed the Final Fantasy movie: The Spirits Within. Granted it had next to nothing to do with the game series apart from the name, but I was able to enjoy it. There was also the Silent Hill movie, that was great due to the fact that it was able to maintain a majority of the atmosphere from the games, and the plot was largely consistent with the mythos of the Silent Hill series. Unfortunately the latest movie to try to adapt a video game has largely failed to take even the smallest modicum of what made the games enjoyable.

Hit-man, a movie based on a good action series, isn't exactly a bad movie. If you go into the movie without having played the games by IO Interactive, then you'll in all likelihood be entertained by the action this movie has to offer. Fans of the games however will most likely be left feeling cheated by the movie, and it's radical changing of the main character of the series. In the movie it explains that 47 and the other bald headed assassins were chosen at birth to become guinea pigs of a top-secret plot to breed trained killers who feel no remorse. Now if this reminds you of anything, you're a nerd, and yes it's totally ripping off part of the plot for the old TV show: Dark Angel. I don't mean to go all nerdy video game fan boy on you, but, in the games 47 wasn't chosen at birth to become the bad ass assassin he is today. He's a clone of four major criminals and a scientist to make a flawless human. Not once in the entire series of games do they state whether or not 47 has a childhood. If they had felt the need to do an origin story for 47, why not just base it off the story elements of the original Hit-man: Codename 47 game? And throw in bits of the missions from Contracts.

Before I continue on with the review I would like to state the fact that this movie was written by Skip Woods. The man that brought us the terrible movie Swordfish. While I had nothing overly against that film, it bears mention due to the fact that at times the plot of that movie was positively horrid, and as such Woods needs to be beaten with an oar.

The movie starts out with an Interpol agent returning to his home, 47 is there sitting in his chair. Aiming his gun at fearless Dougray Scott. The movie then keenly informs us that the bulk of the story takes place three months prior to this scene. 47 has been hired to take out the Russian prime minister Mikhail Belicoff. The hit goes off with seemingly no problem, but Diana, 47's handler for the Agency (called "The Organization" in this) informs him that there's a witness he needs to eliminate. The witness, Nika is played by the wonderful Olga Kurylenko, when 47 goes to eliminate Nika another hit-man from Agency arrives to kill 47 and Nika. 47 escapes and confronts Diana about how Nika wasn't a witness, and whether or not someone at the agency double crossed him. While this is happening the Russian police is sending in its crack squad of cops who look like they were stolen from the anime Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, to capture or kill 47. Dougray has a problem with this as he wants 47 alive for questioning, as he's wanted for multiple hundreds of murders across the globe. How he was to establish it was only 47, I'll never know.

After a moderately decent action scene 47 kidnaps Nika and takes her to a St. Petersburg train station where he's attacked by a cadre of Agency trained hit men. The problem I have with this part is the fact that the assassins are fundamentally working toward the same goal, kill 47. At this point when 47 is outgunned by three other assassins, instead of just ventilating 47 they aim their guns at each other. At which point 47 proposes that they die with honor, and brandish some wakizashi swords and proceed to fight. The fight scene is decent enough, but it was just pointless. Where was 47 hiding those little buggers, and why didn't 47's would-be killers just kill him and then go knock off for a while at the nearest bar? I would go further into the plot, but really, I don't feel like spoiling it any more than I already have. Suffice to say that I didn't exactly enjoy the story to the movie. It took far too many liberties with the character of 47, and far too much of it seemed implausible from the perspective of realism. Also there's the questionable choice in casting Timothy Olyphant as the cold steely eyed assassin: Mr. 47. I don't hate the guy, it's just that I think he's a highly inappropriate choice. Granted he was a decent enough actor in that atrocious show Deadwood. He just looks too young, and not at all what a ruthless killer should look like.

Overall the movie is a mediocre action film that people who've never played the games will most likely enjoy. Fans of the series however would probably hate it due to the large number of liberties they take with the character and source material. Overall the movie is not worth the time to watch it.

Guns, Blood, Boobies = Fun Movie-Going Experience

[Harbinger70 · 10/10 · 21 November 2007]

Let's keep this short and sweet. If you enjoy the video games, you will more than likely enjoy the movie. It's very easy to follow, the acting can be downright terrible at times (but very solid from Olyphant who was a GREAT choice to play Agent 47), the special FX are loud and neat to look at, there's lots of explosive action-packed gun fights, and the hot chick gets naked. The only thing I have against the film was that it was a little dull and awkward in the beginning, but it picked up about 15 minutes in and kept it rollin' until the ending. Oh, and the hot chick gets naked.

You want to go to the movies and have a discussion afterwards? Go watch "Lions for Lambs." You want to go have a fun time at the movies with your friends? Check out "Hitman." Word on the street is there's lots of blood and explosions (and a hot naked chick).

"Hitman" hits and misses

[dee.reid · 6/10 · 26 November 2007]

Watching the new film "Hitman," an adaptation of the highly successful Eidos video game series (which I have never played), you get the feeling right from the opening credits that this will be a hit-or-miss-type of movie. Like a pistol that's loaded, cocked and ready to rock & roll, "Hitman" succeeds by remaining true to its source material (even if only in a few instances) and becoming a stand-alone picture in its own right. That's where the hits mostly come from.

But the misses are mostly in the screenplay and frenzied direction of Xavier Gens. In a plot that mixes the assassin looking to rediscover his humanity, the hooker with a heart of gold, the video game adaptation, shady politics and the frenetic direction of European action movies, "Hitman" should be an action fan's wildest dreams come true. While skilled in these areas, the problems arise in trying to bring it together as a wholesome film and trying to tell a coherent story.

"Hitman" centers on the mysterious and world-renowned assassin Agent 47 (a perfectly stoic Timothy Olyphant), who becomes embroiled in a political conspiracy in St. Petersburg, Russia, following a failed hit on the Russian president. Hunted by a determined Interpol agent named Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott), his men, the Russian military and other assassins, Agent 47's only key to clearing his name is the tragic hooker Nika (Olga Kurylenko), who may have been a witness to the attempted killing. Of course because Nika is sexy as hell, the film allows her two topless scenes, and one attempt at trying to bed Agent 47, though sadly, her character is way underdeveloped, so all we care about are her T + A.

"Hitman" establishes itself nicely in the beginning but loses itself in murky political intrigue that I myself had a lot of difficult trying to sift through. If the script by Skip Woods had taken its time in developing the plot a little bit more, then maybe I wouldn't have been so lost at trying to figure things out. Of course where the film mostly succeeds at, is its bloody action sequences. Where most action films today don't even bother in the way of bloody violence, "Hitman" loses itself in these stylish action scenes. Issues abound though with the extremely hyper and tripped-out editing, which tends to take away from the action.

The bald-headed, bar-code-tattooed Timothy Olyphant fills his shoes nicely as Agent 47, the man who was literally born to kill, though I honestly thought that the role should have gone to someone a little bit older or more experienced in the realm of action films; of course the actor I would have chosen for Agent 47 would have been Billy Zane, though I'm not sure anyone knows where he is right now so Olyphant will have to do. Olyphant seems to handle himself nicely in the film's frequent blood-lettings, including a four-way shootout that devolves into a brutal hand-to-hand combat encounter within the claustrophobic confines of a rail-car.

"Hitman" is the latest video game adaptation to hit the screens so far and like most entries, it's a hit & miss vehicle. My generic approach to these movies is clear and as follows: "Mortal Kombat" (1995) remains the best adaptation of a video game yet, followed by last year's "Silent Hill" (2006). Others, like "Doom" (2005), and the "Resident Evil" films and "Tomb Raider" movies, are also above-average efforts, so "Hitman," with its hits & misses, fits right in perfectly.

6/10

That's not a woman.....

[FlashCallahan · 5/10 · 8 January 2023]

Raised from childhood by the mysterious Diana organisation, Agent 47 is the perfect killer, but when he is dispatched to kill the Russian president, 47 discovers that his employers have betrayed him.

Taking prostitute and possible witness Nika with him, the enigmatic assassin flees from both Interpol and the Russian secret service as he fights to uncover the root of the conspiracy......

Call it what you want, but Hitman is a film that has stayed in 2007, thanks to its generic score, filming style, and the whole feel of the film. Films of this style and substance were rife around this time, and because of this, Hitman got lost in the Bourne style action genre.

Plus, it's not a very good film either.

Olyphant is woefully miscast as the titular anti hero, and spends most of the film giving people really dirty looks, or fighting in that nauseating style that every film maker used back in the late noughties.

Dougray Scott turns up to add some gravitas and exposition to the film, and he is the best thing in it, giving a believable performance, whilst convincingly uttering woeful dialogue that is provided by Skip Woods, the man who could kill a franchise thanks to his woeful screen writing.

Olga Kurylenko gives us her most revealing role to date, and although she is easy on the eye, she rises above the mundanity of the film, and also puts in a good performance.

Thankfully it never gets boring, because Wood decides to put an action set piece in the film every five minutes, so you forget the cruddy dialogue we have just heard and just take the '101 ways to kill a bad guy' attitude the film has, and just go for the spectacle.

But this shouldn't have been just for spectacle, this should have been the start of what could have been a decent franchise. Instead, we get a film that isn't very good, but for some strange reason, you can't help but go back to it every now and again.

As for the reboot a few years later, this is so much better.

Like it's better to break your fingers, than it is to break your legs....

Not perfect but good enough

[rainwitched · 8/10 · 4 December 2007]

I've played Hit-man and have really been excited to see the movie. At first I was wondering how will they ever pull off the Hit-man movie but after watching it, its one of the few games to movie adaptations that I really liked. Not a perfect adaptation, but the best so far compared to others out there. Though Jason Statham was my initial bet, Timothy Olyphant did a good job with portraying Agent 47.

Aspects of the game was incorporated in the movie and they didn't overkill with stupid ideas. Action was pretty good and I like the fight scenes. Agent 47 in the movie does live up to his cold killer reputation in spite of a girl being introduced. Its a good thing they keep it nice and cold.

The only thing I noticed is that Timothy looks too pretty cute to be Agent 47. Other than that, its good.

Best Movie Adapted from a Video Game

[amin-marsafy · 6/10 · 21 November 2007]

Two hours ago I was watching one of the best movies this year. For the game fans (whom I am one of them) It is a must see movie. As the movie carries lots of thrill. Also just to see details from the game, things that I expect and then see brings a lot of Joy. This is because unlike other movies this one I had some expectations for and the good thing is it satisfies 90% of them. The acting in the movie is not the best I have seen but the thing is that the main character 47 didn't have emotions in the game and so he did not need any in the movie either. which keeps 47 (Timothy Olyphant) away from criticism as he did his role well. The theme of the movie is just like that of the final release of the Hit-man game series (Hitman: Blood Money) and this includes music and visuals. All in all I rated that movie 9/10, May this is a over rating for the movie but I am considering that I is the top of its genre -Video Game Adapted Movies - which was always a disappointment for the games' fans.

Unsatisfying

[sh-65 · 3/10 · 24 December 2007]

Alright, this movie might have 2 different ratings whether you're seeing this because you're a fan of the game or if you're a casual viewer of action movies.

This is a review from a fan of the game series, therefore the negative vote. If I was to watch this without any connection to the original material I would probably be more entertained.

This is really my problem with this movie (and many other adaptations). I'd rather if any other name was used (my suggestion: Agent Hairless Bourne) because this movie is just a big 100-min-long cliché that tries to profit from Hit-man's fan-base at the same time with just enough game references. I prayed this wouldn't be another "Doom - The Movie" but it wasn't too far off.

As I said before, if you're not into the games and just want to watch a Jason Bourne clone, then this is your movie.

Now if you're a series fan, read on. When I heard an adaptation was under development I wasn't too excited, but I had some hope. Hope because there could be something new that could be done in the movie industry. Now, what's new about 47 that could make him a whole new animal than all other cold blooded killers and secret agents out there? What makes that character, 47, different?

1st: He's a clone. The result of a gene enhancing research program that turned on his creator and became a professional freelance hit-man. They've scrapped all that and rewritten his origins completely. Now how can they still call him by the same name after that? I mean, if someone asks me what's the story behind this character, I will now have to answer with another question: "Which one? The movie hit-man or the game's hit-man?" The "adaptation" dies right there in my opinion.

2nd: Agent 47 is the result of a genetic experiment and post training, aimed at creating a superior human being, in strength and mind, with no conscience. That's exactly what he is in the games, but as I feared it would get (knowing how filmmakers tend to think of what people want to see on-screen) he shows too much of a conscience in the movie with an all-too-expected female role that he shows affection to, that he even promises to visit after they part on the train.

3rd: One big difference of the Hit-man games, from other action games, is the fact that agent 47 is rewarded for being as silent as possible, a ghost as he's referred to in the movie. A big gun fight in a crowded room is a big no-no, leaving witnesses alive is not his thing too and usually, targets tend to die from strange accidents rather than in a bathroom filled with bodyguards with bullets on their heads. The movie tells a story of a whole different character... I mean, what's up with that scene to kill Udre? I will go see a Rambo movie if I want to, I will not go watch a Hit-man-branded movie to see that overused matrix-cliché royal mess. Oh, and the countless female witnesses that survived that scene? That would be called a "restart mission" in my book.

4th: Another distinctive mark of the Hit-man game brand is his proficiency to disguise of all types of people after he properly disposes of their bodies in the course of each mission. I remember him doing this once in the end of the movie. I can't be bothered to watch it again so I might be wrong on the number of times he's done this but the fact that I can't remember that happening is a good indication of how overlooked that "feature" was.

So this is what made me hate this movie. Not because the movie is bad in essence, but because of this horrible trend of people trying to profit from a well-developed brand with well-developed characters, and rewrite everything that makes them what they are. Had this movie been given a different name, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

Other slightly bad points: 1) Realism. This one I start to overlook on these movies... as much as it pisses me off, it's so common, that my expectations are lower right off the bat. The scene with the 4 hit-men is a good example of that. Why on earth would those cold-blooded killing machines decrease their chances of completing their contracts by holding fire, closing in on each other and then just stand there, to successfully stare at each others ugly faces for all that time until agent 47 breaks the ice? And why on earth were those agents pointing their weapons at each other instead of completing their assignment by ventilating 47? If it was argued that they were rivals between themselves, then why didn't they kill each other with the blades too? But that's OK, it's a scene made to look good and stylish (and mindless). Now just wait until someone figures out that a scene can look good, stylish AND make sense at the same time! 2) Olyphant. Looks too young and not so ruthless as the game model. His voice isn't anywhere near David Bateson's (47's game voice) coldness and low-tone power. The acting wasn't bad though, it probably wasn't a very demanding role emotionally, but still, he delivered what it would take for his role. The problem is that, even though he did well, I feel that the choice could have been much closer to what the game offers.

So, this is it, the score of 3 represents the view of a huge series fan that had his expectations higher than the casual action movie fan. 3 is for the satisfying acting performances and the action scenes that would probably result in a higher score from someone unaware of the original material.

Not rubbish... But not very memorable either...

[ajs-10 · 6/10 · 25 June 2011]

I have seen this film before, but it's one of those films that isn't exactly memorable whilst at the same time it's not exactly rubbish either. It's kind of hard to explain really, but I think it's a lot better than some 'scores' you'll see on the internet might suggest. It's based on a video game and as such, like many others of its type, it suffers from trying to be too much like the game. I thought it was actually quite good in patches, it just failed to deliver at the crucial moments. Here's a brief summary before I give you more of my thoughts.

Our Hit-man, Agent 47, was brought up from an early age to be a Hit-man. He is hired to assassinate a Russian politician, Mikhail Belicoff, and he carries out his instructions to the letter. Imagine his surprise when the same politician appears live on TV the very next day. Add to this the fact that he is being pursued by an Interpol Officer, Mike Whittier and the Russian Secret police are also getting involved. He discovers the politician has a lover, Nika Boronina, who he kidnaps, hoping to get more information from her. He finds himself drawn to her in ways he's not used to. A hit is put out on Agent 47 and people from his own employers, 'The Organization' are now also after him. It's time to strike back and this is where I leave it. I don't want to find a mysterious bald man sitting in my armchair when I get home one stormy evening.

As I said at the beginning, this film suffers from trying to be a little too much like a video game. There is quite an over-complicated plot that really doesn't have a strong narrative which doesn't help matters. Performance wise, I thought Timothy Olyphant did a decent job as Agent 47, he certainly had the look. Dougray Scott was adequate without really breaking a sweat as Mike Whittier and Olga Kurylenko did a decent job as Nika Boronina. Also worthy of note were; Robert Knepper, sporting a natty Russian accent, as Yuri Marklov, Ulrich Thomsen as Mikhail Belicoff, Henry Ian Cusick as his brother, Udre Belicoff and Michael Offei as Jenkins.

Unfortunately this film did have a bit of the look and feel of a 'Jason Bourne' film… and we have already seen at least one of those. The fight scenes were all very well done and there were some spectacular explosions to keep the kids happy (that's a joke by the way). An over-complicated plot didn't help matters, but at the end of the day I did find it entertaining, if not very memorable (and I've seen it twice!). Over all, recommended, but for just one viewing.

My Score: 5.7/10

Hit-man is definitely heading in the right direction

[Robert_duder · 7/10 · 18 March 2008]

It's a dangerous area to tread into...the world of video game to movie. It's been done really well (Resident Evil Series) and it's been done terribly (DOOM, House of the Dead etc.) Hit-man I think is perhaps one of the most potential licenses for films because there really is an incredible story there and yes I am a huge fan of the games and have played them all consistently and so I had high expectations of the film version despite my better judgment. The key to making this successful would be to take the best parts of the game story but also create their own back story and details and I think they tried very hard to do exactly that because the film is absolutely on par and does a terrific job with some minor flaws. The film's plot is a little bit complex...I mean you really have to watch to catch on early in the film what's going on. I'm not sure something like this should start out so complex or it could be considered very ambitious on the part of the film maker. Xavier Gens is not really an expert behind the camera...it seems like he's mostly still learning a lot about direction but still he does well with this film and I hope he keeps the reigns for future installments. The film jumps around a lot...from locale to locale and I know they are trying to keep the locations exotic and interesting but the constant moving makes it feel slapped together.

There was a lot of concern about Timothy Olyphant playing Agent 47, but I felt confident after seeing him rip up the screen as the villain in Live Free or Die Hard, one of the best action movies of all time. I think a lot of people changed their minds about Olyphant and he does very well as 47. I think he gives the character a little more life than what the game ever did, a little more personality but still has this brooding strength and this capable killing spirit which makes him incredible. If they replace him in the future installments it will be very hard to fill his shoes. Veteran character actor Dougray Scott is terrific as the cop close on the heels of 47 and determined to stop him. Scott and Olyphant just barely scratch the surface of what could be a terrific rivalry between the two men. I would have liked to have seen more between them which is why I hope they return for future installments. Olga Kurylenko is quite good as the witness needing protection by Agent 47. They keep the romance between them to a bare minimum which is good because I think romance would seriously take from Agent 47's personality. Ulrich Thomsen has a small role as the main villain and Agent 47's intended target. The villains in the film are numerous so he doesn't truly get to be the actual villain.

The film is appropriately dark and gritty and very violent. There is some really violent scenes which I think is a necessity for this film even if it cuts into a teenage demographic that won't see it. As expected they do play some homage to the video game including a rather forced and yet somehow amusing scene where he smashes through a window where two kids are playing Hit-man 2 on PS2. There is also a hallway scene where they set it up almost exactly like the perspective you would have played the game...a more subtle reference and artistic too. Agent 47 dons numerous disguises, kills indiscriminately when he needs to and despite the very complex plot it does all come together in the end. I think this might be one of the more ambitious video game to movie transitions and it has loads of potential to serialize the hell out of it but I would hate to see a different cast especially in the lead role. Unfortunately I have this feeling that is exactly what will happen. Still it has potential and definitely worth checking out for a fresh, ripping, hip action flick. Even if you've never heard of the game you can get hooked. 7.5/10

So-so genre film that is nothing to write home about

[bob the moo · 2 July 2008]

From childhood Agent 47 was trained and conditioned to kill. As an adult he is one of many hit men working for The Organisation across the world – killing on behalf of unseen clients. However when a successful hit on the Russian president is presented as a near miss, 47 realises that something is up – a realisation only confirmed when the Russian authorities converge on his position. Having dealt with them, Agent 47 goes on the offensive to expose those that have turned against him.

Hit-man got very poor reviews when it came out in the cinemas and this was enough to make me skip it then, but not totally enough when it came to DVD. Seeing it for myself I must say that the majority of critics were being a bit too snotty but mostly did have a point because this is certainly not a very good film. However it is not a terrible one by any means. As many others have said, this is a case of a film not even pretending to do anything other than the genre basics and I cannot imagine many viewers would have come to this not knowing what to expect. In that regard it does just that in all aspects – good and bad, well "so-so" and bad. The action sequences are typical slow-motion, stylised stuff that you have seen countless other places. They are not remarkable but they do provide distraction in how easy they are to watch.

So far so genre but in other areas it doesn't even really do the basics. The plot has potential but the delivery is fudged and the significance or extent is not that well expressed and seemed detached from the action, rather than driving it. Compare and contrast it with the Bourne films and you'll get my meaning because I thought that trilogy did it much better than this film. The dialogue is also poor and at times it does feel like it has been written by a piece of software rather than people. The dialogue also knocks onto the performances. Olyphant is solid enough when asked to be cool and deadly but in scenes where he has to do more he mostly flounders. Scott has more talking to do and at times he sounds like he can barely be bothered to pronounce the words – he is poor from start to finish. Kurylenko has the thankless task of being the "sexy plot device" and is not helped by some terrible dialogue that would have taken some amazing delivery and chemistry to make work – she cannot do the delivery and she cannot break the cold hit-man to produce chemistry. The rest of the cast are so-so but do the basics well enough.

Hit-man is not a rubbish film by any means bur I can understand why many "proper" critics gave it such a kicking. The reason is that it is totally generic in the areas where it should have been strong (the action) and in every other area it is subpar even by the standards of the genre.

Hit-man

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 4 July 2009]

A contract killer(..a bald Timothy Olyphant, in custom suits and tie, sporting a bar code on the back of his head), brought up and trained from childhood by a shadowy organization, is set up by a Russian political figure(Ulrich Thomsen) and will do whatever it takes to get even. In tow is the target's often abused "property", a young woman(..the smoldering Ukrainian beauty, Olga Kurylenko) he purchased and now wishes executed for she "knows too much". Both will move through Russia(..Moscow mostly), dodging a determined Interpol Agent(Dougray Scott) and the country's own police force in order for the hit-man's mission to be accomplished.

Slick looking ultra-violent action flick which operates along the lines of the Bourne series featuring an unstoppable, highly skilled assassin who remains one step ahead of those pursuing him. He's the puppeteer while those after him are merely his puppets on string, his maneuvering them in any way he wishes. Robert Knepper is Yuri Marklov, working for the corrupt Russian politician who must answer for his men's incapability at eliminating the the thorn in their side.

When I entered viewing this film I was expecting a tame dud because the version I thought I was watching seemed to be rated PG-13..then I started watching it and realized this must've been the intentional version the first director, Xavior Gens, had envisioned. The film features lots of shootouts(..plenty of blood spray) and Agent 47(Olyphant doesn't have a name)often engages fellow assassins in thrilling hand-to-hand combats. While the film never allows 47 and his "luggage" to carry their budding relationship to the expected climax, the film certainly opens the possibility that these two will become an item.

The film is ultimately about a man and his mission, an incredibly gifted, well trained marksman who never abandons his assignment..even if the assignment is made by the very same person who is himself the victim! Olyphant, one of those actors who hadn't quite reached the top tier in starring as an action hero, accepting the role after Vin Diesel passed, barely changes expression(..and rarely talks) keeping his mind, almost, always on the task at hand. Kurylenko has these wonderful moments where she's allowed to bilk her enormous sex appeal, walking through a hotel room practically naked(..except for a little pair of panties)as Agent 47, even as his mind is preparing for the next objective in his strategy to kill his quarry, stares at her as she overlooks the city from a balcony. Scott is, of course, solid as the Hit-man's dogged pursuer, who has tracked him for a long period of time and seems to know him better than anyone, although he encounters countless resistance along the way.

The action sequences(..how Agent 47 is able to infiltrate areas swarming with authorities and heavily armed henchman)are flashy and highly stylized(..if preposterous and improbable)..I'm guessing fans of the game, for which this based, won't be disappointed.

I'd definitely see it again if they paid me 15 dollars...

[seaton60 · 1/10 · 10 December 2007]

It was dull, it was boring, the acting was terrible, olyphant was not believable, Olga was pretty good, the Scottish guy was sometimes out of sync and T-Bag's (Knepper's) accent was poorly executed and sometimes not even there... The action scenes were okay, the plot was pathetic and somewhat fantastical, everything was preplanned so perfectly, oh i'll give them a key to the church in my briefcase because i definitely know that they'll find me, i'll kill the brother and they'll have the ceremony in that exact church, then i'll wait in the room and get arrested and make my escape... There's a man who thinks ahead. I heard that it was rubbish and what not so i was hopeful that it would be better than I thought but it wasn't... I might be harsh, but it's just a warning to those that could spend their 12 dollars elsewhere... I would wait till it comes out on DVD then hire it on one of those cheap days, one dollar Monday's or something...

Enjoyable game-to-movie action romp

[jim-j-moore · 8/10 · 17 February 2008]

Viewers unfamiliar with the video game won't be disappointed - this is a well rounded action movie in its own right. Those who have played the video games from which the film characters are derived should enjoy the way Olyphant brings the anti-hero to life on the big screen.

In places the movie skirts on the borders of the usual action movie clichés: our ice-cold protagonist appears to thaw due to good-hearted "victim of society" hooker, for example. However, this is reasonably well handled in this movie and thankfully we don't get a serving of love interest cheese.

Dougray Scott's detective in pursuit character is another overused "good cop against the establishment" device, although again this is handled in a way that doesn't unduly distract. The fact that Dougray repeatedly pulls out a cigarette that he never once lights does become slightly distracting. If Dougray is an ardent non-smoker, why bother with the cigarette prop at all? Hard cops don't have to be smokers.

As with all movies of this genre, realism gives way to visual impact. If it bothers you that someone can emerge victorious but unscathed from a 10-against-1 firefight, this may not be the movie for you. For the rest of us, put your brains into neutral and enjoy the show!

Satisying ...

[shadowman123 · 6/10 · 24 December 2007]

Although I am a big gamer , Hit-man was not really on my list of games to play but then I had just recently bought The Hit-man triple hit pack for the Playstation 2 and thought I would also give the movie a shot. I felt that Hit-man has been realised at the wrong time of the year as this did not typically feel like a winter movie but it still got the job done. Although I am not that familiar with the concept and how true they kept in spirit of the games (I am very particular about those type of things) , what I can say that on action levels it just seems like a rather Luke warm film. I mean was not expecting an arts movie with a name of a computer game like Hit-man but then yet again it would of been nice to show an effort. The plus points of this movie were that well it dived straight into the action right away without setting the tone slowly , from the trailers (which made it look like a film that could go toe-to-toe with Die Hard) it lived up to its promises of action and there were some genuinely good action scene's . The film also moved at a good enough pace which which although I felt was occasionally drifting off in places quickly dragged it-self back on track. Timothy Olyphant done a good enough job as Agent 47 although I believe someone like Bruce Willis or Jason Staham would of been more suited for the role, the movie also made some good reference towards the game. Having said that Hit-man moves at a quick pace but then along the way it feels a bit chaotic in most places! For one , it seems to lose grip of its plot half way through and we forget what was Agent 47 original mission and his new intentions, another thing was the 'clever' or smart or maybe even 'cool' dialogue to me it just felt awful. Another thing is that Olga Kurlyenko who plays Nika felt like to that she was trying to pass her-self off as Asia Argento ... a very bad version of Asia Argento , and the half cooked romance angel was just unnecessary and not needed. To some it up Hit-man is not the best of computer games to big screen adaptations but having said that it does deliver what it says on the package and it does not completely feel like a waste of time as it does what it is supposed to do and that is entertain us, worth a rent for fans of the game and action genre.

Hit-man : 6.8 OUT 10

TO PROTECT US , HE WILL KILL...

Play the game instead

[pinkliz41 · 1/10 · 25 August 2008]

Hitmna is a poor adaption of its masterful game series. Action, stealth, a good story and well forged characters are all present and clear in the game. However when they had announced Hit-man would be making a debut on the big screen i felt a little concerned and worried about its quality that is shown in the games. The main one being, weather it would obtain its 18 certificate and weather its violence would be as great and graphic as it is in the games. I was sadly wrong on both accounts. The violence in the film is so inevitably poor and unfocused on how the game was, and the 18 certificate so many people had hoped for.

As for the films story and characters it remains true that it isn't anything like its game. No emotion or accurate dialogue, no great story. Instead he does one assassination, holds hostage a girl who knows information, then realises that the person he assassinated was a double, he then has to find the real person and kill him and so on.

Poor, poor, poor and a disgrace to its highly acclaimed game series.

Better than expected

[AMH57 · 9/10 · 21 November 2007]

This by far is the best video game adaptation movie I have ever seen. It stayed mostly true to the games but instead the agents were orphans instead of clones. There were many great action scenes and nods to the games, such as Agent 47 stealing various outfits, his weapons and his odd ways of killing his targets. the movie reminded me of an all new game in itself.

Not to mention Nika (Olga Kurylenko) was amazingly HOT in this movie and has various topless scenes which made me happy :) and she wasn't a bad actress either. I think Timothy Olyphant was THE perfect Agent 47 and captured the character perfectly I would definitely see this movie multiple times!!!!! I highly recommend this movie to fans of the video games or if you love action movies altogether!!!!!

Actually quite good...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 31 October 2019]

This 2007 movie based on the Eidos hit game franchise "Hitman" wasn't actually as bad as one would initially think it would be. I mean, a movie based on a game usually doesn't have a good hand of cards dealt. But still, this is Agent 47, so of course the movie had to be watched.

And now in 2019 is actually the second time I watch this movie from writer Skip Woods and director Xavier Gens. Turns out that the movie actually is far more entertaining than what you'd assume for a movie based on a game.

The storyline is straight forward, easily followed, and actually provides enough value to keep you entertained from start to end. Sure, this movie is not one that will challenge you intellectually, not by a long shot, but just sit back and enjoy the action ride.

Timothy Olyphant actually managed to portray a convincing Agent 47 in this movie, and he does carry the movie quite nicely. I think it was a shame that Robert Knepper didn't have a bigger role in the movie, because he was shining when he was on the screen, and he could have been put to so much better use with given more screen time.

There is a lot of action in the movie - well, it dwarves in comparison to the sheer amount of action in the 2015 movie "Hitman: Agent 47" - but still, it is quite enjoyable and more than enough to keep you entertained. And the actors and actresses perform quite well and deliver some convincing scenes, both in acting scenes and action scenes.

Even if you are not familiar with the game franchise, then "Hitman" is a movie that you can just as easily sit down, watch and enjoy.

The scene where Agent 47 crash through a hotel window and come upon two young lads playing Hitman in the room on console, nah... That was just way too tacky, and it was such an unnecessary thing to have in the movie, because it made zero sense and it just dumbed down the entire movie.

"Hitman" from 2007 is definitely an action movie that is well-worth taking the time to sit down and watch. My rating is a solid seven out of ten stars.

Unsurprising and expected...

[peterregiel · 3/10 · 7 December 2007]

Being a longtime fan of the games, I was pretty excited to hear that they were planning on making a film based on them. I knew that it would be a challenge to depict a rather 1-dimensional character like 47 in an honest and objective manner, while still making it entertaining for the public. That was when my optimism about this project faded; knowing Hollywood would take the easy way out, converting the rather complex and serious games into a very predictable and regurgitated action flick.

Later in the year, I read the script that was floating around the internet. It confirmed all my predictions and I knew I was going to hate the movie. However, I am a glutton for punishment and I decided to see the movie yesterday, knowing well that I was going to end up with the stale taste of regret in my mouth.

I think there are two aspects to look at here. The first is how the movie stands up compared to the game. The second is how the movie stands on its own as a film.

To address the first point, I am utterly baffled by the reviews that state that this movie is faithful to the series and how it won't disappoint fans of the games. I can only conclude that these reviewers have never played the games, and know nothing about the back-story of the series. This movie is only related to the games by name, and the fact that there is a bald guy with a bar code on his head wearing a suit in it. The relation ends there.

Olyphant's 47, portrayed as ¨cold¨ as Olyphant could muster, is warm and fuzzy (like Elmo) compared to the original Mr. 47. He jokes, he smiles, he awkwardly flirts with skimpy dressed Nika, and he spares the lives of our nice Interpol buddies. You don't have play the games for long to understand how this is a deviance from the original Hit-man concept. What really bothers me is that Olyphant's 47 destroys the fundamental concepts behind the Hit-man games, which are what have made that franchise so popular and unique: stealth, amorality, professionalism, moderation, restraint, and in a sense, non-violence. This movie doesn't remain faithful to any of that. It contains a bald guy shooting a bunch of dudes and saving a mistreated woman with a low tolerance for alcohol and a high tolerance for pain.

The second point, whether the movie stands on its own or not, is fairly evident from what I have already mentioned. They could have named this ¨Die Hard Jr's Soviet Escapades¨ and no one would have been surprised. As an action flick, it follows the same formula that has been used for decades. Tough guy, weak chick, persecution, explosions, and gunshots. The action scenes are nothing special, but not terrible either. The plot isn't well put together, and some pieces don't make much sense. Little back story is presented about the characters, and I didn't feel any sympathy for any of them.

Lastly, it appears that they dulled down the violence and edited out some of the background info from the script that I read. If the script was bad, a chopped up version of that script is an abomination.

To summarize, this movie falls flat on its face as an action flick, and is an insult to the Hit-man franchise. The acting is relatively poor with miscast actors, a terrible script, mundane action scenes, and strung together plot elements. I had originally rated this film 4 out of 10, but all considered, it was lucky to end up with my 3 out of 10 rating.