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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: 20th Century Fox
Salesrank: 4017
Released: March 11, 2008 |
| Our Price: $3.60 |
| Used Price: $0.99 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
The best-selling videogame HITMAN roars to life with both barrels blazing in this hardcore action-thriller starring Timothy Olyphant (Live Free or Die Hard). A genetically engineered assassin with killer style and deadly aim known only as "Agent 47" eliminates strategic targets for a top-secret organization. But when he's double-crossed on a mission the hunter becomes the prey as 47 finds himself ensnared in a life-or-death game of international intrigue and violent retribution. System Requirements:Running Time: 94 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/CRIME Rating: UNRATED UPC: 024543510024 Manufacturer No: 2251010
Description of Hitman (Unrated Edition):
It’s hard not to feel like one has entered a certain dimension of video-game logic while watching Hitman, a lightly enjoyable action-suspense movie indeed based on a popular and bloody game about a mysterious hired gun with a bar-code tattoo on his bald head and a number (47) in lieu of a name. Living like a chaste monk while slipping past borders to kill his targets, 47 (Timothy Olyphant of Deadwood) moves like a determined shark and speaks softly to his contact at the enigmatic "the Organization," which raises cast-off children to become well-paid assassins. Fruitlessly pursued by an Interpol cop (Dougray Scott) who can never get sovereign governments to cooperate, 47 has no trouble slipping in and out of countries to ply his trade. Until, that is, he’s set up to take a fall in Russia by shooting a national leader who is promptly replaced by a lookalike double. Suddenly on the run, 47 has to retrace his steps and formulate a lethal plan for extricating himself from a trap. Caught in the chaos is the lovely Nika (Olga Kurylenko), forced into sex slavery by 47’s new enemies and the one person who seems uniquely qualified to break through 47’s many personal barriers. Directed by France’s Xavier Gens, Hitman features loads of bloody mayhem and unabashed moments of pulp absurdity, such as a scene in which 47 and three other Organization killers agree to fight one another respectfully, then proceed to pulverize each other with swords and fists. As fodder for gamers, however, Hitman is packed with visuals and dramatic moments that seem so odd on the big screen until one realizes they are basically placemarkers for the video-game edition. --Tom Keogh
Beyond Hitman
Hitman Video Games | 
Hitman Books and Game Guides | 
More from Timothy Olyphant |
Stills from Hitman Hitman (Unrated Edition) Reviews:
Hitman with footage from Dark Angel? 
2009-10-29 - Has anyone else noticed that Hitman has some of the exact footage of the flashback scenes of Dark Angel with Jessica Alba? Otherwise, this movie is watchable. Crappy but not the worst movie you'll ever see.
Excellent Movie 
2009-10-16 - I absolutely loved this movie. The action and lighting are phenomenal. The stars are gorgeous and Hot. Olga is beautiful and really portrays her character well. She is also very believable. I could watch Timothy Oliphant any time, anywhere. He is extremely handsome and his portrayal of Agent 47 is outstanding. You are continuously amazed at the character's expertise in the art of killing and his cool demeanor. This is the first movie that I have watched over and over again many times. I finally purchased it so I don't have to wait to watch it whenever I want. Thanks for making this movie. I was not aware of the game when I first saw the movie. Please make many movies with Timothy in the lead role.
Awesome Movie
2009-10-08 - i never played the game but the movie was awesome. i loved it. it had non stop action. it's a must see
terrific movie
2009-08-27 - enjoyed the movie greatly. great action in fighting scenes. Really cute
when he is embarrassed about seeing her naked. Loved it.
Entertaining, Surprisingly Restrained 
2009-08-05 - Hitman / B0012RLX88
*Spoilers*
I'm going to flat-out admit it: I enjoyed this movie immensely. That didn't surprise me - I tend to perplexingly like 'bad' video game movies, but what did surprise me is that this movie really isn't bad at all, video game movie or not.
"Hitman" is an action movie at its core, and you'll find the usual pitfalls that most action shoot-em-up movies succumb to: an elaborate sword-fighting scene that feels more than a tiny bit unnecessary, blatant rip-offs of The Matrix, and a convoluted plot so tortured and forced that you can't help but feel sorry for the writers. But you know what, that's okay. Unnecessary melee scenes have become the modern version of an intermission for action movies - a relaxing break where you can collect your thoughts or visit the restroom. And ripping off "The Matrix" in an action movie is now like ripping off Aliens in a horror movie - it's become almost impossible *not* to rip them off at least a little, just because they were so fundamentally good. And I can endure a nonsensical plot as long as you feed me enough "oh, *that's* why...." feelings to give me my amateur detective adrenaline rush.
What I like most about "Hitman" is that the writers and directors approached the movie with uncharacteristic restraint, to the point that some scenes are almost artistic in their understated simplicity. Take the initial opening sequence where young 47 is shown as a child - most action movies would go whole hog with an expository voice-over longer than War and Peace, effectively killing the suspense and boring the user to tears, a la the unfortunate Ultraviolet. But, no, "Hitman" resists temptation and keeps its mouth shut, providing us with a much more subtle and interesting opening hook.
And take the shoe-horned love interest that is now mandatory for all movies to include - yes, it's the standard woman-who-doesn't-try-to-escape-the-dangerous-assassin-and-instead-rather-ridiculously-falls-in-love-with-him stereotype, but the writers were at least aware that the stereotype is patently ridiculous for your average, normal -kidnapped-by-an-assassin woman and so they instead introduced the facet that this particular woman has been regularly abused and brutalized for an extended time period now, making her seem less like an idiot for falling for a dangerous assassin and more like a particularly vulnerable woman grasping out at the first man who hasn't shown an inclination to sadistically torture her. At the end of the day, it's still the same stereotypical love interest, but at least now there's some semblance of a reason behind her actions, and I appreciate that little touch. This uncharacteristic restraint is also seen in the film ending, and while The Gift Ending is as predictable as the sun rising, they chose not to go whole hog with it and include a plot-impossible Happy Life Together Ending.
For all its flaws, "Hitman" seems to counter them all with a charming sense of self-awareness. For instance, it is patently ridiculous that a secretive assassin would go about with a shaved head and a barcode tattoo - he stands out like a sore thumb wherever he goes. But the writers seem to REALIZE the idiocy of this and instead of trying to make us accept it, they just blatantly and openly ignore it, as if to say "OK, we have to include the tattoo because it's in the video game, but all the characters are just going to pretend they don't see it," and frankly I like that approach - much more so than some kind of long, unbelievable explanation.
So, all in all, I enjoyed "Hitman". It's an action movie and not a particularly thought-provoking one, but it is a fresh addition to a somewhat stagnant genre and while it plays it safe with the usual stereotypes and tropes, it does so with nice flourishes and artistic touches. It's not high art, but it is entertaining, and I'm happy to add it to my movie library.
