Fox's DVD Edition for HITMAN(2008).
© Fox Home Entertainment

Mania Grade: B
Title: Hitman
Rating: R
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko
Written By: Skip Woods
Directed By: Xavier Gens
Distributor: Fox Home Entertainment
Original Year of Release: 2007
Extras: Deleted Scenes, Alternate Ending, Making of Documentary, Gag reel, Additional Featurettes
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HITMAN

Films based upon video games haven’t exactly enjoyed the greatest success. From the terrifically bad Uwe Boll films, to Doom and Street Fighter, video game adaptations have been some of the worst films in recent years. This brings us to the latest attempt, Hitman, which I can confidently state…isn’t all that bad. It’s not groundbreaking and its got its share of plot holes but it’s a decent action film with a sort of James Bond Lite feel.

Timothy Olyphant turns in a surprisingly deep performance in his role as the assassin known only as Number 47. He works for the “Organization” who takes orphans and trains them to be nameless and anonymous assassins, giving them only a number and tattooing barcodes on the backs of their heads. 47 is the best at what he does. A ghost who slips in, kills whom ever he’s been assigned to kill, and then disappears. Interpol agent Mike Whittier (Scott) has been tracking down 47 for several years. The trail leads to Russia as Number 47 accepts a mission to kill the Russian President Mikhail Belicoff. The hit seems to go off as planned until 47 sees the Russian President alive and well on the news. He knows there’s no way he could have missed.

47 soon realizes that he’s been set-up by his own organization in a covert plot to replace the Russian president with a look-alike. The only loose ends are Number 47 and a Russian prostitute, Nika, who was a virtual slave to Belicoff’s sadistic brother Udre. The Organization sends out a team of it’s own assassins to kill 47 and the girl. Meanwhile Whittier’s investigation is hindered by Russian secret police just as he finally seems to have 47 trapped.

Hitman has some outstanding action scenes that are stylishly filmed. 47’s escape from his hotel when he discovers the double cross is just one of the many action highlights. The whole film had a very elegant look to it. There are some wonderful framing shots and use of slow motion which I normally detest. You can certainly tell that James Bond films are a big influence on Director Xavier Gens. 47 doesn’t have an array of gadgets but he does have a fantastic arsenal of the latest weapons at his disposal. 

Olyphant plays Number 47 as somewhat emotionally challenged. He’s used to being in control and when he’s betrayed it almost confuses him. Later, when Nika tries to seduce him, he knocks her out with a hypodermic needle. One might think it is because he simply has no time for sex but my take was that the mere thought of sex was too vexing for 47. He didn’t know how to react to Nika’s advances and this merely underscored the fact that being an assassin is all he’s known throughout his life.

Furthering the Bond influence, Olga Kurylenko who plays Nika, is all set to become the next Bond Girl when she teams with Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace.  She was one of my favorite things in the movie. She’s beautiful and exotic, tough and sexy. All of the performances in Hitman were far better than I expected. You can poke a few holes in the plot but this film vastly exceeded my expectations.

Extras

The DVD features four deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and a gag reel.

In the Crosshairs is a 24:10 documentary about the making of the movie.

Digital Hits takes a look at the games genesis from videogame to film. 10:30

Instruments of Destruction focuses on the various weapons used by Number 47 in the film 14:20

Settling the Score is a featurette on composer Geoff Zanelli who wrote the score.