PopSyndicate.com

Whether you are a fan of the popular video game Hitman, the movie based on its namesake has a little something for everyone.

The movie opens with a montage of children training to be assassins. They are tattooed on the back of their skulls with bar codes and given a numerical designation.  Agent 47, played by Timothy Olyphant, is pursued by Mike Whittier of Interpol, played by Dougray Scott. At the same time, the organization that trained 47 puts a contract out on him. As we follow 47’s quest for answers while narrowly escaping Whittier’s pursuit, we learn that his robotic demeanor is plagued by a need to become more…like a guy. While he doesn’t lack in the hotness department, he can’t even introduce himself, as he is only known by his designation. Enter Nika, played by Olga Kurylenko. She is a Russian prostitute that has been treated cruelly, and wishes to escape from her charge. She and 47 are thrown together to find answers while fleeing from a host of different parties.  Both are damaged and should be incapable of love, but they each see something in the other that touches their long-buried human sides.

Hitman is an action flick with a tiny bit of a love story thrown in for us chicks. While not personally a fan of video games, it was easy to see where action scenes paid homage to the game. Olyphant does a fine job of playing the assassin with a heart of gold and even manages to make us laugh at a few points (rolling his eyes at the homeless man when Nika objects to being kept in the trunk of his car).  Kurylenko also does a fine job, horrified at first at this man’s unrestrained killing while also curious, awed, and touched by his awkwardness with her.

Of the special features, skip the deleted scenes and the gag reel, but be sure to catch Instruments of Destruction, a must-see for the coolness factor of the weapons used in Hitman. Other special features include Settling the Score with musical composer Geoff Zanelli and a “making of” feature.

Note that this movie is filled with blood, gore, and all the violence that goes with it, so it is not recommended for children or adults with an aversion to such movies. But for the action, choreography, and characterization, recommended.

4