Hitman
Hitman on DVD.
I know what you’re thinking, yet another Video Game movie adaptation. Hitman, however, hits you from the get go with a fast paced, action-packed story that makes you forget about the game.
Hitman tells the story of Agent 47, a highly trained gun-for-hire. Genetically engineered by The Organisation, Agent 47 was trained in martial arts and the usage of firearms in order to produce an emotionless killing machine. When Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) takes on a job that seems like any other, assassinating Russian President Mikhail Belicoff (Ulrich Thomsen), he is thrown unwittingly into a political conspiracy. On the run for his life from Interpol and the Russian FSB, and to make sense of the situation he’s in, Agent 47 encounters a young Russian woman who is able to aide him in his mission. He slowly begins to realise feelings that he doesn’t understand and begins to develop a conscience that goes against his training.
French director, Xavier Gens, gives the film a very raw European feel synonymous with many French films. With excellent performances from Timothy Olyphant (Deadwood, Die Hard 4.0), Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible 2, Enigma) and Ukrainian-born, Olga Kurylenko, Hitman set’s itself apart from many of the Video Game movie adaptations.
Unlike its Video Game adaptation predecessors such as Tomb Raider and Resident Evil, Hitman has a strong story line, high quality performances from its cast and a stronger link to the game that inspired it.
The major downside of the film is the under-development of the background of Agent 47. There is very little explanation of how Agent 47 was trained or how he was ‘created’. It would seem that the writers had expected that anyone seeing the film would have already played the game. For those of us that haven’t played the game, some aspects of the story can be confusing to say the least.
The DVD has been released as an Uncut version so be sure that you’re ready for more blood and violence then would be seen at the theatres. The DVD, unfortunately, doesn’t boast an extensive list of special features.
All in all, Hitman is an action packed thrill ride that keeps you hooked til the final scene. Even those who haven’t played the game should enjoy this film.
