Review – Hitman

Hitman is a well done action movie. I’m going to call it an action movie rather than a special effects movie because most of the action really was action, not special effects. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is the fact it was really light on the back story. Obviously they are setting that up to do a prequel, a word I wish the cocaine abusing Hollywood elite would snort away the definition of.

What Hitman Got Wrong

You really have to watch Hitman from the opening seconds to understand my disappointment about the backstory not being filled in more. It starts out with Avay Maria or as this link calls it Ave Maria. We get one of the more beautiful religious songs with a collage of kids being trained to kill. Enduring extreme hardship such as running barefoot in the snow then climbing a chain link fence topped with razor tape.

For those who didn’t follow that:

• First they run barefoot through the snow wearing what looks like an antique night shirt
• At the end of the run they climb the chain link fence topped with razor tape.
• Eventually they graduate getting a barcoded number tattooed on the back of their bald skull while some religious leader walks behind them muttering.

I would have liked a bit more of that story. Think it would have made the rest of the story line easier to buy.

The Story Line

There are several. The main one goes like this:

• monk-like killer who won’t have sex with Olga
• loves her so strongly he watches over her killing everyone sent after her even after his job is done.

Okay, some women will buy that hook, line and sinker, welling up with tears, gushing about how romantic it is, but most straight guys won’t. Especially given the fact Olga Kurylenko is the woman he is turning down.

What It Got Right

Let us just say that Olga Kurylenko takes that innocent girl gone very bad role and sells it! In her one little monologue about not choosing to be a whore we get all the back story we need to know about her. She completely sells it with her delivery of one line:

“Would you like to know how much he paid for me? 300, American.”

With that line our minds fill in the thousands of stories, both fictional and real life, we have been exposed to and she is both forgiven and loved. The character is welcomed into our lives and we buy in to the story from then on.

Timothy Olyphant has mastered the look and style of Hitman. It reminds me of Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns without the ruff edge. Most importantly he has “the voice.” There is some amazing quality in the voice he uses for that character.

This movie is well worth adding to your private collection.

For more movie rental ideas please see list one and list two.