Hitman

It's true that there were a lot of logic errors, but I decided to be generous with my rating. The biggest problem with the writing was that it was so dumb in places that it bored me. Olga had been looking forward to finally starring in a porn movie, but they didn't let her use her full potential. Also, the machine gun burst from the Mil Mi- 24 fired at the temple came from the launchers of unguided missiles, but okay... (02/01/2018)

I only played part two of the game this is based on, but I would say that it looked completely the opposite to what Gens tries to present us here (although it’s clear from various details that he knows the series of games back to front, cf. the rubber duck). Instead of wild action sequences and dialog, the game was more about crawling and thinking up the least obvious approach possible. Even “Forty-Seven" had some depth of character. While Olyphant (although I like him and I have no issues with uncompromising hard guys who ooze respect) is about as charismatic as me in this role. So, great material, but nothing comes of it. And the screenplay... Even if any screenplay was ever written, you won’t come across it for the entire ninety minutes. Gens’ Hitman is simply an action pastiche with uninspiringly filmed action that is closer to being a C-movie, rather than coming anywhere near being an A-movie. Lots of stealing (as far as music is concerned), unfaithful to the game it was based on (and to god knows what else) and dumb to the very core. But does that necessarily mean that it isn’t entertaining? No in the least. Because the celluloid Hitman is entertaining. Intentionally or not. (30/05/2008)

It's definitely not a total disaster because Timothy Olyphant gave the character an interesting ambivalence through his appearance. On the other hand, one indeed expects a bit more from such a film than just ordinary action sequences. I generally love the theme of assassins. This is entertainment worth a single watch. (12/03/2014)

Say what you want, but Timothy Olyphant IS Hitman. He can shoot silently or with a big bang, he can accomplish what he is tasked with, and if someone double-crosses him, he can overcome any obstacles (which in this case means a larger number of them than usual). He takes a pair of his best and most precise friends and goes exactly where he intends to. And yet he is not heartless, and his forced relationship with Nika is a perfect example of that. I won't let anyone convince me that it's just a way to get Olga Kurylenko's sexy character into the movie, because Agent 47, compared to the source material, is successfully humanized with a natural background and his confusion when interacting with someone other than an enemy is so believable and appropriate. A different assassin was born. Different from what he was created to be and different from how he was born in the game. But regardless, he is here, and the fact that an immediate sequel with any game storyline wasn't made immediately remained for me an unpleasant and burning debt for quite a while. (21/12/2007)

It's really disappointing that Gens didn't quite understand the game, so there are really minimal references to the famous silent action (kids at the PC, one disguise), there’s no steel wire, and Hitman is not a silent assassin (the Matrix-like action in the club didn't impress me). Although Olyphant doesn't hold back and is usually ruthless, overall the film not really up to par because of the above mentioned flaws. The one-on-one fights are oddly edited and not much to speak of. So we're left with just raw, surprisingly bloody action, which is worth watching. Otherwise, Hitman is more of a pure action movie than a successful adaptation of the game. (26/07/2008)