Hitman

The script takes the worst of the 1980s, the director doesn't step out of the average and the whole thing takes itself too seriously to be fun. Timothy Olyphant is not bad, the supporting characters are not interesting and the action is far from impressive. And a few winks at fans of the game aren't enough to make an entertaining film. (10/12/2007)

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)

Complete disaster is definitely not, because Timothy Olyphant gave the character such an interesting ambivalence thanks to his appearance. On the other hand, it is true that one expects a little more from such a movie than just ordinary action scenes. I generally really like the theme of hired assassins. This is entertaining for once, but really only for once. (12/03/2014)

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)

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)