Hitman (Unrated Edition)
by Xavier Gens
List Price:
Our Price: $5.15
You Save: $9.83 (66%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.00 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Timothy Olyphant, Ulrich ThomsenDirector: Xavier Gens
Brand: Fox
Writer: Skip Woods
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 89 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-03-11
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Reviews of Hitman (Unrated Edition)
DVD Review: Entertaining, Surprisingly Restrained
Summary: 4 Stars
Hitman / B0012RLX88
*Spoilers*
"Hitman" is an action movie at its core, and you'll find the usual pitfalls that most action shoot-em-up movies succumb to: an elaborate sword-fighting scene that feels more than a tiny bit unnecessary, blatant rip-offs of The Matrix, and a convoluted plot so tortured and forced that you can't help but feel sorry for the writers. But you know what, that's okay. Unnecessary melee scenes have become the modern version of an intermission for action movies - a relaxing break where you can collect your thoughts or visit the restroom. And ripping off "The Matrix" in an action movie is now like ripping off Aliens in a horror movie - it's become almost impossible *not* to rip them off at least a little, just because they were so fundamentally good. And I can endure a nonsensical plot as long as you feed me enough "oh, *that's* why...." feelings to give me my amateur detective adrenaline rush.
What I like most about "Hitman" is that the writers and directors approached the movie with uncharacteristic restraint, to the point that some scenes are almost artistic in their understated simplicity. Take the initial opening sequence where young 47 is shown as a child - most action movies would go whole hog with an expository voice-over longer than War and Peace, effectively killing the suspense and boring the user to tears, a la the unfortunate Ultraviolet. But, no, "Hitman" resists temptation and keeps its mouth shut, providing us with a much more subtle and interesting opening hook.
And take the shoe-horned love interest that is now mandatory for all movies to include - yes, it's the standard woman-who-doesn't-try-to-escape-the-dangerous-assassin-and-instead-rather-ridiculously-falls-in-love-with-him stereotype, but the writers were at least aware that the stereotype is patently ridiculous for your average, normal -kidnapped-by-an-assassin woman and so they instead introduced the facet that this particular woman has been regularly abused and brutalized for an extended time period now, making her seem less like an idiot for falling for a dangerous assassin and more like a particularly vulnerable woman grasping out at the first man who hasn't shown an inclination to sadistically torture her. At the end of the day, it's still the same stereotypical love interest, but at least now there's some semblance of a reason behind her actions, and I appreciate that little touch. This uncharacteristic restraint is also seen in the film ending, and while The Gift Ending is as predictable as the sun rising, they chose not to go whole hog with it and include a plot-impossible Happy Life Together Ending.
For all its flaws, "Hitman" seems to counter them all with a charming sense of self-awareness. For instance, it is patently ridiculous that a secretive assassin would go about with a shaved head and a barcode tattoo - he stands out like a sore thumb wherever he goes. But the writers seem to REALIZE the idiocy of this and instead of trying to make us accept it, they just blatantly and openly ignore it, as if to say "OK, we have to include the tattoo because it's in the video game, but all the characters are just going to pretend they don't see it," and frankly I like that approach - much more so than some kind of long, unbelievable explanation.
So, all in all, I enjoyed "Hitman". It's an action movie and not a particularly thought-provoking one, but it is a fresh addition to a somewhat stagnant genre and while it plays it safe with the usual stereotypes and tropes, it does so with nice flourishes and artistic touches. It's not high art, but it is entertaining, and I'm happy to add it to my movie library.
~ Ana Mardoll
Description of Hitman (Unrated Edition)
HITMAN - DVD MovieIt?s hard not to feel like one has entered a certain dimension of video-game logic while watching Hitman, a lightly enjoyable action-suspense movie indeed based on a popular and bloody game about a mysterious hired gun with a bar-code tattoo on his bald head and a number (47) in lieu of a name. Living like a chaste monk while slipping past borders to kill his targets, 47 (Timothy Olyphant of Deadwood) moves like a determined shark and speaks softly to his contact at the enigmatic "the Organization," which raises cast-off children to become well-paid assassins. Fruitlessly pursued by an Interpol cop (Dougray Scott) who can never get sovereign governments to cooperate, 47 has no trouble slipping in and out of countries to ply his trade. Until, that is, he?s set up to take a fall in Russia by shooting a national leader who is promptly replaced by a lookalike double. Suddenly on the run, 47 has to retrace his steps and formulate a lethal plan for extricating himself from a trap. Caught in the chaos is the lovely Nika (Olga Kurylenko), forced into sex slavery by 47?s new enemies and the one person who seems uniquely qualified to break through 47?s many personal barriers. Directed by France?s Xavier Gens, Hitman features loads of bloody mayhem and unabashed moments of pulp absurdity, such as a scene in which 47 and three other Organization killers agree to fight one another respectfully, then proceed to pulverize each other with swords and fists. As fodder for gamers, however, Hitman is packed with visuals and dramatic moments that seem so odd on the big screen until one realizes they are basically placemarkers for the video-game edition. --Tom Keogh
Beyond Hitman
 Hitman Video Games |  Hitman Books and Game Guides |  More from Timothy Olyphant |
Stills from Hitman
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
JumperJumper; Release date: 2008-06-10; Published: 2008-06-01; DVD
Best price: $5.69
Price in other shops:
The MechanicSony; Release date: 2011-05-17; DVD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
Taken (Single-Disc Extended Edition)TCFHE; Release date: 2009-05-12; Published: 2009-05-01; DVD
Best price: $9.85
Price in other shops:
CoastlinesGenius; Release date: 2007-02-06; DVD
Best price: $10.05
Price in other shops:
The Bank JobLions Gate; Release date: 2008-07-15; Published: 2008-07-01; DVD
Best price: $4.78
Price in other shops:
The PunisherLions Gate; Release date: 2004-09-07; DVD
Best price: $1.98
Price in other shops:
Transporter 3 (Single-Disc Edition)Lions Gate; Release date: 2009-03-10; Published: 2009-03-01; DVD
Best price: $4.50
Price in other shops:
A Perfect Getaway (Theatrical/ Unrated Director's Cut)NBC Universal; Release date: 2010-08-22; DVD
Best price: $3.78
Price in other shops:
Max PayneFox; Release date: 2009-01-20; Published: 2009-01-01; DVD
Best price: $2.95
Price in other shops:
Shooter (Widescreen Edition)Paramount; Release date: 2007-06-26; DVD
Best price: $5.71
Price in other shops: