"Hitman" (2007) - Movie Review

When action block busters are made, they are made within the confined world the film maker designs. The director needs to find the skill to make that world to engulf the viewers too, so that the ordinary logical laws surrounding the real one gets erased, for the time of the movie. The video game inspired “Hitman” manages to find that and survives till the end. With Timothy Elephant as Agent 47 who gives a cool take on this solid killer who does not quite seem to be the killing breed of “Soldier” and the active clever one of The Bourne Series. He is not Ethan hunt and he is not that skillful either. Yet, something intriguing about him finds us in the midst of going through the film.

It might be stupid to discuss the plot. Mainly that it does not need much of it and secondly, I did not really care or even understand some of it. But it does not really matter for a movie that makes bald men with bar code tattoo on their back wandering in the streets with the guns, knives, bug devices, poison and god knows everything which needs to put a person to rest, temporarily and permanently.

Yes, we know the Agent 47 will be set up. He needs to run for his life. And along with a seductive vixen, Nika (Olga Kurylenko) but a soft natured woman inside who has dreams of having vineyards and how our killing machine grasps it to have an end, every one knows except her. But the Nika is not irritable as most character in that skin will be. Apart from her sensual appearance, the character seems to understand the nature of the killer and brushes the limits as necessary. Hence we do not mind her and also some times like her too.

As for the good cop for a film of this kind, Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott) does the same what Nika does. Even though no one believes him as he does on this invisible existence of the killer, he manages to run the plot as fast as he can. And surprisingly his subordinate Jenkins (Michael Offei) is not just there but does something. Hence every character does its part to keep the story moving and not allowing the viewers to think much. Allowing them to think is the suicidal risk, the movie of this nature cannot afford to.

The music keeps the flow coming while being dedicated to the gaming environment too. There is certain camera angles purposely framed to be homage and to give a feeling of the game. Similarly having the kids Agent 47 breaks in while he escapes playing the “Hitman” game itself is quite charming. The concept of bringing the game to the screen takes me back to my gaming days. Hence I decided to share during this opportunity of a movie based on a game.

I remember playing the game “Prince of Persia: Sands of time” during graduate school. Having seen the original first time graphic “Prince of Persia” when PCs got their way into the regular lives, the advanced graphic natured form invited to play irresistibly. I and another friend of mine took turns and completed the whole big game. The game as such a huge one and the numerous tries we took extended it for more than two months in the middle of mid terms and home works. The story line was incredible and the ending blew us. I never realized a game can be as plot intriguing as this. After that I never really played. I eyed over “Prince of Persia: Warrior Within” but never took off. It is amazing to see games getting its form adding to the regular short stories and novels. Gaming is one of the biggest industries and rarely do people believe in the extraction of intellectual value out of it. But I do not think so as there are umpteen different genres in it and it somehow or other reaches the audience who are just as passionate about any other thing. I know comic book fans are one such and their passion is taking its screen time too. It is quite interesting to see how different forms of art in the modern world technology not only provides story line but altering, changing and inventing new form of film making. It is definitely healthy. May be “Hitman” or “Tomb Raider” is not the ultimate definition of movie making but it took lot of time to get a experiencing “300” and acclaimed by many of its predecessor in this kind, “Sin City”. It is just a matter of time when strategic and emotional gaming might take its form. May be the much addictive “Age of Empires” or the “World of Warcraft” would come alive in the big white flag of cinema.