Hitman [Blu-ray] [2007] [US Import]

I feel that I really need to defend my five star rating for this film when I have rated some arthouse classics lower.

It is great fun from beginning to end, it features some some dazzling action sequences. It brings together some great supporting actors in prominent roles. Dougray Scott was tremendous in Mission Impossible 2, Timothy Olyphant was tremendous in Die Hard 4, Olga Kurylenko was tremendous in Quantum of Solace.

It is also a really odd mix, the action has the full blooded feel of a John Woo action film, with many sequences feeling uncomfortably full on for a 15 certificate. But at its heart there is a touching relationship between Olyphant and Kurylenko. Although the action is brutal, it really does not take itself too seriously and at heart it is quite sweet.

There is also a good selection of extras, including an amusing gag reel and some even more gore soaked deleted scenes.

The original director was replaced so that the final edit could be brought down to a 15 certificate, but even so the film hangs together well.

With action films you don't expect great art, the art direction is proficient rather than outstanding, the script is similarly proficient, but there is a real energy and sense of fun about this film that makes it one well worth watching and rewatching.

'Hitman' is another game-to-film conversion based on the violent series of the same name where an assassin known only as Agent 47 is hired by a group known only as 'The Agency' to kill the Russian president but he has been double-crossed, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military.

It's not very often you can come away from watching a game-movie and think "well that was pretty damn good!" but this here is one where I did. I'm a pretty big fan of the Hitman games with Blood Money being one of my favourites of all time and when I first heard that Timothy Olyphant had been chosen to play the notorious anti-hero Agent 47, I had pretty much written the film off completely as I really didn't think he fit the part well at all. I've now watched the film after a friend's strong recommendation and have been proved completely wrong by this casting decision as I now think there would be no one better for the role. The character is confident and has no feelings, just like in the games and Olyphant pulls this off perfectly. If there is ever a sequel (which is most likely...) I really hope that he returns to fill the suit of 47 again. Dougray Scott also plays an excellent part in his role as the Interpol agent, in fact this is one of the best performances I've ever seen him in.

For once the film sticks close to the style of the games and doesn't try and change anything that didn't need changing (like the unneccessaryAlice character in the Resident Evil movies). The story isn't too complicated and doesn't require much thinking, which is what you'd expect from this kind of movie. The action is pretty much non stop and there are some really impressive fight scenes all the way through, so there is never a dull moment. Basically, if you take this movie for what it is, it is a very fun, very enjoyable film that is entertaining from start to finish and it actually surprised me at how good it is.

The Hitman games are excellent stealth games which have a large fan base. The critics really slated this film which put me off a bit. After reading some of the other reviews and being a fan of the games myself, I thought I must see this film. I wasn't disappointed as it captures the games perfectly and has a pretty good story in there too within the bloody action. With Hitman and Die Hard 4.0 Timothy Olyphant is a up and coming big movie star.