“Hitman,” the thriller based on the mass-murdering-assassin video game, is a “Bourne” knock-off, and not a very good one at that.
It has the killer without an identity, lots of other killers out to kill him, all set to a score that “Bourne” composer John Powell should consider suing for violating his movie music copyright.
* | video game action
Timothy Olyphant is the bald Bourne, a skinhead in a “Men in Black” suit with a bar-code tattooed on the back of his skull in plain sight. Somehow, all of Interpol can’t find this killer despite the fact that he stands out in any crowd.
He was, the opening credits show us, raised by monks to murder, a literal man without a name. He is called, we learn, “47.” Our killer does in some nasty Nigerians in the opening moments. But it’s when he takes a shot at the ruthless Russian president that Interpol, in the person of an agent played by Dougray Scott, closes in. The Russians, shockingly, want jurisdiction over this guy who just tried to assassinate their leader. Much bickering in Russian-accented English ensues.
There’s an under-explained, under-developed conspiracy by something called “The Organization” that wants to keep our chatty killer quiet. And 47’s own “Agency” sends dudes armed with pistols and samurai swords to get him as well.
Sure, he was doing this just for the paycheck. But if you’re going to rip-off “The Bourne Identity,” you at least want the frequent-flier miles.
“Hitman”
R for strong, bloody violence, language and some sexuality/nudity. 1 hour, 33 minutes. Directed by Xavier Gens. Written by Skip Woods. Based on the video game. Photography by Laurent Bares. Starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko. Opens today at area theaters.
