Advanced Search >
Help Me Search

Movies

Weekend Box Office
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores
Best / Worst of the Decade

Wide Releases
Now In Theaters

sort by namesort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Limited Releases
Now In Theaters

sort by namesort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Hitman

EMAILPRINT20th Century Fox

Hitman reviews
35
6.8 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 119 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >

Movie Info

Genre(s): Action  |  Crime  |  Suspense/Thriller

Written by: Skip Woods

Directed by: Xavier Gens

Release Date:
Theatrical: November 21, 2007
DVD: March 11, 2008

Running Time: 100 minutes, Color

Origin: France / USA

Summary

RATING: R for strong bloody violence, language, and some sexuality/nudity

Starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Thomsen, and Michael Offei

Based on the top-selling, award-winning videogame franchise, the HITMAN is a genetically-engineered, elite assassin known only as Agent 47. His hallmarks are a lethal grace, unwavering precision, and resolute pride in his work. But even 47 couldn't anticipate a "random equation" in his life of exactitude: the unexpected stirrings of his conscience and the unfamiliar emotions aroused in him by a mysterious Russian woman. (20th Century Fox)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Hitman stands right on the threshold between video games and art. On the wrong side of the threshold, but still, give it credit.

Read Full Review >
70

Washington Post Desson Thomson

The best movie derived from a violent computer game we've ever seen. You can take or leave that kind of qualified high-five, but, for us, it was a thoroughly entertaining experience. Think of bargain basement "James Bond" amped up into TV den-sittin', mouse-clickin' overdrive. But with human actors.

Read Full Review >
70

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

In the finest tradition of adolescent identification figures, he's not only ruthless, dispatching numerous baddies with hair-trigger shots to the head, but profoundly desexualized, brushing off the insistent come-ons of a slinky prostitute (Olga Kurylenko) he's taken under his wing.

Read Full Review >
50

Chicago Tribune Kelley L. Carter

Here’s all you really need to know before the opening credits roll in Hitman: There’s going to be a lot of bloodshed. And that’s a good thing, considering there isn’t much dialogue to carry the film.

Read Full Review >
50

Baltimore Sun John Anderson

Essentially an episode of "24." Which may be a step up from a video game, but it's getting hard to tell.

Read Full Review >
50

Premiere Karl Rozemeyer

Ultimately Hitman is about bullets, blood, and bombs. For die-hard fans of the videogame, there is much to relish in terms of cobblestone car chases, punishing fistfights, cool weaponry, impossible physical feats, and ear-popping gun battles that rage through exclusive hotels in exotic locations.

Read Full Review >
50

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

As a movie on its own, it's simple monotony. Olyphant, affecting Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry voice, is about as menacing as Mr. Clean, and the action scenes - whether the weapons are fists, feet, swords or guns - fly past without any tension or suspense. Hitman is a miss.

Read Full Review >
50

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

This violent action is stylish but painfully formulaic, even by the undemanding standards of video-game narratives.

Read Full Review >
50

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

It's all meant, I suppose, to conjure up cold visions of Terminators and Robocops past, or, in this post-9/11 world, of bin Ladens and Bushes present. If so, conjure at will.

Read Full Review >
50

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

Not a spectacular movie, but the action scenes are well shot, there's no shortage of R-rated gore and the plot moves along quickly enough to mask the fact that the whole endeavor is completely ridiculous.

Read Full Review >
42

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

The movie's one saving grace is Olyphant ("Live Free and Die Hard," HBO's "Deadwood"), whose sociopathic elegance is gradually winning, and whose dry, monotonic, Eastwood-like delivery of one-liners is frequently, if perhaps unintentionally, very funny.

Read Full Review >
38

Boston Globe Ty Burr

There have been plenty of movies adapted from video games before, but Hitman may be the first one that actually feels like a computer wrote and directed it.

Read Full Review >
33

The Onion (A.V. Club) Tasha Robinson

By the time Olyphant leaves an enemy in the most ridiculous deathtrap since the '60s "Batman," just because it looks kinda neat, the whole project has started to feel like "Ultraviolet 2: The Further Stupidening."

Read Full Review >
30

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

While Gens can splatter gore with the best of them -- early in the film, a human body packed with C4 goes off in graphic detail -- he fails to stage so much as a single rousing action scene, even when he has four double-fisted swordsmen facing off inside an abandoned subway car. Game over. The audience loses.

Read Full Review >
30

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

All the while, the music screams and clamors like an ignored child because director Xavier Gens and writer Skip Woods can't pump suspense into this inept mess.

Read Full Review >
30

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

Hitman exploits every action-flick cliché imaginable and still manages to be dull. It’s bang, boom, blah -- action movies for bored dummies.

Read Full Review >
30

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

Let's start with the obvious: Olyphant just isn't that intimidating an assassin. Think of some of cinema's more memorable button men: Léon, Luca Brasi, Frank Nitti...that's right, not a pretty boy in the bunch.

Read Full Review >
25

Entertainment Weekly Clark Collis

Based on a videogame, Hitman could be the year's dumbest movie.

Read Full Review >
25

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

Seeing Hitman isn't like playing a video game or even like watching someone else play a video game. It's like watching someone stupid play a bad video game.

Read Full Review >
20

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

To be sure, Hitman is a lousy film, but like the video game that inspired it, it's also great fun, drawing as it does on everything from James Bondian Eurotrash panache to Vin Diesel's moribund XXX character.

Read Full Review >
12

New York Post Kyle Smith

If someone ran this guy through a scanner, the readout would say: “Mark down and stock in straight-to-video aisle."

Read Full Review >
10

Variety Todd McCarthy

A Eurotrashy vidgame knockoff that misses its target by a mile. Numbingly unthrilling as it lurches from one violent encounter to another, the pic's dark roots in an electronic, non-dramatic medium are plain to see, and unsuspecting gamers lured to theaters will soon wish they were back home participating in the action themselves.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 6.8 (out of 10) based on 119 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Kyoin gave it an8:
First of all let me say I have not really played the Hitman games. That being said I think the portrayel of a kind of anti-social run & gun assassin was great. The action was pretty good especially the 'sword showdown.' The story was modirately good, but got a little confusing at times. The relationship with 47 & Nika (Olga Kurylenko) was a little underveloped, but then again what can you expect from an assassin? Overall it was fun if you like a violent flick sprinkled with nudity here and there. 8/10

H4MM3RH34D Volkova gave it a6:
I was a bit hesitant in buying this movie. As a fan of the Hitman game series I thought the movie might have ruined it for me like Doom did. But I was really surprised at how good it was. OK so some aspects needed improvement (geography correction and storyline) but considering its a movie based on a game I think it was very good. And I think the critics who say 47 is a bad actor haven't played the games since he's meant to be emotionless. Which brings me to one last criticism. Why does 47 suddenly get emotions and feel sorry for that chick who goes with him (i forgot her name). I mean, alright I guess they we're trying to put romance in the movie but don't kill the whole idea of 47 in the process please!

Jay gave it an8:
I am glad I didn't read the reviews beforehand or I might have skipped this. I was a little suspicious of Olyphant as Hitman but he pulls it off, and I think people that don't like this either think it's a Bourne Identity knockoff, which it can't be since Hitman precedes it, or just can't get down with a sociopathic killer, which is understandable. However, for what it is, it is excellent, and there was actually no sappy bullshit scenes that looked like they might happen throughout, he has some minor empathy as the story goes on but still stays true to his character, which is insanely rare. Overall, it's good. I normally fast-forward through half of movies because it's all predictable, I only fast forwarded once and ended up having to go back because the scene I thought was going to happen didn't. Good show.

Jonas H. gave it a3:
I have played every Hitman game and loved every one, and I must admit: This movie has the shell. The agent's name is 47, he's brought up in a facility and he's a hitman. The problem is, that it doesn't vaguely capture the spirit, or the core, of the Hitman games. What seems the most misplaced is the pseudo-romantic little-boyish interaction between 47 and the Russian girl. In some ways the movie could have been rated as a passable action movie, but truth be told, IO-Interactive's directors and designers did a far better job on the story-telling and entertainment value. This is not good when comparing a movie to a game. So, basically the movie is an empty shell, which in no way has earned its title.

ddd boy gave it a3:
A message to the director and producers: Russia does not border Turkey, and Interpol is based in Lyon, France not London, England. I know the teenage boys who liked this movie don't care about factual geography, but it's unfair to dumb down a movie that's already dumb.

Chris gave it a9:
The sheer intensity exuded by Olyphant and the emotional performance by the lovely Olga make this movie what it is. It was the interaction between the two: the way Agent 47 cared for her wellbeing and yet brutally disposed of the corrupt characters in such a cold, calm, and flawless manner. The two sides of his character were wonderfully played. It gives a glimpse into the life of 47... "How does a good man decide when to kill?" I've played all the games but I prefer the movie depiction of 47. The story could use some work, but it didn't ruin the movie for me. I'm buying the DVD!

whatever gave it a7:
It was ok, I would have rather seen Jason Stathom as Agent 47 It also side tracked from the game quite a bit Would have rather just seen the story straight from Blood Money turned into a movie Still, it's not terrible.

Read more user comments >

Popular on CBS sites: College Signing Day | Olympics | Lost | iPhone | Cell Phones | Video Game Reviews | Free Music

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy (UPDATED) | Terms of Use