With an almost complete disregard for the work that Timothy ‘Crazy Eyes’ Olyphant did in 2007 in the first Hitman film, this franchise based on the popular video game forges ahead with Hitman: Agent 47. This time out British actor Rupert Friend (Homeland and Pride & Prejudice) reprises the character known only by a number and barcode.
The film starts with a very European feel and then transcends into a fairly typical format of chase scene, hand to hand combat (with only one winner) and bad guys who never hit their target while the good bad guy never misses. The pace is frantic with only the cityscape and country change to provide a temporary respite of the onslaught.
Friend is effective as the experiment in killing machines with the trace of a conscious but it’s hard not to miss Olyphant and his Manson lamps. The structure of the films feels like the game with very little to link the scenes together but with a relentless level of action.
The film might take itself a little too serious but this is humorously contrasted by CGI effects that wouldn’t even be acceptable in today’s video game market. It’s not that it doesn’t entertain on some levels, it does, it’s just disappointing that not more is made of the concept of lost humanity regained.
Rob Hudson
www.foxmovies.com
