Back in 2007 Timothy Olyphant attempted to embody the gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47. It didn't work out too well. Now, a mere 8 years later, Fox is giving the franchise another go, this time with Rupert Friend in the title role. And while the second attempt boasts good intentions, Hitman: Agent 47 is a flop in every sense of the word.
Working hard to create a story with complexity and a better understood universe, Hitman finds itself without a clear focus or vision. Centering on an elite assassin who was genetically engineered from conception to be the perfect killing machine, the film works to utilize its no-holds-barred violence with an opening sequence that could have been amazing. However, the gimmicky CGI and unrealistic foes set the standard for what is to come for the next ninety minutes"¦and it isn't good.
The film works hard to create a universe, an origin story if you will, surrounding Agent 47. But in the midst of doing this our main character is lost to his surroundings. Instead of focusing on him, we find ourselves dialing in on Katina van Dees (played by Hannah Ware) and John Smith (Zachary Quinto). These two characters, though part of the larger "˜Hitman' universe, only complicate things and deter attention from the guy we all came to watch -- not that he proved interesting.
Friend appears out of place as Agent 47, out-acted by nearly everyone (and thing) on screen. His mannerisms are disjointed, his delivery one-dimensional; it's hard to see him as a cold blooded anything, much less a killer. His interactions with co-star Ware are bland, lacking charisma and charm. He is a robot to say the least, and while it is obvious early on that he doesn't carry any emotion, his lack of a personality makes him immensely boring to watch.
The action, much like the music, is predictable. The high-octane action scenes offer the occasional moment of satisfaction; however, it is short lived and often times ruined by an unfortunate plot twist or sudden scene change. Quinto's character goes from interesting to wasted space in under fifteen minutes, and when the ending finally does come, you find yourself thankful that everyone has been put out of their misery.
The violence and gut-wrenching special effects could have made any script watchable; however, Aleksander Bach attempted to take himself (and the film) too seriously. The final product is too dull and lifeless to pass for an "˜80s tongue-in-cheek homage. Instead, we have characters that we don't like and a story that doesn't quite fit. And don't even get me started on the set-up sequel. All of this comes together to prove that when it comes to video games the stories is best left to those holding the controllers.
