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Hitman: Unrated
20th Century Fox

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MOVIE REVIEW:

In terms of murder and mayhem, the video game Hitman seems a natural to adapt to the big screen. But protagonist Agent 47: that's another story. In the game, he's a man with very little past, no emotions, a cold-blooded killer with the murderous skills of James Bond, but none of 007's charm, wit or skills with the ladies. Hell, Agent 47 might be a virgin, for all we know. So the challenge for Timothy Olyphant (who was cold, emotionless and compelling on HBO's Deadwood) is to make Agent 47 cold and emotionless, and yet still compelling. Director Xavier Gens's solution? Replace character development with loads of beautifully orchestrated gunplay and violence and a fast-paced plot involving a Russian politician who frames Agent 47. And it works, as Agent 47 and his model-gorgeous sidekick Nika (real-life former model and future Bond girl Olga Kurylenko) run from beautiful European location to beautiful European location, leaving a trail of bodies as he seeks revenge. Sure, the monosyllabic Agent 47 would be worthless at a dinner party; but when it comes to dispatching bad guys with fancy weapons and without messing up his crisp black suits, he's fun to watch in action.

DVD FEATURES

The DVD extras offer an intriguing, in-depth look behind the scenes of the film. The cast and crew explain the intricacies of bringing video game assassin Agent 47 to life in the making-of featurette "In The Crosshairs." "Digital Hits" explores the evolution of the video game "Hitman" and the vicarious thrills of being a cold-blooded professional killer taking out drug dealers, terrorists and other deserving targets. Other special features include a discussion of the musical score, which plays a big part in setting the apocalyptic mood of the film, as well as gag reels and deleted scenes. Second Amendment advocates will salivate over another featurette, "Instruments of Destruction," in which the movie's weapons expert demonstrates the main guns used in the film.

by Sam Jemielity