HITMAN — * — Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko; rated R (violence, gore, profanity, nudity, torture, drugs, vulgarity, brief sex); Carmike 12 and Ritz 15; Century Sandy and South Salt Lake; Cinemark Jordan Landing; Megaplex District, Gateway and Jordan Commons
"Hitman" was based on a video game, which tells you everything to know about this film. Well, that and the fact that it was originally conceived as a vehicle for Vin Diesel.
Like most, if not all, game-inspired movies, this action-thriller is pretty ludicrous. In fact, it would be easy to just laugh at "Hitman" if it weren't so unpleasant.
You have to wonder exactly what about this project — aside from the paycheck — attracted talented character actor Timothy Olyphant, who stars as a mysterious, bald-headed killer known simply as 47.
His latest assignment is to assassinate the new Russian President Mikhail Belicoff (Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen). But once he completes it, he's suddenly targeted by his fellow assassins.
Even more bizarre is the fact that Belicoff apparently survived a direct shot to the head.
So 47 is forced to flee, accompanied by Belicoff's mistress, Nika (Olga Kurylenko), as they are pursued by a determined Interpol agent (Dougray Scott).
Director Xavier Gens has clearly watched a lot of John Woo and Luc Besson movies. But apparently he didn't learn anything from them, because his U.S. debut is a confused and confusing blur of action.
Worse, he's working with a script (from one of the writers of "Swordfish") that's filled with cliches and laughable dialogue.
As for Olyphant, he's barely able to contain his disgust at the lines he's forced to deliver. He also seems to have contempt for his negligibly talented co-star, Ukraine model Kurylenko, who simply parades around in various states of undress.
"Hitman" is rated R for strong scenes of violent action (shootings, strangulation, brawling, vehicular and explosive mayhem, and violence against women), graphic gore and blood, strong sexual language (profanity, vulgar slang and other suggestive talk), female nudity, scenes of torture, brief drug references, vulgar gestures, and some brief sexual contact. Running time: 100 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com