The Last Hit Man

It obvious that director Christopher Warre Smets loves movies. It's also clear that he has seen a lot of them. Something that recalls Tarantino.

While watching the theatrical premiere during the Canadian Film Festival just last week, there were many moments where I could see the influence of films from another era. The opening sequence is beautiful and beyond it being the only part in black and white, the film does a great job of having a retro film noir aesthetic while combining it with modern pacing and humor.

I don't know what to compare it to as it's not an action film or thriller. The first film that comes to mind is The Professional, as I see parallels in it's treatment of love, family and relationships amidst killing for hire.

Totally recommend it.

I enjoyed most of the movie. What I do, but at the same time, do not understand is why the family let "you know who" into their family. I suppose Mantegna could have handled the situation differently, perhaps holding "you know who" hostage. This struck me as odd. But, again, it is a movie. Do not expect anything great. The actors play their roles well, especially Joe Mantegna. There are some "so-so" acting scenes but overall, a job well done. It is the plot that will keep the viewer interested through out the entire movie, not the acting. But like I said, the acting is definitely worth the viewers time. Of course, we have all seen horrible movies that make it to the theaters on a national scale, but, this movie, by no means is horrible. It keeps the viewer guessing, and with a sufficient amount of action, there really is no reason to bash this title!

There are no special effects, no kung fu style moves, no excessive killing and no over-the-top swearing and cursing just for the sake of it. Thank you for going against the flow, Christopher Warre Smets, writer and director of this unexpected gem of a movie.

Whilst most movies nowadays seem to need all the above to be a success, 'The Last Hit Man' wins us over by being a thoughtful and emotional glimpse into the last days of a hit-man. It's a simple and unpretentious look into his life and how his work has affected and influenced his daughter's life choices.

The ageing hit-man Harry Tremayne, soberly and devotedly played by Joe Mantegna, is a no nonsense type of man. Refreshingly, he isn't superhuman, he doesn't jump around using unrealistic kung fu moves, he is just an intelligent man who is good at what he does and has earned respect for his years as a professional.

Elizabeth Whitmere plays the part of the daughter, Racquel Tremayne, and does so with believable emotion and surprising depth at times. The daughter is a strong and stable young woman who knows what her father does for a living, which is a good reflection on the father and the way he raised his child even with her knowing, contrasting against the circles he moves in.

While I don't wish to spoil it for you, I thought I would mention the Billy Rosco character, wonderfully played by Romano Orzari. He enters the picture in a scene that delightfully, and memorably, changes the flow of the whole movie. An interesting low-life character that you can't help but like, but also can't quite decide if you can trust.

The ending of the movie had me surprised. Little did I realise that I had subtly become much more emotionally attached to the characters than I had realised. There was a certain dignity to the ending and it stirred up emotions in me that left me pensive and sad. This realisation and also that I had actually been engrossed the whole way through truly reflects on the story, cast and director of this movie.

The only things I dislike about this movie are the title and tagline: "The Last Hit Man - Daddy's little girl is going into the family business". This is about as cheesy as it gets. Neither the title nor tagline really reflect the depth of the movie. A shame really. Seems like marketing cheesers tacked it on as an afterthought. However, if the title is all I can complain about, then there is nothing to worry about.

I thoroughly recommend seeing this movie if you like the genre.

While I normally don't watch this type of movie, it wasn't that bad for a bad guy movie. This isn't a really deep movie, but it's not a typical hollywood shoot em up. I thought the main characters were well acted. The pacing was a little slow, given one of the main themes it's somewhat understandable. The dialogue could have used a little brushing up, not a big fan of cussing in movies. A little more back ground on the mains would have been nice, to better understand why he went into the business. This isn't a highly polished hollywood style movie, but it kind of draws you in and remains interesting enough to continue watching.

Joe Mantegna was an excellent choice to play the dying hit-man in "The Last Hit Man", and he does not disappoint. His understated performance is mirrored by the fine acting of all involved. The story is a real grabber, unique, with unexpected bursts of dark humor. Although there is certainly more drama than comedy, the mix seems perfect. The three main characters are well developed, and actually quite sympathetic for being contract killers. Paul Bartel would have had a field day with this script, probably tipping the scales in favor of more black comedy, but director Christopher Smets has done just fine with the restrained humor. Recommended viewing for those looking for something different. - MERK