The Hit List

Cole Hauser is in a bar drinking. He's seated next to Cuba Gooding Jr. Gooding claims he is a hit man, and offers to kill five people for Hauser. Thinking this is nonsense, Hauser writes down his top five picks. Gooding proceeds to kill them.

You'd expect this to be a nothing film. It's surprisingly good, in no small part due to Gooding's performance as a creaky-voiced maniac fixated on Hauser, trying to teach him some sort of weird life lesson. Don't talk to strangers? Don't make wishes that other people would be dead? Take some responsibility for your life? It's not clear. Probably the writers didn't really care; Gooding's role is to be the Terminator and die. Whatever Gooding does to make us think there's some motivation behind his actions is good acting.

I've come to the conclusion that Cuba Gooding Jr. has accepted his downfall to direct-to-DVD movies, because he doesn't seem to be trying to pick good projects anymore, including this one. In fairness, this project isn't as bad as some of his other turkeys. For a low budget direct-to-DVD project, the production values are okay, though there are signs of cost-cutting throughout (such as a number of close-ups and very few wide shots). The police in this movie don't come across as dumb as they do in other B movies, and the movie did interest me enough to wonder how the situation would be wrapped up in the end - though honestly, it wasn't worth the wait. The screenplay has a number of other problems, with some decisions by the hero to be so idiotic that I was groaning out loud, and some implausibilities by others that make no sense when you think about them closely. (For example, think about the way Gooding's character kills the second person on the list.) Gooding is simply unconvincing as a ruthless hit-man, and Hauser has to somehow make his stupid and spineless character sympathetic, which sees far beyond his abilities. If you ask me, more thought and planning went into the fancy opening credits sequence than with the rest of the movie.

I was watching this and usually i turn off a Cuba Gooding movie within a half hour because of his poor performances in the last 4 or 5 years. This is the 2nd movie i have made it to the end without saying terrible. Actually this is about a 7 out of 10 because at least he had another acter that is not terrible with cuba. Cole Hauser actually makes this movie worth watching. This is worth a watch if you having nothing left to do on a Saturday night. The movie starts off with a terrible bond like move for the credits and of course it backfired i almost turned it off after that. But after that it smoothly moved into the story..With a better director and a better acting crew this could of been at the movies.

Allen (Campbell) doesn't believe that Jonas (Gooding, Jr) is a hit man. So Jonas tells Allen to write 5-names on a list of those he wishes dead. He does this and soon realizes he made a very big mistake.

I don't understand why Cuba Gooding Jr goes for these dark, really dark stories, but it's been that way since he was in Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men and Men of Honor. Now, some may ask why I seem to be attracted to these dark movies. Good point. I like Hit Man movies, but was not prepared for this one (who is?) and also, there is nothing else out there at this time. Also, the holidays put all my TV shows into re-runs and what's a person to do?

But, Gooding is always excellent and yes, of Oscar caliber, but these dark movies won't get him to any Oscar nomination, in my opinion. It is what it is and we have to deal with it (if we watch).

This turns into a thriller frenzy as Allen tries to stop Jonas from completing the list. Good action stunts and perhaps some CGI, but that was difficult to tell. The acting by all is very good, the story is certainly different, and you won't be bored. Rating 6/10.

Violence: Yes. Sex: No, we see a make-out session that was supposed to lead to Sex, but……. Nudity: No. Language: Yes.

Be careful what you wish for. After having the worst day of his life Allan (Hauser) meets Jonas (Gooding Jr) at a bar. After talking to him Jonas says he can help Allan with his problems. Thinking it's a joke Allan gives him the name of five people he wants dead. When they begin to wind up dead Allan is the only one who can stop it. After watching "Sacrifice" I was not expecting much from this movie. This one, however, was very good. Even with Cuba's movie choices lately being one step above Val Kilmer's, his acting is far better. He does a good job playing a heartless killer on the verge of death himself. Cole Hauser also does a really good job playing an everyman trying to correct his mistakes. While there are many similarities to "Collateral" (and a hint of "The Shootist"), this movie is not as good, but it's not a huge decline from that movie. It is a pretty solid action, suspense movie that is well worth checking out. I give it a B.

Would I watch again? - I think I would *Also try - Collateral & S.W.A.T. : Firefight