The Hitman

This is a damn good Chuck Norris movie. Of course that doesn't make it a movie you could recommend to just anyone as "good," but if you look at it as part of its own sub-genre--say the Chuck Norris/Jean Claude Van Damme/Stephen Segal sub-genre--then it is pretty damn good in comparison. And I had never heard of it before today! The story leaves much to be desired, but this is the kind of low-budget action movie they just don't make any more: slick and goofy, crass and sentimental, moral and ultraviolent, "funny bad" and just plain funny--all at the same time. But the standout feature is definitely the great Michael Parks. Just as he did in the similarly obscure Charles Bronson flick "Death Wish V: The Face of Death," and in his "From Dusk Until Dawn" cameo, Parks takes charge of every scene he's in and simply walks away with the movie. Why hasn't this brilliant actor been given leading roles? He has been so fascinating to watch in everything I've seen him, especially in his later years.

Now this on has got it right! Everything in it is cool, starting with Chuck's mullet.

Like in many of his films, Chuck goes around killing people, in this case a bunch of shady maffiosi and a crew of Muslims.

I do not see this film being broadcast in Muslim countries as it contains quite a few very funny islamophobic jokes.

One thing that I love with Chuck Norris films is that you know he is going to go around and have a nice time killing people. The fact that it is so predictable gives it all its charm, though it does take away all the suspense. But suspense sucks anyway, we just want explosions and naked chicks! This is a film that you watch for a good laugh and to learn a few good one-liners that you might toss out in a intellectual conversation at your girlfriend's family dinner party.

Nearly every film that Norris starred in from the mid 80s through to the 90s was under the production company 'Cannon'. Is that a bad thing? No not really, as long it delivered on the goods that we expected. They were mainly cheap, but quite violent and senseless entertainment. However there's something about "The Hit-man" that makes me think much more highly of it than I probably should. It passes the time, but this Norris actioner provides a solidly calm performance, which is maybe his best or actually most suited. His beard is in full flight, but he also sports a gratuitous mullet and dangerous looking trench coat. It's definitively my favourite of those mainstream humdingers that he was chalking up through the measly 90s. Norris' brother Aaron (who directed Chuck in some other flicks) was in the director's chair and this would be his most accomplished piece. The premise is transparently black n white (if vague), but it's the calculatingly dark, risky and lean tone which I fancied. It kind of reminded me of J. Lee Thompson's "Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987)". Sure it can get over-sentimental with a flabby and pointless subplot involving a 'young nice boy' living next door to Norris. But this plot device (in a surprisingly story-bound presentation) gives Norris' character a humane element to counter-pouch that cold, fearless nature driving him to complete his job. Amongst this moral interruption, it can be rather offensively racist, mean-spirited and brutal in its staged barbaric violence that's broken out in the crime underworld. As double crossings, secret meetings and vicious set-ups plague the get-up. It doesn't really focus on Norris' martial arts abilities, as it doesn't get much of a show-in with him preferring to use his punishing shotgun. Get ready for a bloody onslaught with smarting wise-cracks! Aaron Norris' hardboiled direction is brisk, gritty and accordingly sombre in its grungy atmospheric charges leaking from such moodily shot-on locations. Some rousing suspense can be detected too. Joel Derouin's music score really does skew back to those saucily cruising, but uneasy jazz scores of the 70s. The support cast offer able assistance with their parts. Michael Parks memorably nasty, thuggery performance is a blast whenever his on screen.

An edgy, hard-hitting Norris entry that at least tries be something a little more different.

I like this movie. i first rented it to watch with my girlfriend in about 1992 - she didn't like it for some reason but i was impressed with the change of character by Norris compared to his Texas Ranger, Delta Force movies.

The storyline of someone left for dead only to come back a few years later to even the score with his corrupt partner who tried to kill him is a bit corny and has been done before this movie I'm sure but the coldness of Norris when he blows people away is what makes this watchable, not least when he kicks ass big style in the Iranians' club! However, Canadian mob boss Andre Lecombe's 'minder' is possibly the least likely gangster i have ever seen in a movie and does not convince! The Hit-man is pretty hard to find these days and could be regarded as a collectors item if you're a Chuck Norris fan.

I'm glad that someone else likes this movie. I admit it isn't a GREAT movie, but it's never boring, and delivers enough of the goods. Excellent location shooting, and stylish direction (Aaron Norris' somehow managed to competently direct for once). However, there are some racist overtones that left a bad taste in my mouth.