The Hit List

I don't think it's a spoiler to say this film has a great deal to do with Collateral. Unfortunately, I think that perhaps the distributors also felt the same way, to the point of rejecting the film for fear of some kind of backlash. Although superficially it does share much with Collateral, it goes its own way, and has its own conclusion. And it's a good one. It may not be the most high- budget movie, and it may not be the best edited movie, but it does deliver better than most efforts seen lately, even in the big-budget category. Cuba may have a new career here as an Ice-T reminiscent bad-ass. Worth a matinée ticket.

For what it is, 8/10.

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.

The idea is peculiar, but logically and well founded, so the events following the meeting in the bar could actually happen. The value of the movie is diminished by the hit-man's past employers (another conspiracy theory?) and trivial/expected ending. However, the scenes around the people on the list are catchy to follow.

An Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. (as Jonas Arbor) gives another great performance. As for the leading actor Cole Hauser (as Allan Campbell), he was good as well, although it was my first real experience with him (I realized that I have seen many movies with his participation, but never distinguished him). Other performances were nothing special or even mediocre.

Nevertheless, The Hit List is recommended as a good and short (less than 1,5 hours) action. And, perhaps, the occurrence of bad jokes declines after seeing this...

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.

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.