Hitman Flicks

[Borodog]

One of my favorite subgenres of film is the hitman flick. I'm not sure why, I really don't fantasize about killing people. Well, for money, anyway. Since I'm not big on actually ranking my favorite stuff here are my favorite hitman flicks in more or less ascending, but not perfect, order.

The Mechanic - 1972, Charles Bronson, directed by Michael Winner. A classic. Aging hitman Charles Bronson is approached by a young Jan-Michael Vincent (remember Airwolf? That guy) who wants to get into the business. Great ending.

The Eiger Sanction - 1975, Clint Eastwood, directed by Clint Eastwood. A hidden Eastwood gem in a very un-Eastwoodian role.

Leon (or The Professional) - 1994. Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, directed by Luc Besson - Jean Reno's best work in my opinion. Gary Oldman is also good, but a bit over the top in some places. Natalie Portman's breakout role, and she is solid, with the exception of the annoying "bonding with the assassin" montage. Similar to The Mechanic in the sense that the professional killer takes on a young protege. Solid film.

The Day of the Jackal - 1973, nobody you ever heard of, directed by Fred Zimmerman. Based on the Frederick Forsyth novel, this is just an excellent film. Never get tired of watching it. This is FAR better than the 1997 Richard Gere/Bruce Willis remake The Jackal.

Lucky Number Slevin - 2006, Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, directed by Paul McGuigan. This is just a damn good story with a fantastic cast.

Road to Perdition - 2002, Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, directed by Sam Mendes. Tom Hanks is a hitman. Awesome. Great storytelling and acting.

The Big Hit - 1998, Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, directed by Kirk Wong. I love this stupid movie. It is fantastic camp, blending action and comedy perfectly. One of my favorites.

Grosse Pointe Blank - 1997, John & Joan Cusak, Dan Ackroyd, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin, Mank Azaria, directed by George Armitage. Best. Hitman. Flick. Ever.

Honorable Mentions:

Unforgiven - 1992, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris, directed by Clint Eastwood. Not your typical hitman flick. However, that is exactly what Eastwood, Freeman, and Woolvett are; hired killers. One of my top 3 films. Clint, directed by Clint, Best Picture, amazing cast, you name it.

Pulp Fiction - 1994, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Uma Thurman, directed by Quentin Tarantino. While the their roles as hitmen were only incidental to some subplots Travolta and Jackson, along with the fact that this film is one of the greatest ever made, force me to mention it.

If you haven't seen one of these films, rectify the situation ASAP.