Summary
Movies centered around hitman characters have been popular within the action thriller genre for years now, leaving some films to fall through the cracks. Netflix’s latest release,Hit Man, starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, has earned positive reviews from critics and is a top movie on the streaming service. Regarded as one ofRichard Linklater’s best films,the conversations surroundingHit Manare an excellent opportunity to bring up some hitman-related filmsthat haven’t received a shared amount of attention.
From the ’60s to the late 2010s, action films that follow a leading hitman show the popularity of these storylines is undying. Where some films act as an amalgamation of classics that came before them, others manage to present something entirely new to the decades-old subgenre. Like Linklater’s film does with Powell’s recentTop Gun: MaverickandAnyone But Youfame,many of the best hitman-related movies star notable names in Hollywood, including Liam Neeson, Geena Davis, and Charles Bronson.
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Run All Night
Cast
Run All Night is a 2015 action click starring Liam Neeson alongside Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, and Vincent D’Onofrio. In the Jaume Collet-Serra-directed film, Neeson plays Jimmy Conlon, a mobster and hitman who must choose whether to be loyal to his best friend named Shawn or his estranged son, Mike.
Marking the third collaboration between Liam Neeson and director Jaume Collet-Serra,Run All Nightis an underrated action thriller that isn’t innovative, but sure is a lot of fun. Previously, Neeson and Collet-Serra worked on the filmsUnknownandNon-Stop, which had a similar critical reception asRun All Night. Neeson, widely known for playing Bryan Mills in theTakenseries, plays a similar role as a retired hitman, Jimmy.
When Jimmy’s son’s life is put on the line by his former boss (Ed Harris), he jumps right back into action to keep his son safe. Creatively speaking, Neeson doesn’t find himself outside his comfort zone as Jimmy — whose drinking habits and estranged relationship with his son is a well-written character note that should be mentioned — has numerous comparisons to other action characters in his filmography. Still, a shaky script and predictable plot points aside,Run All Nightis filled to the brim with brutal action scenes and a strong cast that can keep the audience’s attention.
9Blast Of Silence (1961)
Starring Allen Baron
The winter holiday season is typically associated with camaraderie, but Frank Bono inBlast of Silencecouldn’t be more alone. The neo-noir film is written by, directed, and stars Allen Baron. With a considerably low budget, Baron and cinematographer Merrill Brody managed to immerse audiences in an image of New York City not often seen in other films. Unlike many hitman movies,Blast of Silenceis a quieter, slow build that takes place over just a few days.
Additionally, a narration was included in the film that discusses Bono’s every move leading up to the deadly job he’s traveled to the city for. It’s because of this thatBlast of Silenceis a compelling exploration of a hitman’s internal dialogue before a risky job.Such a personal element is often only dealt with briefly in hitman movies, and rarely has an entire movie dedicated to it.
Killer Joe
Killer Joe is a dark comedy thriller directed by William Friedkin. The film stars Matthew McConaughey as a detective who is also a contract killer hired by a desperate young man, played by Emile Hirsch, to murder his mother for insurance money. As the plot unfolds, the characters are drawn into a violent and morally complex web of deception and betrayal.
Dark in its violence and its humor,Killer Joeis, at times, an uncomfortable movie to sit through. The film is adapted from screenwriter Tracy Letts' 1993 play and follows the part-time police detective and part-time hitman, Joe Cooper after he agrees to kill a woman so her family can collect her life insurance policy.Killer Joeis one ofMatthew McConaughey’s best filmsas he deftly portrays the titular killer. McConaughey, alongside co-stars Emile Hirsch and Thomas Haden Church, makesKiller Joerich with high-quality performances.
Being one of McConaughey’s best performances as a dramatic actor,it’s a shame thatKiller Joeis fairly underrated, though it’s easy to understand why. The film’s NC-17 rating alienates a large portion of the general audience. However,Killer Joeis a treat for fans of William Friedkin who are looking for a similar gruesome tone as he and Letts' previous collaboration years before, the horror filmBug.
The Protégé
The Protégé is a 2021 action thriller directed by Martin Campbell. It follows Anna, a highly skilled contract killer trained by the legendary assassin Moody. After Moody’s murder, Anna seeks revenge while navigating a dangerous confrontation with an enigmatic killer.
Led by Maggie Q, known best for her action role inThe Divergentseries and as the lead role in the TV showNikita, the action scenes inThe Protégéare substantial. This is largely due to Q taking on her stunts and making a stronger case for her image as an action star. DespiteThe Protégébeing well-led by Q as the said protégé of Samuel L. Jackson’s Moody and an enemy of Michael Keaton’s Michael Rembrandt,the thriller failed to find success with critics and audiences.
The Protégéfollows Q’s character Anna, who has spent the last few decades training with Moody to become a skilled contract killer. Rembrandt and Anna’s interaction adds an interesting, albeit sometimes out of place, element of romance toThe Protégéas well.There’s a believable chemistry between Q and Keatonand it’s never quite clear if the opposing killers will put their differences aside and fall in love. Though the notes of romance don’t align with the rest of the film, it’s an added layer of suspense that can be appreciated.
6The Mechanic (1972)
Starring Charles Bronson
Richard Linklater’sHit Manmakes references to several hitman movies, including Michael Winner’sThe Mechanic. Charles Bronson became a box-office star in the ’70s starring in films likeRider on the Rainand another Winner film,Death Wish. He was known for his acting skills and leading qualities andThe Mechanicshows no signs of Bronson’s skill depleting. However, Winner’s direction is a large part of why the film received mixed reviews from critics and whyThe Mechanicisn’t lauded as one of Bronson’s most memorable movies.
However,the opening of the film is regarded as the strongest part of the film. Without any dialogue, audiences get to witness Bronson’s Arthur Bishop, a hitman, as he prepares to kill his intended victim.The Mechanicdoesn’t dive too far into the relationships present in screenwriter Lewis John Carlino’s original script, leaving many critics to feel the narrative loses its weight, but the film does contain plenty of action sequences that are pleasant to watch, and especially considering the era, they don’t take you out of the film.
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Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
An African-American Mafia hit man who models himself after the samurai of ancient Japan finds himself targeted for death by the mob.
Blending the code of the samurai and depictions of the American Mafia,Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, directed by Jim Jarmusch, is a unique hitman film like no other. In one of his more underrated roles, Forest Whitaker leads the movie as the titular hitman who sees himself indebted to a mobster after he saves his life. Ghost Dog’s distinct way of life differentiates him from thestereotypical image of contract killersshown in other movies.
There’s a particularly endearing friendship between Ghost Dog and an ice cream man. Though neither one of them speaks the other’s language, he remains Ghost Dog’s closest friend.Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samuraiis a hitman film with enough action to satisfy fans of the subgenre, but ultimately, the most rewarding viewing experience occurs when one embraces the oddities and charms of the film’s characters.
4Violent City (1970)
Charles Bronson stars in another hitman film, this time with a more cohesive direction from Italian director, Sergio Sollima.Violent Citysees Bronson as a retired hitman who is trying to move on with his life but gets brought right back into trouble. In addition to strong performances from Bronson and his real-life wife Jill Ireland,Violent Cityis fast-paced and pulls interesting themes from spaghetti westerns, which Sollima had worked on previously.
Violent Cityhas intense action scenes and cleverly written twists that keep coming until the last moments of the film. From Bronson’s extensive filmography,Violent Cityisn’t groundbreaking or a stand-out among his better-known work, but it’s a thrilling film and one of the first of its kind.Violent Cityfalls under the poliziotteschi subgenre of Italian crime filmsthat feature car chases, gunfights, and a protagonist who acts as an outsider.
3Internal Affairs (1990)
Starring Richard Gere and Andy García
The same year thatInternal Affairscame out starring Richard Gere and Andy García, the former had another, more beloved film released, the romantic comedyPretty Woman. Opposite of Julia Roberts, Gere is as charming as ever. However, his versatility is part of what makes him the star that he is andInternal Affairsshows Gere in a grittier role as a corrupt police officer and hitman, Dennis Peck.
García brings a commendable performance as well as a member of the Internal Affairs Division who takes it upon himself to look into Peck’s suspicious behavior. WhenInternal Affairshit the theaters, it didn’t do as well as other hitman films have done and it has become one of the lesser-known films of the crime subgenre. It doesn’t break the mold by any means, butInternal Affairsis worth watching to witness Gere’s star powerand his on-screen dynamic with García.
The Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Kiss Goodnight is a 1996 action thriller directed by Renny Harlin. Geena Davis stars as Samantha Caine, an amnesiac schoolteacher who discovers her former identity as a highly trained covert operative. As she unravels her past, she teams up with a private investigator, played by Samuel L. Jackson, to confront those who want her dead.
Two familiar stars in Renny Harlin’s filmography are Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, and the actors team up for a thrilling adventure inThe Long Kiss Goodnight. Followingthe best of Harlin’s work,The Long Kiss Goodnightis an over-the-top action adventure that fails to get remembered by the public. In the film, Davis is given the opportunity to show off her acting skills by playing Samantha, a woman unknowingly living a double life following an accident that affected her memory.
As a part-time CIA assassin, Davis holds the audience’s attention and flows naturally with the quick pace of Shane Black’s script. Jackson, too, is comfortably situated within Black’s writing, full of sharp dialogue and subtle humor, resulting in some ofSamuel L. Jackson’s best quotes. As his character, a private detective who helps Samantha uncover the truth about her past, Jackson’s chemistry with Davis is undeniable and helps carry the film along the way.
The Iceman
The Iceman tells the story of Richard Kuklinski, an infamous contract killer and criminal. When he was arrested in 1986, his wife and daughters had no idea he was a criminal mastermind. In the film, Michael Shannon plays Kuklinski alongside Chris Evans, James Franco, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, and David Schwimmer.
Michael Shannon stars inThe Icemanas Richard Kuklinski, a real-life hitman who lived a double life as a criminal and an average family man. Critical reviews ofThe Icemanaren’t entirely positive, as many note the inaccuracies in the script and a desultory attempt at diving deeper into the darkest parts of Kuklinski’s criminal activity. However, what many frequently bring attention to is Shannon’s dramatic performance, withcritics suggesting giving the movie a watch for his on-screen persona alone.
Shannon is captivating and fully embodies Kuklinski as a character, though sometimes it’s unfitting for the subject of the film.Too often inThe Icemandoes Shannon’s allure shine through, suggesting a touch of sympathy be felt for the infamous killer. Still, Kuklinski is one ofMichael Shannon’s underrated rolesthat encapsulates the many qualities of his talent that continue to define his sweeping career.
