The Film
Guy walks into a bar after having a bad day, meets a professional killer - it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but is actually just the set up of a bad movie. This by-the-numbers thriller sees Cole Hauser as a regular guy having a very bad day; he is passed over for a promotion, threatened by a bookie, discovers that his wife may be having an affair with his best friend and then he meets a strange man in bar (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who offers to "take care" of his problems. Gooding it seems is a rogue spook who somehow snapped, and offers Hauser's a character the opportunity to create The Hit List.
Instead of breaking any new ground, this film just plays off similar films, complete with a Terminator style rampage of a police station - but in a way The Hit List is also reminiscent to Collateral, which ironically starred Gooding's Jerry Maguire co-star Tom Cruise. We can't help thinking in the end Gooding just did this one to be shown some money.
The Picture
The gray skies of Seattle are perfect for a film noir inspired thriller, and present an excellent backdrop for this formulaic story. The film has a flat look however, suggesting that it was shot on video rather than film. The 1080p 1.78:1 presentation is very much "direct-to-video" quality, but generally things are good with muted colors -- again playing off the grays of the city -- while flesh tones are decent and the black levels reasonably rich.
The best looking part of the film is actually the bizarre opening credits that appear almost to be a discarded James Bond opening.
The Sound
While the picture has a home video look, the sound is much better. This is a thriller disguised as an action film - or is this an action film disguised as a thriller, but either way the sound plays a distinct role. There is much made of ambient sounds, chatter in the background, the sounds of the TV in the bar, and then an audible explosion of sound effects including gun fire, the thud of bullets hitting flesh and other objects. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless soundtrack does an excellent job of bringing this one to life.
The Extras
All the bonus materials seem to have been assassinated in advance of the release, because other than the previews that automatically play when the disc is loaded, there is nothing to see here.
Final Thoughts
Cuba Gooding Jr. is making an interesting career choice, opting for these direct-to-video action films. This is actually the strongest of his recent films, but The Hit List still misses the mark for being too formulaic and trying to take itself too seriously. The film throws in some downright silly plot twists, including one involving the wife and her affair, and by the end this one is as empty as a hit man's gun after he's fired his last shot.
Product Details
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