"The Hit:" old Stephen Frears and still damn good. This is a thinking man's violent film and

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I think it shows that Peckinpaugh, for all of his vast reputation, was more of an accomplished stylist than great filmmaker.
This film plows the same ground (no, not as well but none have) as 1946's, "The Killers," and many others: a man on the run from a crime syndicate and merrily getting along in his new life finally is tracked down for vengeance by hit men.
This excellent entertainment has several powerful forces working in its favor: the debut of Tim Roth, good but not yet the force-of-nature he was in "Pulp Fiction" for instance, Terence Stamp, John Hurt, and the Spanish countryside. The writing, which in less skillful hands could have become ludicrous, was interesting. It is no mean feat to keep an audience from laughter when a Cockney lowlife (the lowest rung of robbers are the getaway drivers) waxes philosophical, extemporizes on metaphysics--- specifically, on the meaning of life and death. Stamp's performance, seemingly playing a bit off his star turn as the Christ-like "Billy Budd," also is an interesting nuance.
What keeps the film from the top rank is its quite unfortunate centering upon the character of John Hurt, the lead executioner. He is a cipher, a man of almost no words, and ultimately, of a very twisted sense of morality, even for a criminal. For Frears to exalt him, and make no mistake that he does in the final crucifixion-like scene, throws the high-mindedness of the film from the very serious to the want-to-be-serious pile.
Still, the Stamp character is interesting and the film is a clever attempt at hijacking a crime film to a philosophical one.
Frustrating exercise but definitely a very good film: its strengths are prodigious.

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Kimber Kable

Topic - "The Hit:" old Stephen Frears and still damn good. This is a thinking man's violent film and - tinear 08:40:06 01/20/10 (5)

A very good movie I think about from time to time nt - Daryl Zero 21:44:20 01/20/10 (0)

I used to love The Hit - have not seen it lately - PhilJ 15:31:18 01/20/10 (3)

One of my favorites; agree with Tin, this doesn't quite work.. - grinagog 19:02:44 01/20/10 (2)

If you'll permit one other quibble which may be more than that: - tinear 08:01:29 01/21/10 (0)

Your points are exactly what I felt. It is Roth's feature film debut, sorry for the general - tinear 20:35:47 01/20/10 (0)

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