There’s a curse surrounding movies based on videogames and “Hitman”, which is based on the popular series of stealth games of the same name, is further proof filmmakers can’t get it right. “Hitman” is probably one of the better videogame-based movies in the sense that as it does at least capture the game well but as a movie, it definitely fails.

In “Hitman”, an organisation ‘known to all governments’ named ‘The Agency’ raises orphans from childhood to become the ultimate assassins. The movie focuses on Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant “Die Hard 4.0”), who allows a barcode tattooed on the back of his head to be visible at all times with his baldness, as he goes to Russia to make a hit. His target is Russia’s President. He makes the hit and escapes but sees the guy make an appearance publicly on tv so he sets out to find who set him up and to finish the job.

Timothy Olyphant tries his best to be intimidating but just doesn’t seem all that mean and that’s a huge problem. They capture how 47’s assassinations work very well even if they aren’t filmed too great as some are clean and others turn a bit messy. Along the way, 47 picks up a girl named Nika (Olga Kurylenko “Oblivion”, “Quantum of Solace”) to assist him but their relationship is hollow and never for a minute seems believable as she proves worthless throughout. I like Dougray Scott (“Mission: Impossible II”) as he is good as the Interpol agent chasing 47.

I found an action scene involving swords to be entertaining, the joke with the kids playing one of the games was funny and the Interpol guy was interesting (I wish the film had focused on him). For the most part, “Hitman” is bland but thankfully forgettable. It never looks special in any way and therefore never left an impact on me (good or bad) and that’s something movies should do (hopefully in a good way). Skip “Hitman” and any other videogame-based movie.