Hitman: Not David Bateson, But 47 Just The Same

While the new movie "Hitman" should appeal to people who like crime thrillers in general, its release has been especially anticipated by fans of the video games the movie is based on.

When we found out they were making a Hitman movie, many of us wondered who would play Agent 47. The person we all wanted was David Bateson, who voices 47 in the games and resembles him as well, although it is not his likeness per se. Furthermore, Bateson is an actor. Not a very well-known one, but he's done some movies.

At first, Vin Diesel was slated for the part, because they felt that it was necessary to go with a more recognizable actor for the lead role. They ended up casting Timothy Olyphant, who is best known for playing Seth Bullock on "Deadwood."

Why, oh why, didn't they go with David Bateson? He IS 47! Every fan of the games would love to hear his voice in the movie, and the part doesn't require much acting ability. Olyphant just seemed too happy to be a disturbed killer, much like George Clooney playing Batman. And although Olyphant is better known, I don't see why that matters: as a bald 47, he doesn't look like his Deadwood character, and might not be recognized.

Aside from that, the movie was right on. Once we looked past the look and the voice, the cold-blooded assassin we saw was unmistakably 47. Able to travel anywhere in the world without drawing attention, infiltrate the most secure facilities undetected, eliminate his targets before they know they're in danger, cover his tracks perfectly, and slip away into the night, as just a regular guy in a suit and red tie.

The movie incorporates both MOs that players can use in the game. On one extreme, barging in on a room full of guards and just trying to outgun them, or the much more difficult but sublimely elegant way of devising the perfect strategy so only one bullet is needed. 47 is also known for using a variety of interesting weapons, and while we didn't see his fiber wire or fireman's axe, they managed to work in a sword fight.

47 performs his trademark move with chilling perfection, disguising himself in a stolen uniform and blending in perfectly, despite the barcode tattooed on the back of his bald head. He's correctly portrayed as emotionally not-quite-dead, and paired with a girl who mainly lets us see how little 47 cares about people. In the best inside joke of the movie, 47 comes crashing through the window of a hotel room where two kids are playing Hitman: Blood Money.

Bottom line: the movie is pretty good if you like a lot of bullets, and a must-see if you're already a fan of Mr. 47.