The professional assassin with a growing conscience has been an extremely popular character over the last decade, I think it started with The Professional, and maybe before that in La Femme Nikita. Every aspect of this character has been explored. I think that the makers of Hitman realized that, and went purely for the action end of the profession. The film is beautifully shot and the action scenes are very well put together, but without the emotional impact you don't feel a connection with the characters, so it remains just that, pretty action scenes.

The Professional, one of my all time favorite films, while having top notch action, remains with me because of the love that grows between Leon and Mathilda. They try do to explore that minimally in Hitman, with the connection between Agent 47 and Nika, the girl he's protecting. But Agent 47 remains a robot throughout the film; that even when Nika tries to seduce him, he responds by knocking her out. I liked that they try something different with him as a character, but it makes it tough to feel anything for him, when he doesn't feel anything for the people around him. I liked Nika's character, tough but vulnerable, she plays our connection to 47, and actress Olga Kurylenko is extremely easy on the eyes.

The story of Hitman didn't do a whole lot for me either, the Agency that employs him turning against him, forcing him to fight his former team, is really old hat. The Interpol agent on a mission to stop him, played with a permanent grimace by Dougray Scott, is also really played out. It soon became an unfunny joke that Interpol was having such a hard time finding this guy, who constantly walks around in plain site with a bald head tattooed with bar code, the guy kind of stands out wherever he goes, not once does he go in disguise or even put on a hat.

So while there were fairly good performances by the actors, and director Xavier Gens has a very good eye and a sense on how to build an action scene; I particularly liked the sword fight in the subway car. But without a story or characters to care about, the only reason to watch it soon became purely for the action. Nothing about the film seemed fresh. I think it's decent enough to satisfy the players of the game and hardcore action fans; but if you're looking for something original or truly satisfying, look elsewhere. - Grade: C+

I believe that the first Die Hard is a perfect action film. The one that all other action films should aim for when trying to be great. The sequels not-so-much. Part 2 & 3 are both okay, they'd be mostly forgettable and not re-watchable if they didn't continue the adventures of John McClane. So I was completely surprised when Live Free or Die Hard proved to be an action film that could actually stand up on its own.

Like most people I was pretty skeptical when I heard they were making another Die Hard. I didn't want to see another weak flick tarnishing the reputation of the first. I didn't bother to see it in theaters, but my interest was piqued when I heard good reviews coming back.

This time McClane has to take on some hacker terrorists after they take down the entire country's computer system. The always reliable Timothy Olyphant, proves to be a worthy advisory. Maggie Q kicks some ass as his girlfriend/sidekick; the best scene in the film is when she and McClane go head-to-head in the bowels of a electrical plant. I thought that Justin Long would bring down the film as the comic-side-kick, and he did a slight bit, but the screenwriters do a good job of not making him too annoying, and actually useful by continuing to come up with reasons for McClane to keep him around.

But the real reason the film works is the action. There are some genuinely inventive and exciting action scenes. From shoot-outs, car chases and hand-to-hand combat, they continue to up the action, until McClane is literally hanging off the side of a hovering jet. Director Len Wisemen, of Underworld fame, does a wonderful job of bringing the series into the 21st century. I would be interested in seeing another sequel if he's behind the camera. Otherwise, this film proves to be a nice bookend for the series.