It's hard to believe the Hitman video game series is having its twentieth anniversary this year. With five games and two movies under its belt, the franchise seems to be thriving. The games have always been top level with hordes of fans waiting for the next title to release. However, the movies based on the game have not always lived up to the standards fans expect from an upper-echelon franchise.
When the first Hitman movie came out, there was still this belief video game movies could only be decent, not great. Though, what is expected of video game adaptions when they hit the big screen have changed. By the time of the second film, the poor box office returns for the first lowered expectations, causing it not to be given the publicity needed to draw in crowds of fans. With that said, let's countdown what Hitman did right and what Hitman: Agent 47 did better.
Did Right: Hitman Tried To Stay True To The Story
Some fans might say, director, Xavier Gens didn't give his film Hitman the needed respect or expectations that was needed for such a film. It was another video game adaption that as long as it stayed true to the original story, fans would be happy.
Gens did just that, but in doing so, didn't take into consideration the little tweaks that can bring a video game story to life on the big screen. Creating a carbon copy might make fans happy, but it isn't a recipe for success for future projects.
Did Better: Hitman: Agent 47 Differed From Original Story But Gave Fans Easter Eggs
Hitman: Agent 47 director Aleksander Bach was excited that in his film, he had placed Easter eggs for the hardcore fan base as respect to those fans who he hoped would support his film.
Bach, especially wanted to make the kills in the movie come straight out of the video game. With his estimate being 80% of its victims being killed in similar versions to how the video game would have. Placing Easter eggs in the movie won't just excite fans but give them reasons to re-watch it.
Did Right: Hitman Tried To Stay True To Character
One other thing Gens was passionate about was keeping Agent 47 familiar. He didn't seek to make the character his own but instead made him the Agent 47 fans love and care about. However, just like the story element being translated from game to movie, the character aspect of the film forgot that Agent 47 wasn't necessarily a relatable character in the video game.
He was engineered to be great at his job, and that is what fans love. He wasn't engineered to be someone fans would want to see his movie with.
Did Better: Bach Made Agent 47 Grittier
Realizing that it was the gameplay and story that made Agent 47 so spectacular of a character in the video games, Bach sought to make the assassin's character grittier looking and with more character traits than just being a trained killer. By doing this, he gave a beloved game character a disposition that fans could relate to and maybe even feel empathy for.
This might not have sat well with fans who expected a complete video game adaption to movie style. Though, in the end, Bach did it out of love for the character, not apathy.
Did Right: Hitman Director Wanted To Make a Great Video Game Movie
Back in 2007, video games that had been brought to the big screen didn't do well at the box office. They were done solely to attract a large base of fans to the movie but were not necessarily seeking to make a franchise out of it. However, Gens wanted to make a video game movie fans could be proud of.
A blockbuster film that would gross millions, expanding slightly out from the original fan base. Marketing was created to bolster fan support for a standalone film but was never intended to be an award-winning franchise.
Did Better: Hitman: Agent 47 Was Made For Sequel Films
Unlike, the expectations Gens had for his film, Bach saw promise and made his movie accordingly. He set his entire premise for the film to be something that would be carried on in later films, that would be set no later than two years apart.
Bach understood that the movie adaptions of Hitman would never reach the height that other similar films like Transporter have, but that didn't mean it couldn't be a great B-level film series that could turn into a cult classic for fans of the game. Maybe even find a niche audience that expands its horizons for future adaptions.
Did Right: Hitman Wanted Fans To Feel Like They Were Playing The Game
To please fans, Gens wanted the whole experience of watching Hitman on the big screen to feel just like it would if fans were playing the games. Certain scenes were created to accomplish just that.
It was a clear play to trade storytelling for great special effects and fan nostalgia. The ploy worked as it hit not just its target but its target audience. Fans were enamored by the video game feel, while critics were unimpressed with its overall plot. Sadly, this is sometimes a necessary trade-off that makes or breaks a movie.
Did Better: Hitman: Agent 47 Wants Fans to Feel Like They Are In A Video Game
With a lower budget and lower expectations, Bach didn't want fans to feel like they were playing a video but living inside one. By creating action scenes that seem to come straight out of the game, Bach sought to create a next-level action-adventure that wouldn't necessarily relate to how the scene would go down in real-life.
That said, Bach didn't necessarily want an expert assassin that could kill hundreds of enemies at will either. He wanted the movie to revolve around the complexities and stealth involved in taking out a target.
Did Right: Hitman Makes Agent 47 Into The Alpha Assassin
Agent 47 is meant to be an agent set apart from others in his field. He is meant to be the alpha assassin at all times. That doesn't mean he has to jump out of a plane and land on his feet; it just means he has to always appear to be the most capable assassin in intelligence and ability.
Gens tried to create his version of this, when he held the reins of the Hitman series and did a great job at doing so, with Agent 47 dominating his enemies no matter the odds.
Did Better: Agent 47 Has Competition
In Hitman: Agent 47, the scientist responsible for creating the super-soldier assassins had disappeared before completing his mission. One unknown fact is that his daughter, Katia, was in reality a genetically engineered assassin herself and was the greatest of his achievements since her abilities match if not surpass that of Agent 47.
With Bach's intention of making multiple films in the franchise, this dynamic makes for a more realistic situation where Agent 47 has to work to be the best, instead of just being the best assassin in the franchise.