Review of Killshot (2008) by Keenan S — 16 Jun 2014

Killshot is a very underrated hitman flick. I had never even heard of this film until it was loaned to me, but I must say that I really enjoyed it, even though it has a number of familiar ideas that have appeared in a number of films like it. Is it a masterpiece? No, not by a long shot. But it works quite nicely for some breezy entertainment with just the right amounts of dark humor and drama that never feels cheesy.

The plot follows four separate characters: a separated couple - Wayne and Carmen Colson and two hitmen whose paths just so happen to cross: an experienced one (Who is also wanted by his former employers for killing a girl he wasn't supposed to) known as "Blackbird," and the other, a stupid rookie whose approach is too gung-ho for his own good.

When Blackbird and the rookie decide to extort money from a real estate office, the man they planned to steal from (Or kill him if he didn't have the money) isn't there for when they show up. Instead, Wayne Colson, who's looking for a job in real estate just so happens to be there, along with his estranged wife, Carmen.

The robbery becomes botched when the Colsons fight back against the two hitmen. The hitmen flee the scene, but the Colsons are still in danger and are put into protective custody while the two men look for them. Now the couple not only has to deal with the fact that murderers are on their trail, but also have to try and deal with one another during this tumultuous time.

I felt that the story was well-written and engaging most of the time. There were some rough spots and I wished that more character development had been given to the main characters at certain points (Especially Mickey Rourke's Blackbird character), but the script remained steady and intriguing, with just the right amounts of drama, suspense, and dark humor thrown in. Though the characters are interesting, the Blackbird character steals the show as he is by far the most interesting and the main reason to follow the story as he is forced to deal with his past actions, how he handles the rookie, and more.

The acting is also pretty solid, though Mickey Rourke steals the show with another one of his badass character performances. While a number of people found Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance to be over the top, I think he did a pretty good job as the rookie killer with his wild bravura performance, which I think fit his character. However, I wish Rosario Dawson's character was given a lot more to do, as she is a great actress capable of so much more, though she is mostly pushed off to the side in the film. She's still good, but I felt that she was wasted. The couple in the film, played by Thomas Jane and Diane Lane also do a good job, though they do admittedly pale in comparison to the likes of Mickey Rourke.

The film also moves at a brisk pace, making for a very breezy 80-odd-minutes of entertainment with action, suspense, dark humor, drama, character development, romance and the usual things you'd want from a hitman flick. It was quite a lot of fun to watch and certainly not boring, though I do wish it was a longer film because it had a lot of neat ideas that I wish had been fleshed out more.

Killshot is a terrific hitman flick that will provide a lot of solid entertainment for 80-odd-minutes. It's not something you haven't seen before, but for what it is, it's very well made and engaging in the ways you'd want from a hitman flick. I think it's much better than the overall reception would lead you to believe.