Shot and near fatally wounded by his corrupt former partner, a police officer reemerges as a mob contract killer; he might be working undercover or he might be trying to getting to revenge, with things becoming clearer as the film progresses. If this sounds like a confusing plot description, it is because the film is arguably too complex for its own good; the action scenes are generally well done and Chuck Norris even turns in a decent performance as he mentors a local kid and gets to utter some witty quips, but these highlights are hard to appreciate as the film pitches Norris so deep undercover that it is hard to say where his agenda lies. What can be made out from the film is nevertheless often entertaining. There are many atmospheric nighttime shots and Joel Derouin's jazzy music score is perfectly moody. There is also a thrilling sequence set in the snowbound backwoods of Canada, where half the film is set, and the final few scenes are pretty powerful, over-the-top as the actions of vengeful Norris might well be. Salim Grant also deserves a special mention as the local boy who Norris befriends. There is a particularly touching scene in which Norris confesses to being scared of bullies when he was a kid too, and Grant manages to be wide-eyed and genuinely taken with Norris throughout without the film ever getting mushy or sentimental in this regard.
Review of The Hitman
