The Big Hit Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

The Big Hit Blu-ray Movie Review

Not quite a big hit on Blu-ray, but this release should satisfy fans.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 21, 2009

I'm a contract killer. You know, I murder people for money. I mean so far they've all been bad people, give or take a few obnoxious ones.

Rarely does a movie try so hard to be "cool" and get it almost completely wrong. While The Big Hit has its moments, the film plays out with a borderline painful barrage of over-the-top action and ridiculous comedy that admirably attempts to mesh into the next great cult classic but instead flops with most every bad stunt and cheap laugh. The Big Hit feels like Steve Martin meets Quentin Tarantino meets John Woo meets Jenji Kohan (of "Weeds" fame), but the result is never quite as funny, well-written, action-packed, or socially biting as the work produced by any of those in that famed quartet of entertainment icons. Still, one must give The Big Hit credit for trying; there are some good elements here, and any movie that boldly tries to intertwine several classic elements deserves a pat on the back for the effort. When The Big Hit works, it really works, but its primary problem is that it just tries too hard and attempts to pack too much in, resulting in a hit-or-miss jumble of elements that pulls and pushes on the audience like a tug-of-war, the result not a fun day at camp but instead a splitting headache from the stress of an overly topsy-turvy ride.

Now that's a big hit.

Melvin Smiley (Mark Wahlberg, We Own the Night) is a hit man who works with an eccentric group of individuals that might not exactly be Astrophysics professor material, but they definitely know their way around weapons and fighting techniques. Though their latest job goes smoothly enough, with Melvin taking care of the bulk of the work (and taking home the bulk of the payday bonus), the team wants more, and they pick up a kidnapping contract that has them setting their sights on Keiko Nishi (China Chow), daughter of bankrupt Hollywood mogul Jiro Nishi (Sab Shimono). Unfortunately, it turns out that Keiko is the goddaughter of the mob boss the team usually works for, Paris (Avery Brooks, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"), and as a result of the mess that follows, friends become enemies, allegiances shift, and plenty of blood is spilled.

Despite its attempt to mesh several unique styles, The Big Hit instead comes off as unoriginal and derivative in most every frame. The movie isn't particularly boring or bland, but quite the opposite; anyone in search of a rather relentless and mindless Action picture with heavy doses of comedy along for the ride shouldn't have much of a problem enjoying this one, particularly considering its brisk 91 minute runtime. Unfortunately, there are just too many groan-inducing moments tossed into the mix to really make The Big Hit work; just when things are looking up, one of many lame subplots pop up, some of which involve a wino who may or may not become Melvin's father-in-law; a long overdue tape at the video store (which does, surprisingly enough, play at least a small part in the long run); Melvin's constantly upset stomach; or a burgeoning romance that's sparked by a not-so-erotic encounter with a raw turkey, stuffing, and mushrooms. When The Big Hit focuses on the action, it improves a good bit. Although there's absolutely nothing here that Action junkies haven't seen in dozens of other pictures, the gunplay is presented with a fair level of skill and care on both sides of the camera. While no Die Hard, The Big Hit does improve upon garden-variety direct-to-video rubbish like 7 Seconds and Driven to Kill. Still, loud gunfire, big fireballs, a high body count, and slick slow-motion photography can only carry an action movie so far; the best of the best, like the aforementioned Die Hard, also carefully and fully develop their characters to add weight and tension to the action.

The Big Hit, instead, chooses to put all its marbles in the more superficial elements of the picture, generally ignoring any sort of deeper thematic over- and undertones and strong characterization. That's not to say that every picture needs to offer a slew of memorable characters and an Oscar-worthy plot; they don't. It's just that sensory overload alone isn't enough to carry a film. Only Mark Wahlberg's character enjoys any sort of development past several clichéd elements, for instance the clumsy and none-too-confident gangster wannabe or the physique-obsessed muscle-head. The Big Hit creates an interesting dichotomy for Wahlberg's character; he's at once both a hardened, calculated killer and kidnaper with a safe full of weapons in his garage but also a soft-spoken gentleman and even something of a pushover when guns aren't blazing, and Wahlberg, as usual, plays the part very well. In a way, his character is a microcosm of the entire picture, offering up two very different tones at once. While it works on the character level, it doesn't work quite as well as it should on a broader film-wide level. Otherwise, the acting is up to par with the quality of the scripted characters, which is to say that it's fine but not overly impressive. Avery Brooks really captures the spirit of the movie, delivering a fantastic little effort that's completely over-the-top but deliciously entertaining as he barks out orders with an assertive tone that's supported by the slightest bit of a crazed look in his eyes.

The Big Hit Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As an older release from Sony, this Blu-ray edition of The Big Hit features an MPEG-2 encoded 1080p transfer framed in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. This is a rather nice looking presentation. It's slick, glossy, colorful, and bright for much of the movie, and all things considered it looks good in high definition. Grain is present but not at all intrusive; it does spike considerably during a few shots, and the transfer contains some assorted speckles and debris here and there, not to mention a vertical line that pops up on occasion. Detail is appreciably high; viewers will note the small cracks and texture on paved roads, or the fine lines on leather seats in vehicle interiors. The transfer does feature a few minor anomalies, for instance a bit of shimmering in one scene, but it's not enough to worry about. Blacks and flesh tones never present much of a problem. The Big Hit isn't quite up to par with the big boys of the Blu-ray format, but for a bargain-priced catalogue title, there's not much to really complain about with this one.

The Big Hit Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Big Hit explodes onto Blu-ray with a robust PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. The track's most noticeable trait is its aggressive volume; the action scenes in particular border on necessitating a reduction from reference levels for the sake of the neighbors and the eardrums. The Big Hit makes full use of the 5.1 configuration; sound oozes from every corner of the soundstage with a rather hefty level of bass in support. The back channels become fully engaged during the action, delivering music, screams, shattering glass, crashing objects, and plenty of gunfire with good clarity and precise placement. Also, the track enjoys a good sense of space and a fair sense of immersion into the action via a solid amount of ambience; rustling leaves, passing automobiles, and other niceties create a rather realistic atmosphere. Some sound effects do come in at a volume that competes with dialogue and occasionally makes the spoken word a bit hard to hear, but dialogue is otherwise clear and discernible when it's not being matched by an effect. Generally, though, The Big Hit delivers an active, fun, and engaging soundtrack that should satisfy most listeners.

The Big Hit Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Big Hit arrives on Blu-ray with a pair of commentaries and a trio of trailers under the "Special Features" tab. The first commentary features Director Kirk Wong and Executive Producer Terence Chang. After a bit of mutual back-patting, the pair go on to discuss the script; how the film came about; and the filmmaking process, including problems on the set, the challenge of mixing artistic and commercial decisions and the resultant strain on time and budget; the performances of each actor; and more. Ultimately, this is a fairly standard track: somewhat interesting, a bit bland, and certainly not a required listen. The second commentary track contains a solo effort by Screenwriter Ben Ramsey. More of a lively and entertaining effort than the Director/Producer offering, Ramsey serves up an affable listen as he speaks on a broad array of subjects revolving around his script, including scenes that were moved around, changes in tone between drafts, the "Hip Hop Hong Kong" style the film pioneered, some controversial elements of the script, and more. This is easily the better of the two tracks. The trailers included advertise Underworld: Evolution, Ultraviolet, and xXx.

The Big Hit Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Big Hit makes for a passable time-killing Action movie. It's a decent mid-level genre picture that's certainly worlds better than any off-the-shelf direct-to-video outing, but it's also nowhere close to competing with the genre's best efforts. The film boldly attempts to combine several unique styles, the result a movie that works wonderfully when it gels but more often than not fails to capture the intended spirit and novelty of the script. It's too direct and too goofy to really work; a slightly more subtle approach may have improved the picture a great deal. Nevertheless, The Big Hit is an overall satisfactory and, most importantly, fairly entertaining Action/Comedy hybrid that's worth checking out in spite of all its flaws. Sony's Blu-ray release isn't a bad one, particularly considering its status as an early release in the history of the format. Sporting a decent MPEG-2 1080p transfer, a robust PCM soundtrack, and a couple of commentary tracks, The Big Hit makes for a decent weekend rental.