As someone who grew up in the era of VHS tapes and Blockbuster rentals, I can say with certainty that Netflix has revolutionized the way we consume movies. The unexpected resurgence of long-forgotten films like “Hitman” and “Hitman: Agent 47” is a perfect example of this.
Once again, Netflix has managed to breathe new life into two critically panned and financially struggling films: the 2007 release and its 2015 sequel titled Hitman: Agent 47. Originating from a highly acclaimed video game series, where players assume the role of the main character Agent 47, performing assignments either stealthily or with brute force, these movies have found their way into the Netflix Global Top 10 following their global release on the platform.
In the United States, you can stream both Hitman and its sequel titled Hitman: Agent 47 on platforms like Starz and Apple TV+. Unfortunately, these series are not available for streaming on Netflix at the moment.
It turns out that action thrillers are experiencing an unexpected comeback on Netflix, much like numerous other movies that have been accessible on different platforms for quite some time or have faded into obscurity. Interestingly, both films based on the incredibly popular video game series received massive negative reviews upon their initial release, yet they still managed to make money at the box office.
The film titled “Hitman” was helmed by Xavier Gens, and it featured Timothy Olyphant portraying Agent 47. The storyline revolves around the main character, the hitman, getting entangled in a political intrigue that sets him on a perilous trek through Eastern Europe. With a box office take of $103 million against a production budget of $24 million, it was financially successful. However, it received harsh criticism from critics, earning a poor 16% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.
Eight years had passed since the last movie came out, this time under Aleksander Bach’s direction and featuring Rupert Friend as the main character. In this installment, Agent 47 found himself protecting a woman while uncovering mysteries about his past, all wrapped up in an action-packed storyline. Unfortunately, the film didn’t perform well financially, earning only $82 million against its budget of $35 million. Critics were particularly harsh, giving it a dismal 8% rating.
In both instances, the viewers showed some leniency towards the style-over-substance approach, but neither film received favorable reviews. It appeared as though the storyline of the Hitman series would conclude – “a duo of poorly executed video game adaptations during an era when it was challenging to create a robust movie or TV show from a gaming concept”. However, this changed when Netflix provided them with renewed interest.
Hitman Has Been Feeling the Netflix Effect
The action movies “Hitman” and “Hitman: Agent 47,” which have previously had limited success, are getting another opportunity to shine on Netflix. At this moment, “Hitman” ranks fifth globally in popularity, with its sequel close behind at number six. It’s important to mention that these rankings are based solely on the films’ international viewership and do not yet include their availability on U.S. Netflix.
This surprising revival of the franchise has once more demonstrated how streaming services like Netflix provide access to movies that some might not actively seek or pay to watch in a theater. Yet, when a film pops up during your search for something to stream, it seems the allure is hard to ignore.
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2024-09-25 00:33