Traffic Exchange

Feb 7, 2011

Top hit man movies

What is it about hit man movies that have been chilling and thrilling audiences for so many years?
‘The Mechanic’ is a riveting remake of the 1972 film about a seasoned hit man seeking to avenge his mentor’s murder. Use this interactive gallery to see what other action flicks are in theaters now. Skip ahead to see some of the best on our list of top 25 hit man movies, including:

Mr. and Mrs. Smith
An argument could be made for naming ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ – starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt – the worst hit-man movie ever, but there was so much off-screen drama, it’s hard to resist leaving it off the list of 25 hit man movies to die for. It’s surely not one of Jennifer Aniston's favorite hit-man movies.

The Big Hit
Mark Wahlberg and Lou Diamond Phillipsare better in this black comedy than you might expect, as is the movie overall.

Wanted
If you assume this 2008 film starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman is as bad as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith,’ you will assume wrong.

The Whole Nine Yards
Bruce Willis stars in this spoof and plays a hit man with just the right comic touch. Matthew Perry plays the perfect foil as his neighbor, and Amanda Peet bares it all.

Collateral
Tom Cruise may have done his best work as a hit man, and Jamie Foxx does an impressive job playing a cab driver with attitude.

Shadowboxer
A lot of people never saw this 2005 film starring award-winning actors Helen Mirren and Cuba Gooding Jr. It’s definitely worth renting.

Buddy Buddy
Most folks probably don’t know that Billy Wilder directed Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in this hit man movie. Did you?

Assassination Tango
You like "Dancing with the Stars"? You like hit man movies? You like Robert Duvall? Then you’ll probably like this movie.

Diary of a Hitman
This 1991 flick starring Sherilyn Fenn, Sharon Stone and Forest Whitaker is one of the better versions of the recurring theme about a hit man who wants to retire after one last job.

In Bruges
This film starring Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes and Brendan Gleeson was unappreciated when it was released a couple of years ago. It's worth another look, if not a first look.

Hitman
Timothy Olyphant fans out there: You should not miss this one, even though it was based on a video game.

Kill Bill, Vol. 1 & 2
These Quentin Tarantino flicks are more fun than thought-provoking.

The Matador
Those of you who have a problem seeing Ben Kingsley as anything but Gandhi won't have that problem once you've seen this movie.

You Kill Me
Those of you who have a problem seeing Ben Kingsley as anything but Gandhi won't have that problem once you've seen this movie.

No Country for Old Men
This Coen brothers film won four Oscars. Javier Bardem was unforgettably creepy as a merciless killer.

Prizzi’s Honor
Jack Nicholson and Kathleen Turner play a couple with serious trust issues.

The Day of the Jackal
Rid your mind of the Bruce Willis remake. This 1973 original about a secret plan to assassinate the French president is a great one.

Road to Perdition
This is not your Tom Hanks of "Bosom Buddies."

Get Carter
Sylvester Stallone’s 2000 version: bad. Michael Caine’s 1971 version: good.

Grosse Pointe Blank
If you've ever dreaded returning home for your high school reunion, this is the movie for you.

The ‘Bourne’ trilogy
If you've ever wondered what role pacing and music play in a thriller, look no further than this Matt Damon trilogy: ‘Bourne Identity’, ‘Bourne Supremacy,’ and ‘Bourne Ultimatum.’

Pulp Fiction
Talk about a career revival. John Travolta has a memorable dance number with Uma Thurman, but this Quentin Tarantino classic certainly not a dance movie.

The Mechanic (1972)
This Charles Bronson flick has of the best twist endings ever.

The Professional
Natalie Portman is the frontrunner for this year's best-actress Oscar (for her role in what movie?). See how good she was at age 12