Top 10 Hitman Movies

Hitman Criteria: Story must focus on a working contract killer at least in part. No former assassin, revenge driven stories (Bourne Series, Kill Bill), no serial killers, and no movies with only minor hitman characters (Layer Cake).

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10) Collateral (2004)

Fairly clever take on the genre with an assassin using a taxi driver to shuttle him for target to target. One of Tom Cruise’s better recent film adventures.

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9) Wild Target (2011)

British comedy about an aging hitman who falls for his mark. Emily Blunt is adorably crude and Ron Weasley’s suprisingly funny.

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8) Day of the Jackal (1973)

Suspenseful slow-burner that drags on a bit in parts but is still unimaginably better than the remake.

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7) Fulltime Killer [Chuen jik sat sau] (2001)

Asia’s #1 assassin title is up for grabs as Japan’s premier gun for hire is challenged by a reckless maniac from China. Lots of action and excellent gunfight choreography.

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6) Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Forest Whitaker plays an assassin for the mafia who lives by the code of the samurai. Excellent film that carries a remarkable amount of depth if you choose to focus on character’s motives and reasoning.

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5) Nikita (1990)

A young women convicted of murder is recruited to become an assassin to avoid the death penalty. Yet another example of an original film being far superior to its predecessor.

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4 ) De zaak Alzheimer [The Memory of a Killer] (2003)

An aging assassin suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s decides to take one last job. Refusing to carry out the contract once he discover’s the mark to be a young girl, he decides instead to target his employers.

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3) Léon (1994)

International hit about a hitman who rescues a young girl and takes her under his wing.

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2) Le Samouraï (1967)

’60s French classic that can’t be beat in terms of coolness and atmosphere. More here.

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1) The Killer [Dip HuetSeung Hung] (1989)

John Woo at his heroic bloodshed finest. No other hitman film has packed anywhere near as much action, symbolism, and Yun-Fat Chow since.