The last action film you watched

I don't think I've ever seen The Hitman yet. Somehow that one ducked out of my radar. I'll definitely seek it out.

The Hitman (1991)

Finally got around to see it, much thanks to some of Lostinlimbo's writings of it which made me very interested in watching it.
Anyway, starting up with the "negatives", not exactly the films fault, but I have rarely seen or heard such a poorly made DVD release since, well, Demons 2 (1987) as my copy of The Hitman (a 2004 or 2005 version) comes with such a terrible sound quality (and of course with absolute no subtitles) it really does no justice to the film at all, which is a shame. However, I might re-buy it along with Hellbound and Forced Vengeance as part of a 3 in 1 movie deal, and where I think it is also featured subtitles/close-captioned options, so hopefully that release might have far better sound quality to it than this extremely poor 2005 release.

Well, that was the bad stuff.
Now onto the good stuff. Chuck Norris plays a tough cop (again) and during a late night investigation he suddenly is set up and badly wounded by his sleazy partner Ronny Delany (Michael Parks). Now left for dead, he somehow miraculously survives and becomes involved in a highly top-secret undercover plan to go after some of the more heavy criminal kingpins in america, playing both sides in a dangerous game, still he earns the respect and fear that is much needed to take on such a nasty and riskful job by becoming the very topman to the powerful mob boss Marco Luggani (Al Waxman).
I really enjoyed watching Norris play both sides, and he sure was vicious at times as the down right brutal and cold hearted Crogan, and some the plot reminded me a little of when Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) in one of the later seasons of Miami Vice lost his memories and switched sides and become a ruthless hitman to the mafia in a dramatic two hour episode, which was to be one of the last great episodes of the show.

The action is pretty damn neatly done, some surprisingly brutal and nasty scenes thrown in too, but also making way for a little good natured buddy "sidekick" relationship where Chuck decides to help out a neighboor kid who is bullied and teaches him to fight back. Sure, it was a bit "lighthearted" compared to the more hard edged style/atmosphere in the film, but I thought it worked rather well, not too emotional or anything but it showed that Norris character was not all "derived" of emotions cause of him doing most of the dirty work for the mob.
While the sound of my DVD was a nightmare, it did not ruin the film at all, I enjoyed it and while it still is not all there among my favorite of his, I think it might benefit of a re-watch later on, hopefully in a much better DVD quality version as it deserves better treatment.

I only wished Michael "I'm so horny I could fuck mud!" Parks would have gotten a bit more time on screen as I sure enjoyed his scenes with Chuck, but I do love the explosive "farewell" scene.
Also, beside Parks (in Death Wish 5) I noticed some rather "familiar" face from Death Wish 4: The Crackdown where the first guy who gets brutally gunned down by Crogan, is the same sleazebag who utters the hilarious line: "Tits out to here, flopping all over." during a party scene where Paul Kersey attempts to break in the bad guys mansion playing off that he is a waiter.

All in all, I liked The Hitman, tought it was good entertainment on a late night. Maybe not great but it might do better a second time around, and so I think the best I can go from first seeing it is a:

6/10