China Chow in The Big Hit (1998)

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If you often find yourself defending the types of movies offered by Jerry Bruckheimer and Joel Silver, here’s an affably dumb little action/comedy that should easily hold your attention. The Big Hit offers all the requisite staples of the modern action flick: loud music, well-timed explosions, seemingly immortal heroes, amazingly hateful villains, lots of “humor by the truckload.” This one’s got all that.

Fresh off of his Boogie Nights popularity, Mark Wahlberg stars as Melvin Smiley, a good-natured doormat of an elite hitman and one who’s itchin’ for a better future. We meet his friends, lovers, and a host of unpleasant assholes (basically because Melvin really craves approval), until the beleaguered assassin discovers an unwitting ‘life change’ - one that comes in the form of a teenaged hostage. Melvin’s good nature is constantly exploited, as his former friends and lovers (all of whom want either his blood or his money) are now hot on his trail and the result is fun indeed.

The Big Hit is, aside from its curious devotion to incongruous comedy, not new. But director Kirk Wong (in his only English language production) tilts the cameras and keeps the frames askew enough to keep things enjoyably... weird. The action bits, though illogical, are delivered with pomp and flair, and the extensive roster of actors offers intermittent moments of inspired entertainment; Christina Applegate is deliriously obnoxious as Marvin’s JAP fiancée, and Lela Rochon offers a few fiery moments as well. Lainie Kazan and Elliot Gould take overwrought Jewish stereotypes to a whole new level, Bokeem Woddbine has a few good scenes as Marvin’s co-killer, and Lou Diamond Phillips chews through his villain role with visible glee. The Big Hit isn’t a smart flick, and it’s a far cry from anything original - but it’s a whole lot of stupid comic-book-style fun... for those with a high tolerance for over baked action histrionics.

Nudity Report: China Chow (as the sexy schoolgirl-style hostage) offers some fleeting skin (though nothing too thrilling) during a brief sex romp with our hero.

IMDb Summary: 4,229 IMDb users rate this one at 5.7/10.

Box Office: Grossed about $27 million against a budget of around $15 million. Not too shabby.

DVD Info: Director’s commentary, screenwriter’s commentary, deleted scenes, theatrical trailers, Widescreen Anamorphic and Full frame formats, Dolby Digital 5.1 Stereo. (Also available in a Super bit DVD version.)


Written by Scott Weinberg