Robert Rath is an assassin who is considered to be the best in his profession but he thinks it is time to retire. Miguel Bain is a young upstart hoping to take his crown. The meet for the first time after Bain kills Rath's target just before he can take his shot. Rath then goes after Bain but he ultimately gets away. Rath's next job is to take out a woman, Electra, who is trying to sell a floppy disc containing encrypted data which compromises somebody who wants their secrets to remain secret. Rath and Bain arrive at the hotel at the same time; Bain takes out the buyers while Rath finds the Electra. He doesn't kill her though. After Rath's employer tries to kill him he raises the price for the disc to $20,000,000, to be paid into an overseas bank. Rath and Electra head to the bank even though he knows that Bain will be there; waiting to take the shot as he leaves the bank
just as he was fifteen years previously when he shot the previous number one assassin; a man Rath considered his only real friend.
This is an enjoyable thriller with plenty of good solid action as well as some genuine tension. Sylvester Stallone is on good form as Robert Rath; he manages to make him likable despite his profession. Antonio Banderas also impressed as Bain; a character who it is easier to dislike as he isn't too bothered who he kills. Julianne Moore is also good as Electra; it was nice to see that there was no clichéd romantic involvement between her character and Stallone's. The action is varied and exciting without being overly gory. The finale is particularly tense and features a twist that I did not see coming. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the genre.
This is an enjoyable thriller with plenty of good solid action as well as some genuine tension. Sylvester Stallone is on good form as Robert Rath; he manages to make him likable despite his profession. Antonio Banderas also impressed as Bain; a character who it is easier to dislike as he isn't too bothered who he kills. Julianne Moore is also good as Electra; it was nice to see that there was no clichéd romantic involvement between her character and Stallone's. The action is varied and exciting without being overly gory. The finale is particularly tense and features a twist that I did not see coming. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the genre.