Hitman Poster Analysis

poster analysis - Hitman

Hitman is an action film about a genetically engineered assassin who becomes ensnared in a political conspiracy. It is based on a popular video game.

The majority of the poster and foreground is taken up by the man, he is dressed in a suit, wearing leather gloves and carrying a large gun. As he is wearing gloves and the gun has a silencer attached (as well as the title of the film) this images clearly portrays the fact that the man is an assassin. He appears to be glaring directly at the onlooker with his finger on the trigger which instantly adds an element of interaction with the audience, it gives the impression that he is about to assassinate the audience.
His jacket is black portraying his evil side, his tie is red representing the blood he spills but his shirt is white and there is a light source shining on his face from the left which conveys that he is not all bad. In the background there is a woman in a provocative red dress. The red of the dress draws the audience's eye, whilst her revealing attire works to entice the audience this also plays on the male gaze (Mulvey). The red of the dress could also symbolise bloodshed suggesting that she is not as innocent as first seems. In the background we can also see a city skyline which tells the audience that the film will most likely be set in a city, but it is a city at night, which also connotes danger and (with the girl in the revealing dress) lust and fast paced action, as a city at night is one of the busiest places to be.
The title is in red which connotes violence and blood but also romance suggesting a possible relationship between the man and woman. The type face is simple with harsh lines and hard corners suiting perhaps the possibly mechanical personality of the main character. The release date is emphasised in red whilst the website is in white to add another dimension to the poster and suggest a less evil side to the man.
Overall I think that this poster is very simple and relies on basic techniques to entice the audience, a scantily clad girl and a big gun. Whilst this may not be the most tasteful or sophisticated way to sell a movie, it does appeal to their target audience (18-35 year old men) perfectly.