4/5 stars
The 35-year-old Texan, graced with Ken doll good looks and wholesome Southern charm, scored one of the year’s biggest sleeper hits with romantic comedy Anyone But You, opposite the similarly sizzling Sydney Sweeney. And he will soon be back on the big screen in summer blockbuster Twisters.
But before that, Powell seizes the chance to show his considerable range in new Netflix action comedy Hit Man.
Based loosely on a 2001 article that appeared in Texas Monthly, Hit Man is the story of Gary Johnson (Powell), a mild-mannered psychology professor who moonlights as a field technician for the New Orleans Police Department.
When the team’s regular undercover officer (Austin Arnelio) is suspended, Gary is coerced into posing as a hired killer to arrest the man attempting to hire him. Gary quickly develops a knack for the job, crafting different aliases tailored to meet the specific needs and expectations of his prospective clients.
Instantly smitten, Gary convinces Madison to use the money to start a new life instead, and soon enough the pair become romantically involved.
The only problem is that Madison is falling for Ray, the cold-blooded killer, and as their romance heats up, Gary becomes increasingly lost in his new bad-boy persona.
With Hit Man, the pair have created a perfect star vehicle for Powell, who pulls off a variety of different accents and caricatures during Gary’s numerous undercover scenes.
His on-screen romance with Arjona is equally impressive, as they steam up the screen with the kind of effortlessly smouldering chemistry not seen since George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez crossed paths in Out of Sight.
More than simply a two-hour show reel for Powell’s considerable talents, Hit Man reveals itself to be a riotously entertaining neo-noir crime caper, packed with dirty cops, femme fatales, and a swiftly escalating body count.
If Powell still isn’t a household name yet, Hit Man is just the film to put him in the public’s cross hairs.
Hit Man will start streaming on Netflix on June 7.