The Big Hit
Performance & Direction: The Big Hit Review
Last updated: February 15, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Big Hit (1998) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.0/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Action.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Action is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Big Hit features a noteworthy lineup led by Mark Wahlberg . Supported by the likes of Lou Diamond Phillips and Christina Applegate , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: The Big Hit
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1998, The Big Hit is a Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller film directed by Kirk Wong Chi-Keung. The narrative delivers highly intense sequences and pulse-pounding confrontations that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Mark Wahlberg.
Ending Explained: The Big Hit
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Kirk Wong Chi-Keung, The Big Hit concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to action resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes involving Mark Wahlberg, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the action themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Big Hit reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Big Hit Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Big Hit incorporates elements from real criminal cases. As a action, adventure, comedy, crime, thriller film directed by Kirk Wong Chi-Keung, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement for Mark Wahlberg's character.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, focusing on emotional truth over strict chronology.
Accuracy Assessment: The Big Hit adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Big Hit?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Action films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Mark Wahlberg or the director
- Want an adrenaline rush without demanding perfection
Box Office Collection: The Big Hit
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $13.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $27.0M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
The Big Hit Budget
The estimated production budget for The Big Hit is $13.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: The Big Hit
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Where to Watch The Big Hit Online?
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Apple TV StoreThe Big Hit Parents Guide & Age Rating
1998 AdvisoryWondering about The Big Hit age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Big Hit is 91 minutes (1h 31m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.0/10, and global performance metrics, The Big Hit is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1998 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Big Hit worth watching?
The Big Hit is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Action movies. It has a verified rating of 6/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Big Hit parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Big Hit identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Big Hit?
The total duration of The Big Hit is 91 minutes, which is approximately 1h 31m long.
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Critic Reviews for The Big Hit
Dudes' Night again last night... thought about skipping posting this it was just so god-awful... Instead I guess I'll write 400 some words about it... :P Hit man Marky Mark "just wants people to like him!" and get's over his head in debt trying to maintain both his mistress' and fiance's lifestyles, all while both treat him like garbage. To get out of debt he joins his "Funky Bunch" of buddies to ransom the, unknown to them, connected daughter of a, also unknown to them, bankrupt movie mogul. So not only is hit man Marky Mark a door mat, everyone involved in the caper is a dumb-ass. Couple this with the movie going overboard trying to portray these dumb-asses as "cool" and "edgy" in the most horribly cringy (and at times super offensive) ways: this was terrible. But it's executive produced by John Woo so the action scenes are great, right? No. The gun fights usually involved Wahlberg doing breakdance moves (remember, he's "COOOOOL!") while excessive wire work gets applied to anybody shot. This sounds like it could be cool, and there were some hilariously exaggerated shots (pun intended), but the editing of the action scenes was just really poorly done. They'd cut from shots of Mark spinning on the floor, shooting everywhere, to one of him flying through the air, possibly in a completely different room. A guy would get shot and fly TOWARDS the shooter or sideways. I swear there were guys that would fly through the air or through glass for no reason... just guys flying through the air I guess. And then there's the car chase... So many shots where a car rammed something, was obviously seriously damaged, only to have the car look completely unscathed a second later. Also, Wahlberg's hair color changes inexplicably and seemingly at random throughout the movie. From a reddish brown to an almost greyish/blondish brown to a dark brown. At first I thought it was the stunt double, but it happens in non-action scenes as well. Maybe it was the product he used for different scenes, maybe it was the lighting, but regardless it was weird. It doesn't lose that final star because we did have fun laughing/cringing at how absurd it all was. Looking up stats, this unbelievably doubled it's budget in revenue (seriously, W.T.F.!). It was also fun remembering how awful late 90s styles were, and oh god are some great styles on display here. There's really no need to see this movie though, it really is terrible. If you want to laugh AT a movie, there are so many better ones to choose from.
I'm beginning to think that nobody on this site has a sense of humor or a brain. This movie is a parody of the rash of all too serious hitman and gangster movies of the nineties, specifically John Woo. You aren't supposed to take anything about this movie seriously. Everything about this movie is mocking the genre including editing, action scenes and continuity. Think Pootie Tang meets the Naked Gun. I guess you have to be GenX or before to get it. Now get off my lawn.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.









