THE TARGET (2002)

MORGAN'S RATING

Police suspect the man they have in custody is none other than Christo Nicol, the notorious leader of the South African Mafia. But the only one who can identify him is Robert Nile, a rich and powerful businessman with ties to Africa. Professional hit man Alex Laney is hired to protect Robert and his daughter from becoming the mob leader's next target, but not before Christo unleashes a relentless force of terror. To survive, Alex must make the ultimate sacrafice, and Robert must make peace with the past.

Christopher Lambert (Alex Laney), Dennis Hopper (Robert Nile), James Faulkner (Farrell), Diane Kruger (Erika Nile), Gerard Rudolf (Tyler), Dorette Potgieter (Alex Laney's Mother, uncredited).

A DEADLY HIT TO ERASE THE PAST.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Jean-Pierre Roux. WRITER: Brad Mirman. PRODUCERS: Andreas Klein and Philippe Martinez. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Karen Alison Hamilton. CO-PRODUCERS: Helmut Breuer, Alan Latham and Juan Montilla. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Richard Rionda Del Castro. LINE PRODUCER: David Wicht. DISTRIBUTOR: Artisan Entertainment.

QUOTES

[talking to a goat while smoking a joint] Robert Nile: Mr. Goat, do I know you? ... you're like a brother to me, do you know that?

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: July 22nd, 2003 (USA) (VIDEO PREMIERE) BUDGET: $10 million (USA) - Also known as The Piano Player (2002).

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Overall, The Target is simply a bizarre movie, and that's it. Not at all the action film that the cover art and marketing would suggest, this is instead a character piece with a somewhat Lynchian bent, a collection of notions moreso than it is a complete, coherent whole." -- Ziggy's Video Realm