Assassins MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +3 Content: -2 1/2

In modern-day America, Robert (Sylvester Stallone) is the number one, best assassin. He is ready to retire, partly because of flashbacks he has of killing his friend. Robert was in a hotel in the Caribbean when he shot the friend as he left a bank across the plaza. Now Robert goes to do his last hit, but the mark is hit by another assassin, Miguel Bain (Antonio Banderas). Bain has made Robert his role model, and he intends to take over the number one spot. Robert takes off after Bain, and during the chase the two become involved with Electra (Julianne Moore). Electra has a disk worth $2,000,000 to the hit man who performs the contract connected with it. Both Robert and Bain want the contract. Ironically, the climax takes place in the same Caribbean hotel where Robert had killed his friend. Only this time, Bain is the gunman waiting to kill Robert as he leaves the bank. The movie is fast-paced with some spectacular car chases, bombings and free-falls with a surprise ending.

Assassins is a typical Sylvester Stallone R-rated movie. You know to expect much violence and foul language. The scary part is that Robert is given an almost hero role as an assassin. After all, he refuses to shoot police, feels bad that he killed his friend, and even likes cats. On the other hand, Bain is totally brutal and amoral, but even he is portrayed as having a sense of humor. The movie opens with a suicide and goes on from there to show random, senseless killings and brutal attacks on innocent people, as well as innumerable car wrecks. All of this is interspersed with profane and vulgar language, much of which is spoken by Bain. There is no sexual content; in fact, it is implied that when Electra and Robert are alone for the night, he sleeps on the floor. As admirable as that may be, the film's glorification of violence and its frequent foul language make it inappropriate for discerning viewers.

Preview Reviewer: Margaret Reid
Distributor: Warner Bros., 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522