The Big Hit 1998

Melvin Smiley’s life is a carefully crafted balance of professional prowess as a contract-killer and personal struggles, torn between his two romantic entanglements. On one hand, he’s deeply invested in his demanding and critical partner Chantel, who refuses to accept the harsh realities of his line of work, while on the other hand, he’s smitten with Pam, whose innocence and naivety are a welcome respite from the darkness that surrounds him. Melvin is a pushover at heart, consistently seeking to appease those around him, even when it means sacrificing his own self-respect. This tendency is exacerbated by his chronic stress-induced stomach problems, which he attempts to alleviate with Maalox.

When his team of assassins, including Cisco, Crunch, Vince, and Gump, takes on an independent job kidnapping Keiko Nishi, the teenage daughter of a bankrupt electronics magnate Jiro Nishi, Melvin finds himself drawn into a complex web of deceit. The team’s boss, Paris, is unwittingly entangled in the situation as the girl’s godfather, adding an extra layer of tension to their already precarious situation. As Melvin is enlisted to hold Keiko captive on his property, he begins to form a bond with the plucky teenager, hiding her from Pam and her parents, who are set to visit for dinner.

Melvin’s sympathies for Keiko grow as they spend time together preparing dinner, a moment of domestic normalcy that blossoms into a tender love scene reminiscent of the iconic pottery wheel sequence in Ghost. However, their intimacy is cut short when Keiko attempts to escape, foreshadowing the chaos that will soon ensue.

As Paris orders Cisco to track down the kidnappers of his goddaughter, panic sets in and Cisco brutally kills Gump, implicating Melvin in the process. The situation spirals out of control as a team of assassins crashes Melvin’s dinner with Pam’s family, leading to a violent shootout that forces Melvin to confront the reality of his relationship with Pam.

It becomes clear that Pam was on the verge of breaking up with him due to pressure from her mother, a devout Jew who disapproves of their interracial relationship. Amidst the chaos, Melvin and Keiko find solace in each other, forging an unlikely romance as they attempt to escape the mayhem together, pursued by Cisco.

In the midst of this chaos, Melvin finally finds the courage to stand up to Chantel, ending their toxic relationship once and for all. As he navigates his way through this treacherous landscape, Melvin must confront his own demons and learn to prioritize his own needs above those of others.

As tensions between Cisco (character) and Melvin reach a boiling point, their violent confrontation unfolds in the unlikeliest of settings: a humble video store. The usually upright Melvin pauses to rectify an overdue tape, King Kong Lives, before resuming hostilities with Cisco. In a stunning turn of events, Melvin delivers the fatal blow, plunging a knife into Cisco’s chest. However, not before Cisco triggers a devastating explosive device that will change the course of their lives forever.

As the dust settles, Melvin emerges from the rubble to confront Keiko (her father and Paris). With his adversary momentarily stunned, Melvin re-enters the smoldering ruins, only to find them reduced to ashes. The blast’s aftermath sees Paris and Nishi mistakenly believe Melvin has met his demise, prompting them to call off their manhunt.

But fate has other plans for Melvin. Sheltered from the inferno by an enormous solid gold film stand-up - a monument to the box office flop that decimated Nishi’s career - he miraculously survives. United with Keiko once more, they ride into the sunset together, leaving in their wake the chaos and destruction caused by Cisco’s final act of defiance.

Meanwhile, Nishi seizes the opportunity to recoup his losses by crafting a cinematic masterpiece from the very fabric of his daughter’s kidnapping. The silver screen becomes his canvas, as he reimagines the harrowing events that transpired. And so, in the aftermath of devastation and chaos, Nishi finds solace in the power of storytelling, weaving a narrative that will captivate audiences for years to come.