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British Blu-ray set with both versions 
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Comparison between the cut international version and the uncut Hong Kong original version For the international version, initially a German broadcast from May 11, 2008 (= identical to the German DVD and the US DVD) was used. The uncut version was represented by the British Special Edition DVD from Hong Kong Legends (BBFC 18). Update: In November 2023, this report was updated with the British Blu-ray from Eureka, which contains both versions.
16 changes, including:
Total cut duration: 509.4 seconds (8:29 min) The additional runtime difference results from the fact that the credits start only in the UK DVD or uncut version during the last camera movement (34 seconds) and the time was accordingly stopped. Hitman (international title: Contract Killer) was Jet Li's last Hong Kong production in 1998 before heading to America with Lethal Weapon 4. The former British colony Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997, and not coincidentally, stars like Jackie Chan (Rush Hour) and Chow Yun-Fat (The Replacement Killers) also temporarily explored the global market during this year. Unfortunately, this film partially conforms to Western conventions already, and action scenes are comparatively scarce. However, when they occur, they are intense, showcasing some bloody shoot-outs, which led to the film receiving an 18 rating in UK. Alongside Jet Li, two other heavyweights of Asian cinema, Simon Yam and Eric Tsang, are featured. The latter is expectedly mainly responsible for some comedy scenes. Adapted version for international releasesNot surprisingly, a separate version was created for the US market, cut by a little over 8 minutes, primarily removing scenes with more typical HK humor. Scenes involving Kiki were noticeably reduced, and a somewhat charmingly goofy-looking police computer program seemed to be an eyesore for the international editor as well. Nevertheless, the action scenes remained untouched. In e.g. Germany, so far, only this version has been evaluated. Apart from the actual cuts, what deals the final blow to this version is the entirely new and hip-hop-heavy soundtrack/score. Even in originally quiet moments, corresponding tracks were frequently inserted. For many, this often mismatched and atmosphere-destroying alteration weighs heavier than the cuts. Additionally, for the English dub on the US release, several crude comments were clearly toned down or significantly simplified. However, there is an alternative English dub for the uncut original version, the quality of which might be debatable, but at least it doesn't hold back in that regard. For instance, at the beginning of the film, there is a scene where Tsukamoto is being pampered by two Japanese women while a war documentary is playing on television. In the US dub, he dreams of wars that can still be won. In the original dialogue, he wishes for those times back because the screams of pain from the Chinese women while he raped them turned him on. Runtime details are arranged according to the following scheme: The correct international version (= "IV") had an additional logo at the beginning, but various other logos were missing. Only the one from China Star appeared identically on DVD, both in the German/American DVD (with the IF) and the British DVD (with the original version or "OV").
Original version 30 sec longer
Eureka completely ignored this on the Blu-ray release and both versions start identically with the newly added Fortune Star logo and all Chinese logos. So the runtimes here are all additionally shifted.
00:25 / 01:32 / 01:32-02:22 The original version now has three credits, then a Chinese text scroll across the screen. They describe that hiring a killer would usually involve expenses. Recently, however, someone in Hong Kong has been killing "evil" people without asking for any payment. Among professional killers, he is known as the "King of Killers," while others fear this "Angel of Death." Finally, an angelic animation flies onto the screen, turns into a fire effect, and then the original English title "The Hitman" appears. 50.1 sec
Shortly after, in the original version, there are further Chinese/English credits during the scene. Naturally, these are absent in the correct international version. It's quite evident here how terribly dark the old DVDs with the IV were.
Unfortunately, Eureka apparently didn't have an HD master without on-screen texts and decided against incorporating these nearly two minutes from another source. Consequently, these credits erroneously appear in the IV on the British Blu-ray as well. 05:20-06:19 / 06:38-07:40 / 07:29-07:31 The Original Version shows the weapon after the shot for a slightly longer period, then a black screen, and immediately continues in the supermarket.
In the international version at this point, the US credits follow, including the new title "Contract Killer". At Eureka, this segment was inserted exactly as in previous version - but with the original credits during the previous scene, here essentially we see the opening credits twice.
Additionally, at Eureka, this was unfortunately integrated somewhat sloppily because the initial individual frames after the opening credits have a jump cut from the US material to the HD source of the original version.
International version 58.6 sec longer 08:24 / 09:50 / 09:42-10:23 Before discussing who the most suitable killer is, there is a scene of Fu (Jet Li) preparing an omelette. He eats it in the room next to his Indian neighbor. Fu offers him something, and the Indian kindly gives a thumbs up. Then he offers his plate to Fu, who, to the Indian's confused look, immediately takes the whole piece, bites into it extensively, and also gives a satisfied thumbs up. 40.9 sec
10:36 / 12:08 / 12:41-12:54 After the colleague slams the door in his face, Fu is seen marching thoughtfully through the apartment again. The Indian taps him on the shoulder and asks if everything is okay. 12.9 sec
Exemplary mention: in the conversation between Eiji and his father shortly after, in the US version, he only talks about not approving of hiring a killer externally. However, in the alternative English dub (and therefore also in the original), Ichi more theatrically discusses the family's problems and how the "downfall of Japan" follows from such behavior in his eyes.
12:59 / 14:37 / 15:22-15:25 Additional shot of two streetcars. 3 sec
13:01 / 14:39 / 15:27-15:45 Fu is riding in the tram and reading. Several people around him complain more or less discreetly about the smell emanating from him (as he is wearing the curry-scented jacket of his Indian neighbor). 18 sec
Re-cut 26:07-26:08 / 28:19-28:20 / 29:26-29:29 Norman (Eric Tsang) reacts differently to Fu's appearance in the Chow Yun-Fat look in the IV. He falls off the sofa, while in the OV, he chokes on his cigar. However, these scenes were subsequently (see next cut) inserted in the opposite version. Original version 2.5 sec longer
26:14-26:17 / 28:26-28:29 / 29:35-29:44 After the disguise in the style of Jean "Leon" Reno, in the IV, there is a shot of him choking on the smoke, while in the OV, he falls off the sofa. However, in the OV, there is additional footage afterward. Norman tries on a suit in front of the mirror. Behind it, Fu emerges in a feminine outfit. Norman rolls his eyes, and Fu turns humbly. In the meantime, you can hear Norman's comments off-screen about black suits and the effect that having mousse/gel in the hair would leave fewer traces at the crime scene. Original version 6.4 sec longer
30:51 / 33:15 / 34:30-34:50 After the restaurant visit, there's a scene of Norman and Fu, the latter holding the packed food, crossing the street. Norman soberly explains the business rules and the value of different body parts - here, detailed from the alternative English dub. Norman: "Since I'm your agent, I'll better tell you about some of the terms of our business. Sometimes you may not be required to kill a target but to dismember a part of his body. A left hand is worth 8,000, a leg for 10,000, and 20% discount for both legs. So that's 16,000." Fu: "What about the right hand?" Norman: "That's a bonus." Fu: "Why is that?" Norman: "Well, if you chop off a guy's left hand, his right hand will try to cover it, right? That ends up as a giveaway." The last words are heard over the following footage of the amusement park, which is also included. 19.8 sec
44:26 / 47:24 / 48:59-52:08 When Fu has just moved in with Norman, a long part is missing. First, a conversation between Norman and Fu about the killer's trade, then Cop Chan (Simon Yam) enters the office, and the computer program is shown. Fu eats something, and Norman enters with two thick books meant to teach Fu about the life of a killer. Fu says he couldn't read it anyway. Norman opens a page and "reads" a tip on how to sit in a restaurant to always have your weapon ready. Fu replies that everyone would recognize you as a killer that way. Norman tries to justify this, but Fu emphasizes that a killer must not stand out. When Norman sarcastically turns to another page and claims it's also written there, Fu says he already knows everything from the book. Norman doesn't believe this and asks him to demonstrate. He hands him a banana and asks how to hold the "weapon." Fu doesn't take it seriously because it's not a real weapon. Norman demonstrates how he thinks it should be done, but Fu has already started eating his banana. Norman is horrified that he ate his "weapon," and Fu explains again that it was just a banana and not a weapon.
Now, Norman retrieves a real weapon from a box in the wall closet and holds it to Fu's head. There's a brief discussion about the condition of the weapon, and he hands it over to Fu. He immediately aims it back at Norman. Now somewhat fearful, Norman asks if he has ever killed anyone, and Fu counters with a question. Norman affirmatively boasts, while Fu inspects the gun, that there were times when he murdered three people every two days. Then Norman seems to have fallen asleep, and Fu is still inspecting the gun, grinning in his direction.
Following this, there is an initial shot of the police's "Matching Analyzing System" used to search for the killer. Chan enters and asks his colleague about the progress. He says that while 50% of potential suspects can be excluded, they still have 200 more tapes to go through. Due to the diminishing time, Chan orders to focus on Eiji. Finally, the PC is shown again.
A total of 189 sec (= 3:09 min) 46:27 / 49:30 / 54:15-56:03 Before they go onto the ice, there's a shot of a girl skating and then an extensive conversation between Kiki and Fu, where they get closer, and Kiki talks about her childhood. They are still outside the rink, and Kiki watches Fu struggle with the skate. She asks if it's his first time and offers some of her ice cream. When he tries to take some, she suggests he could buy new ones over there, and he reconsiders. They look at each other somewhat embarrassed. The little girl passes by again, and Kiki remembers how much she loved skating as a child. Her father promised to take her to the rink, but she knew it would never happen. So, she once ran away from home and spent the whole day skating alone in the rink until the staff had to call her father in the evening because she didn't want to leave. She even remembers the discussion she had with him on the entrance steps. He wasn't upset that she ran away; he simply claimed he hadn't promised her anything. Shortly afterward, she went to him and said she would never trust him again. Fu suggests she should give him another chance. Kiki grins briefly and then says she will teach him how to skate now. 108.4 sec (= 1:48 min)
60:54 / 64:34 / 71:07-71:13 Again, a shot of the computer program comparing the men on the tapes with the recording of the killer. 6.4 sec
73:50 / 78:03 / 84:43-85:07 After Norman was informed again about his daughter's party, in the OV, the police office and the computer program are shown again. After a camera pan from the table with fingerprints to the PC, it shows a 95% match. The program now highlights Officer Chan. Thus, the true identity of the "King of Killers" is revealed earlier. 24.1 sec
73:56 / 78:10 / 85:13-85:41 The scene inside the building starts earlier. First, a camera pan over the furnishings, then Norman and Fu follow two men to the toilet and acquire new clothes. Shortly after they come out in completely new suits. 27.7 sec
91:18-91:52 / 96:15-96:51 / 103:46-104:22 In the uncut version, the original credits already run here over the camera pan backward. Interestingly, in contrast to the opening sequence, the Eureka version changes here to the different SD image source right in the middle of the shot. At least this way it's correctly displaying this last shot in the IV without credit overlays.
In the IV, it starts only when the shot fades out, and longer US credits follow.
Slipcase and cover / reverse cover of the UK Blu-ray box:
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