AllMovie

The Target is a movie of two distinct halves -- both flawed, but with merit. The first part is set in Capetown's business district and is a competent mob movie, with enough action and plot twists to fill its own film. Then, right at the 47 minute mark, the climax arrives as Robert Nile Dennis Hopper, now in a small town in the outback, throws his very bad hairpiece off his head and gives a hug to the native woman who raised him. That done, The Target (the original title, The Piano Player, had to be changed in the wake of the success of The Pianist) goes into old-fashioned Western mode and becomes High Noon with voodoo ceremonies. The risky collision of genres works to a degree, but the film would have been much more satisfying without such a rushed finale. And that subplot about Alex's parents being murdered is a needless stretch. Still, it's thoughtful action, a rare thing these days, and should be recommended.