I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The Plot.Wife of successful NZ businessman is seduced by fellow American after "chance" meeting in park. However, Greg has more than love-making with the beautiful Christine in mind.Well, it's certainly a pretty movie. Nice shots of New Zealand country and city sides.Unfortunately, Simone Griffeth who is naked through a good portion of this film looks like she's well into her 50s only she was just in her 30s when this movie was made.It's sort of a nothing movie that will not give you one ounce of suspense. It's a story that's been done a thousand times and needs a way hotter chick and psycho to be interesting.

As has been noted, this is part of a Crown International series, almost all of which contain the same scenes of nudity and lovemaking, all surrounded by ho hum plots. Those were the USA offerings. "Hot Target" is a New Zealand offering starring absolutely stunning Simone Griffeth, an American lass now, with her husband, selling expensive real estate in South Carolina. And, she is a damn good actress. Those love scenes could, and should have been, more abbreviated and it would have appealed to a more general audience - well - not the Pixar enthusiasts. Anyway, all the palaver about the plot is a lot of horseradish. It was easy to understand, the story tight and taut. The acting by all involved was first class. Steve Marachuk, the only other American in the cast, was excellent as the cad. All involved turned in excellent performances. Anyway, ignore the naysayers and, if you can get hold of this, grab it. I guarantee it will keep you involved for at least 92 of its 93 minutes.

Wealthy and lovely, but bored and dissatisfied American Christine Webber (nicely played by gorgeous blonde knockout Simone Griffith of "Death Race 2000" fame) feels trapped in a stale and unhappy marriage to cold, ruthless New Zealand businessman Clive Webber (an effectively callous and obnoxious portrayal by Bryan Marshall). Christine receives some much-needed excitement in her life when she meets and gets seduced by suave professional thief Greg Stanford (a fine and charismatic performance by the hunky Steve Marachuk), who plans on breaking into Webber's house so he can steal all their valuables. Writer/director Dennis C. Lewiston relates the compelling story at a steady pace, doesn't skimp on either the tasty female nudity and steamy soft-core sex (the luscious Griffith looks absolutely delectable in her birthday suit and sweats quite fetchingly during her lusty love scenes), and delivers a few nifty twists in the film's last third after Greg's plans go disastrously awry. Griffith and Marachuk display a strong and engaging chemistry as the attractive and appealing leads, with sound support from Marshall (who makes for a perfectly hateful jerk), Peter McCauley as the determined, no-nonsense Detective Inspector Nolan, John I. Watson as Clive's loyal bodyguard Benjamin, and Renee Johansen as Christine's adorable daughter Sandy. Both Alec Mills' crisp cinematography and Gil Melle's supremely funky'n'jazzy score are up to snuff. An enjoyable movie.

Billed as a thriller in the spirit of "Body Heat", this film was only available on video in North America -- not surprising, since it is very thin on plot and very heavy on heavy breathing. Loaded with gratuitous nudity, Hot Target will appeal to anyone who is looking for titillation. The American cat-burglar, like the rest of the film's characters, is laughable; there is actually a little bit of entertainment value in the stunningly horrid dialogue. You need only look at the filmography of the cast members to see what a fabulous piece of work can do to a life in film - like, say, end it.Basically, it's 100 minutes of horizontal jogging under the flimsiest pretenses - great, if you like that sort of thing. If you were looking for a thriller "in the spirit of 'Body Heat,'" then I suggest you see Body Heat.Direct-to-video. Kills careers - dead.