Doomy and deliberate, this is a predictable but well-written and often absorbing study of a lone hitman (Forest Whitaker, the Ghost Dog of the title) whose only friends are his rooftop pigeons (his sole means of communication), a Haitian ice-cream salesman who speaks no English and a 10-year-old girl he meets in the park. When a 'hit' is witnessed by the Mob boss's daughter, Ghost Dog's elimination is, for some reason, ordered. Taking the battle to the enemy, Ghost Dog is soon amongst 'em. No surprises about what ensues at the hands of these kill-on-sight characters, but the action makes this more accessible than director Jim Jarmusch's arid Western Dead Man. Whitaker commands attention and you'll like the Mafioso who mocks the names rappers have, then says 'Get me Sammy the Snake, Joe Rags and Big Angie'.