The Hunter (Movie)
Movie
The Hunter Movie Review
This 2011 movie wasn’t on our radar but we had it recommended to us by one of our followers and while it does involve hiking, it certainly can’t be classed as a hiking movie.
The movie starts out with David Martin (played by William Dafoe) who as it turns out is a professional hunter, hired to track down a Tasmanian Tiger. The company, Redleaf, wants genetic samples for testing for an unknown purpose but is very adamant that once the samples have been collected there shouldn’t be anything left over for any of their competitors to use.
Accommodation in Tasmania has been arranged with a local family who can be best described as ‘alternative’. The family is in disarray as the father has been missing for a year, the mother comatose due to prescription drugs, and the young kids running wild. Throughout the movie Dafoe’s character builds a relationships with the family and against the backdrop of the Tiger hunt, this is what the movie is really about.
Apart from Dafoe, the best known character in the movie is Jack (played by Sam Neil) who is hard to work out because his motives are split between looking after the family and siding with the local rednecks who taunt the family.
The movie moves along at a good pace and length wise is about right. I had to look up what time period this movie was set; the book this movie is based on was written in 1999 but it’s hard to actually work out the year the movie is set. It appears to be a bit nondescript despite modern vehicles set alongside payphones (that haven’t been seen for many years) and antiquated hiking gear. One glitch at the start of the movie is when Dafoe’s character, David Martin is called William. I usuually don’t pick this sort of stuff up but it was obvious.
The only thing that bugged me was the hippyish family which I don’t mind, but wherever there are hippies there has to be a fire twirler. Who made that compulsory?
The main reason I was keen to watch this movie was the backdrop of the Tasmanian Wilderness which really is a unique and spectacular place. This is certainly not one of those movies that is an obvious advert for the Tasmanian bush but all the same it manages to showcase Tassie, almost by accident that makes you feel connected. Given the cinematography you could be forgiven for thinking that it rarely rains in Tasmania.
This movie doesn’t really have a happy ending in any way, shape or form for both the Tasmanian Tiger or for the humans in the movie. In fact it’s a bit of strange storyline overall but offers something very different to what we see in the cinemas today. The Hunter is worth your time noting that it won’t suit everyone.
We Like
- A different premise to what we see in today’s cinemas
- The scenery!
We Don't Like
- No more fire twirlers in movies with hippies
Buy One
You can purchase the he Hunter on DVD from Amazon Australia
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Investment
AUD $44.99 RRP on Blu Ray, also available on DVD. Please note that this move is pricing itself out of the market
The Hunter on Blue Ray
Disclaimer
This review was done with product purchased by Australian Hiker
Last updated
8/12/2023