Review: Hunter Killer

Posted on 22 November, 2018

It is just so disappointing not to be able to write a review lambasting this film.

Picture this.

Too much on in my social life to see a movie on the weekend (tough, right?). Too much on in my working life to have a late night, so I couldn’t see Grindelwald or the girl obsessed with insects (screening at a grown-up time of evening). I’ve reviewed Fred and Brad. What to do? See the latest, mindless Gerard Butler action film (and trash it). What fun!

This is known ‘schadenfreude’ in German and ‘being a jerk’ in English – taking pleasure in someone else’s misfortune.

However, gentle readers, I am chastened.

I am not able to dismiss this film as dumb fun and, despite the 96% male cast, I can’t even dismiss it as testosterone driven rubbish. FYI – the U.S. President is a woman, so is the chief spy and a radio operator but other than that, girls are ghosts. Still, it is far closer to Tom Clancy than to Tom Cruise.

It is something I also did not think I would see again – an earnest military action film. With an actual story. That didn’t make me cringe, didn’t demonise one country or another – and did glorify them either. The story held me from the moment Butler doesn’t kill a deer to when the Russian submarine captain comments that he ‘has to go to work now’.

I got so involved I gasped at one point and reached out to stop something happening. You can put the mum in a cinema but you can’t stop her ‘mumming’. So embarrassing.

This film is full of rare creatures: a blustering boss that finally accepts that he is wrong, a handful of professional Navy SEALs focused on their task, being stealthy and successful. A submarine crew that all do their jobs and a captain that is just a bloke but again, does his job intuitively and well. No histrionics, no complicated back-stories and (so refreshingly) no implausible love interest.

With a little-known director and a cast of actors, rather than stars, the filming might be workmanlike but the characterisations are believable. The only scenery chewing is done by the XO (second in command) and his somewhat frenzied adherence to the rules in a situation that has no place in his training texts is actually understandable. The fact he is not vilified but expected to continue doing his job is actually satisfying.

I am certain there will be inaccuracies with the ships, weapons and other kit. Hardware will have been invented or embellished for dramatic effect (fairly certain ‘sound mines’ aren’t a thing). However, it succeeds as a measured, interesting adventure yarn about averting a third world war.

If you want to know more about the specs of the film, go to IMDb but take my word on it, it is more than the sum of its parts.

Roslyn saw this film as a guest of Limelight Cinemas Tuggeranong.