The Bounty Hunter

My review was written in October 1989 after watching the film on AIP video cassette.

Robert Ginty makes an underwhelming directorial debut in "The Bounty Hunter", a routine vengeance feature, released direct-to-video.

Reportedly doubling as a pilot for a hoped-for tv series, pic fails to set up the requisite characters for such a venture. Instead, topliner Ginty is his usual taciturn self, heading to a small Oklahoma town to avenge the death of an Indian with whom he ser4ved in Vietnam. His skills as a bounty hunter are displayed briefly in a prolog but irrelevant to the main action.

Villain is Bo Hopkins, playing his familiar small town sheriff role. This time he's corrupt, involved in a land deal with oilmen. Other key character is the Indian's pretty sister (Loeta Waterdown), who gives Ginty a tour of local Indian culture that provides p;ic's upbeat message and avoids stereotyping.

Redneck bad boys in league with Hopkins are stereotypes, however, and pic offers no suspense. Contrived finish doesn't hold water.

The first 15 or so minutes of this has to be the most pure cringe I've seen in a movie in a long time with some pretty bad acting all the way around. It gets better after that, but, sadly none of the bad guys get whats coming to them especially the great Bo Hopkins playing yet another evil country sheriff as the film pretty much just ends.

Whenever you see an indie produced, written, directed and starring the same, its going to be a last chance failure...i suppose every actor needs a chance to show whether he has the real stuff or not....in this film he did not...it reminded me of that show with the marine pilots starring robert conrad....try anything to get attention...i think ginty was also in that show

I found the movie to be a nice change of pace from the big budget movies that are out there with a lot less heart.Ginty was pretty good as a bounty hunter/tarnished hero. Many of the actors were fresh-faced new comers, which gave the film some interesting flavor. I especially liked the police officers, particularly a young man named Dannie Whitehouse. He was so real and convincing in his limited role, that I believe he could sell any part he played. I only hope he surfaces again, but this time in a leading role, possibly a pirate or super hero of some kind. My friends would like to start a fan club of some kind for him, you know a grassroots type of thing.Anyway, this is a little movie that would be nice on a rainy night with your girl...just fast-forward through Dan's part or she'll leave you.