The Hunter

As a dramatic representation of corporate greed and its lasting impression on all species this film is a somber yet thought provoking look at what we have become. Simple in form, well shot, patiently directed and delicately scored The Hunter is a film you want to recommend but you feel that people may not view it in the way you did.

Slow and steady the film unfolds to its final sequences in a methodical and somewhat predictable way, nevertheless you don't find yourself reaching for the remote. Not necessarily a film to watch often as it leaves you feeling disheartened, but beautiful in its own right. Leaves you thinking about it for some time; an internal debate as to which option you would have selected and countering those thoughts with the idea that there never was an option in the first place.

Worth a viewing; just be sure you are in an environment where you can focus and see it for what it is because the director has placed a great majority of the move "between the lines" and you will miss aspects if you stop to converse midway through.

I live in Tasmania and I know the country well enough. When I moved here in the 70's it was still considered possible that somehow the tiger had survived in some remote part of the island . Not So. Decades of intensive forestry and clearing and no hints of survival. Still the tantalizing reports occasionally surface. The animal has moved on to pure mythology. Into that scenario comes this beautifully filmed Eco thriller that has a great story line but is also about our beautiful island. The scenes are artfully mixed from various places in Tasmania and the original footage of the tiger is reproduced again for the big screen. How thrilling it was to see that old footage of the thirties (last definite sightings) again.This is the last surviving footage of a peak predator that was not a dog or cat relative but a marsupial and very strange. The film builds slowly and carefully, William Defoe is in a great role which he carries off so well Frances O'Connor and the kids are just entirely in the role! Go see this film if you have the chance and enjoy a beautiful movie I have avoided all discussion of the final 20 minutes go see it and be so surprised!! Its a beautiful and at times tense movie.

Opening (coincidentally) during the San Francisco International Film Festival, "The Hunter" would fit right in among the 175 films being shown there. This Australian film, filmed mostly in Tasmania, stars the great character actor Willem Dafoe (in a rare leading role) as Martin David, the title character. David is engaged by a multinational corporation to track down the last surviving "Tasmanian Tiger" so that they may have exclusive rights to its DNA. David must do this under the noses of environmentalists trying to stop deforestation and the locals whose jobs and livelihoods rely on it.

Masquerading as a scientist doing research, Martin finds himself quartered at the house of a local activist's widow (Frances O'Connor) and her two children (Morgana Davies and Finn Woodlock.) Slowly, he finds himself entwined in their lives and finds a disturbing connection between his current employer and the late activist. Martin's contact in the community (Sam Neill) is wary of their growing relationship and sets things in motion that will have a devastating impact on all involved.

This is a beautiful, exciting film with nuanced performances from all the players. Dafoe's character doesn't say much, but his cragged face is as expressive a tool as his voice. Lengthy scenes are often dialogue-free, letting the surroundings and Martin's actions speak for themselves in a visual language. The juvenile performers are quite good, and Sam Neill is a welcome presence in any film.

Part character study, part eco-thriller, the film does not beat you over the head with its environmental message. It manages to present somewhat of a balanced view of the debate between economy and environment (at least with regards to the problems of the locals. Multinational Corporations are ALWAYS evil.) PETA may take exception to Martin's final actions with regards to his original assignment, but after some thought they might be hard pressed to come up with any better solution. It's the kind of film that leads to great discussion and debate afterwards.

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Willem Dafoe plays a mysterious loner hired to find the Tasmanian Tiger, which is considered extinct. The film co-stars two wonderful kids and the Tasmanian back-country, extraordinarily beautiful.

What's great about this movie is that in addition to telling an excellent story, it is beautifully filmed and, as a bonus, sent my wife and me to the Internet to look up Tasmania and the Tasmanian Tiger, which indeed is considered the most recently extinct animal. So we learned something too! As for the story, sure you can carp and say it's too far-fetched, or too sentimental, or has holes in it (what story doesn't). But it hangs together quite well and is not only multi-faceted but refreshingly unpredictable.

And the wonderful Silence. Few actors can work in silence as well as Willem Dafoe. This may be his strongest-ever performance, his expressive face being his best feature. Many scenes are told in silence, or rather with only the sounds of the back-country and the excellent movie score.

Dafoe triumphs in a movie that is, after all, ultimately about his well-drawn character. After all, it is called "The Hunter."

For me, this is Willem Dafoe's best film. The whole movie belongs to him: he's in virtually every scene, and the abstract, spare nature of the script allows the director to focus his camera on the star's craggy features, capturing the look and spirit of a haunted but determined man who must do the right thing despite the odds stacked against him.

Admittedly, THE HUNTER isn't for all tastes: it's slow indeed, and the essential narrative has a few plot holes and unbelievable bits here and there. But I loved it to bits. The atmosphere building is spot on, and rural Tasmania is brought to life in a wonderful way. The likes of Sam Neill and Dan Wyllie may play stereotypes, but they're entertaining ones, and Frances O'Connor is excellent as a damaged character.

Much of the running time consists of Dafoe stalking through a deserted landscape, and these scenes are exquisitely beautiful with some of the best cinematography I've seen in an Australian movie. The ending is inevitable but tragic nonetheless. A fantastic film overall.