O Caçador

After seeing this film listed on a couple "Top Films of the Year," highlighted especially for the magnificent cinematography, and feeling in the mood for a brumal, wintry film, I decided to check it out. I was expecting a visually pleasing film with perhaps a mediocre plot; this expectation reinforced by the fact that I've never been overly impressed by Willem Dafoe (though I always saw more potential than his projects tend to drawl out). Well, sometimes your expectations are completely shattered.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this film has not received much more praise than it has. Is it visually stunning? Absolutely. The epic scenes of the Tasmanian wilderness, the almost visceral portrayal of encroaching winter, and the sounds that accompany all of this (elevated even higher by the beautiful, soaring musical score by Matteo Zingales), more than met the high expectations I came to this film with. But this all comes, not as the film's great strength, but as part of a package equally impressive nearly across the board.

The Hunter is easy to write off as a successful but simple story, and this would not be inaccurate. But, it is simple only insofar as there is a subtle but deep complexity woven throughout, and to a degree that is hard for any film to achieve. The themes that find a perfectly balanced pitch within this movie are as broad as modern life itself. It touches on environmental issues, family crisis, understated romance, political thriller, and a man's struggle with his own recalcitrant character. And it is all of this without being too much or too little of any of it.

The political relevance is what really amazed me, and I'm equally amazed at how little attention that gets in most reviews. The film is at its core, though almost without any of the typical obnoxious overstatement, a look at the length to which an avaristic corporation (one very much a part of the military-industrial-government complex) will go to get what it wants - the ways it will ruin lives that get in its way without a second thought. It's a military biotech company called Red Leaf in The Hunter, desperate to procure what may very will be the last living Tasmanian Tiger for ownership rights to its DNA. But you could replace Red Leaf with Monsanto or Haliburton or any number of the powerful corporations that have disproportionate influence over world affairs, and you would quickly see the relevance of this plot.

But this is no conspiracy theory film, either - and this is what makes it so wonderful. Red Leaf is there throughout the film, usually concealed subtly behind the backdrop of a much more personal story, but there are no over-exaggerated bad guys in this. Everyone involved in the unfolding story on the ground - our protagonist Martin (Willem Dafoe), his suspicious caretaker Jack Mindy (Sam Neill), the Armstrong family and their eco-warrior friends trying to protect the local wildlife, the loggers with whom they are fighting - is caught somewhere between good and evil. They are all in their own minds justified in what they do and stand for, and all are, to some varying degree, "caught in the middle" of complex world affairs.

There is also tragedy in this film on multiple levels. The driving mimetic object of desire in The Hunter is the elusive Tasmanian Tiger, long declared extinct, but around which rumors of sightings routinely surface, though are never verified. Martin's search for this creature at the behest of Red Leaf is a compelling story in itself, and by the time it reaches its conclusion, you are as invested as he. And then there is the family Martin is lodged with against his will. This is a story in itself, woven seamlessly into the larger tapestry of the movie, and it's through this element that we see Martin transformed from a rugged loner to increasingly affectionate and nuanced man. It's also through this element that we find the touching human spark and our comic relief, most often in the form of an outspoken but joyful little girl and a silent, complex little boy. And of course, there is the struggle of more abstract forces mentioned above: corporate greed, political interests, environmental degradation, economic necessity. All of these well developed elements of the film bring with them their own hopes and tragedies, and by the end, you're not quite sure which has moved you most. It's a broad vista that this film ultimately brings you to, and it is well worth the patient journey it takes you on to get there.

This has been a lengthy review (and I could easily double it's word count), but I want to be somewhat thorough on a film that has so far been much underrated and appreciated. It deserves drawing out all the ways in which it succeeds, for they are many. Please, give The Hunter a viewing. Let the subtle complexity reveal itself like fine red wine.

And to wrap this up: Bravo Dafoe!

The independent and lonely hunter Martin David (Willem Dafoe) is hired by the powerful biotech company Red Leaf to hunt down the last Tasmanian tiger. Red Leaf is interested in the DNA of the animal and Martin travels to Tasmania alone.

He poses of a researcher from a university and is lodged in the house of Lucy Armstrong (Frances O'Connor). Martin leans that Lucy's husband has been missing for a long time and he befriends her children, Sass (Morgana Davies) and Bike (Finn Woodlock).

When Martin goes to the village, he has a hostile reception from the locals. Along the days, Martin spends his days in the Tasmanian wilderness chasing the Tiger and becomes closer and closer to the Armstrong family. But Red Leaf wants results no matter the costs.

"The Hunter" is a beautiful and dramatic film with an unpredictable and sad plot. The Tasmania landscape is certainly the great attraction of film that is supported by a good story, two lovely children (Morgana Davies and Finn Woodlock) and the excellent Willem Dafoe. It is also great to see again Frances O'Connor, who had disappeared from the "big screen". My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): O Caçador" "The Hunter")

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."

Damn it's not often I come across an Aussie film that I would recommend to some one, but this is by far the best Aussie film I have seen in a long long time. I have lived in Australia for just on 30 years, and most films and TV series are lame, boring and very forgettable, but not this gem!

The scenery is breath taking, great cast, intriguing story line if you know all about the Tassie tiger, haunting music score makes this a must see film. Yes at most parts it is all about the tiger, but the director and good cast get's you really involved with all the characters and story line, it left me with chills at the end, and that's something I look for in a film but don't find that often, and damn I was not expecting it in an Aussie film.

9 out of 10 for me, and it's time for me to go back to Tasmania for a holiday, it's been way to long since last time I was there, and might even have a look around for that tiger.

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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