Le Chasseur

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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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."

This Adventure/Drama movie stars one of my favorite actors, Willem Dafoe. Dafoe has played a variety of roles over the years, with one of my favorites being Paul Smecker in The Boondock Saints (2000). Now this part as the hunter, Martin David, is also one of my favorites. He is a mercenary sent to hunt down what is believed to be the last remaining of a long thought extinct species Tasmanian Tiger.

During his hunt, he stays with a family in a remote area where the Tiger has supposedly been sited. The two kids there are brilliantly played by kid actors I've never seen before. The drugged out mom, grieving for a long missing husband, who the kids still think is coming home, is played by another actress I've only seen once, in The Windtalkers (2002). She handles the role well, only hinting at attraction for the mysterious hunter masquerading as a scientist.

Sam Neill plays a local guide who seems a little too interested in the status quo. Neill is perfect for this role and handles it astutely.

As they story unfolds, the main characters all become interesting, and are mostly sympathetic if not down right liked. The interplay of the supposedly aloof mercenary, the family he begins to form attachments with, and the usual crowd of locals who only complicate matters, makes for a very appealing story. Things get a lot more tense when Dafoe's employers become impatient with his apparent lack of progress.

Adding to the mood is some very cleverly chosen Springsteen music, along with some classical pieces; classical seems to be common in Dafoe movies.

If you like a film with some heart and nothing blowing up every few minutes, this is definitely a good movie to watch, one that I will probably see again sometime.

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.