I for one am a fan of Melissa George, her role in alias as a world class super b--- was impeccable, but it wasn't till I saw A Lonely Place to Die that I became a huge fan, as the movie explodes into graphic violence and tension her performance and looks suck you in.
Hunted is another grand example of taking advantage of her extraordinary screen presence.
As a spy thriller, its originality is mute, its not bad, not at all, but not all that special... but just as a thriller in general its wonderful. The picture quality is grand, and while it may make a few to many cuts, the whole picture put together is spellbinding.
It's plot and characters seem fully developed, just waiting to unfold and each seems psychologically sound to what they are, they don't just make things happen for the characters, it seems like the characters will react as if they should in that situation.
The show keeps tension well, Melissa's uncanny ability to suck you in (not unlike Jodie foster with her eyes) keeps you involved, and when the show bursts into its graphic and brutal violence, its all the better. The handful of action scenes by far outmatch those in the Bourne flicks and the adult plot is refreshing from the childish hollywoodised crap that those movies descended to.
I highly recommend this, just simply if anything for its balance between its violence, plot, and characters, not suffering one for any other like so many shows now days do.
If a show can do all three and do them well, than sacrificing one or both others do do one thing VERY well, well, thats just not good enough, let things happen as they do.
The only issues I have are a sh-- title sequence (very English, not in a good way, makes it seem far more cheeseball than it in no way is), and some spastic cuts on the violence, the camera work isn't shaky, in fact most of it is good, but the some (and i do mean only SOME) of the cuts don't fit together.
