The Hunter

I would have loved to have been there when the pitch for The Hunter was made to various film studios: “OK, so it’s about a mercenary killer from Europe who is hired by a biotech company to go undercover in Australia and hunt for the legendary last Tasmanian tiger in existence”. At first reading it sounds like something from one of those modern B-movies you see advertised at Cannes each year. It’s also the plot behind Julia Leigh’s respected (if bleak) novel of the same name from 1999. Leigh herself is not involved in the film in any way, though the script doesn’t veer too far away from her original writings. To expand on the plot outline above, the hired hand in question is Martin David (Willem Dafoe), who on arrival in Tasmania attempts to blend in with the locals by passing himself off as a researcher from a university. He ends up lodging with Lucy Armstrong (Frances O’Connor) and her young children. However, the community doesn’t take kindly to his presence and with the clandestine biotech organisation wanting results at all costs, David’s task suddenly begins to take on a more dangerous slant. Filmed entirely on location in Tasmania, director Daniel Nettheim takes full advantage of the local scenery with some fantastic shots combining both the beautiful and bleakest views that the island state has to offer. Dafoe gives one of his best performances for ages with his facial expressions telling us all we need to know in the many scenes where Nettheim smartly forgoes a soundtrack. Sam Neill (as a local guide) is also great, teasing the audience throughout as to whether he’s David’s friend or foe. On the negative side, Nettheim’s direction can’t escape his TV background and the narrative regarding a local community taking issue with an outsider has been seen a million times before. I don’t know if there’s a sub-genre of “Eco-thrillers” (The Constant Gardener, perhaps?) in film, but this would fit nicely in there. Though that description might put some off, what makes the film work is that you can watch it on various levels. On the human front, there’s David’s relationship with Lucy and her young children, the thriller edge comes in the form of David’s mission and the shadowy figures that appear to be following his progress and, finally, we have a mystery element as to whether the Tasmanian tiger is still out there and if David will find it or not (in reality it’s been classified as extinct for a long time, though there are, of course, still unsubstantiated sightings). I suppose the best thing I can say about this is that I actually saw it over three months ago and, thinking back to it now, I wouldn’t mind seeing it again as there’s more than meets the eye here when it comes to the subplots and it has a climax that will put you through the emotional wringer when David has to decide if taking one (innocent) life can be justified if it means saving many others. It’s a conclusion which is crushingly poignant and one of the most memorable scenes of the year.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Possibly too slow-burning for some, but this provides food for thought on a number of different levels. Rating: 7/10.