HUNTER KILLER – Rated R – 2 hrs. 1 min.
DIRECTOR: Donovan Marsh
WRITERS: Arne Schmidt, Jamie Moss
Based on the Novel “FIRING POINT” by George Wallace and Don Keith
STARRING: Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common, Michael Nyqvist, Alexander Diachenko and Linda Cardellini
When a Rogue Russian General kidnaps the Russian President (Alexander Diachenko), Commander RA John Fisk (Common)puts new Captain Joe Glass (Gerard Butler) in place to command the closest submarine, and to work with our Navy Seals too, to rescue the President, and Russian Captain Andropov (Michael Nuqvist) as well, …much to the dismay of Fisk’s commanding officer, CJCS Charles Donnegan (Gary Oldman) …
I give HUNTER KILLER a rating of WAIT AND CATCH THIS FILM ON DVD OR NETFLIX: Wow, it pains me to rate this film this way, but I have too. Between the slow and less-than-intense drama, to the subpar CGI and poorly written screenplay, I can’t with a clear conscience tell you to head to the theater to catch this one. It also pains me to give this rating to a film starring 2017 Oscar Winner Gary Oldman, as I adore him, and was totally behind him receiving the Oscar for Best Leading Actor for his incredible performance as Winston Churchill in DARKEST HOUR. But, but taking on this role, as his next role, was an extreme miscalculation. This film is definitely not worthy of his acting prowess at all. I also love Gerard Butler, and Common too, and their roles throughout were also so poorly written, that the characters they played never fully achieved the depth or dimension they should have either. I also needed more depth, interaction and development between our US Navy, and the Russians, as I’m sure that it takes a lot more than a “suggestion here or there” to convince the Russians to fall in line, and take our help…even when we are trying to save their lives. But, I must share too, that towards the end of the film, the action does pick up enough to keep your attention, and I did enjoy the premise of us aiding the Russians in an attempt to stop a potential World War III, but those are the only two positives that I came away with after viewing HUNTER KILLER on the big screen…
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 