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 THE
HUNTED (movie
site) DVD. Action. 94 minutes. Rated R, violence. Haunted by visions
of past experiences while fighting in Kosovo, former Special-Forces
assassin Adam Hallam (Benicio Del Toro) snaps and goes on a killing spree.
Knowing they are up against more than just a run-of-the-mill serial
killer, the authorities bring in the only man they know who can track Adam
down; L.T. Bonham (Tommy Lee Jones). The man who taught Adam everything he
knows.
I cannot remember the last time I saw such violence in a mainstream
movie like this. Hip-Hip Hurray! True, the plot will not give you a brain
cramp with tricky twists or hidden agendas, but be prepared to wince a few
times at the bloody violence. The climatic fight between Jones and Del
Toro rates up there with a few of my all time favorite movie fights (the
John Wayne/Victor McLaglen brawl in The Quiet Man and the never ending
fisticuffs battle in They Live, courtesy Roddy Piper and Keith David). The
fight doesn’t earn its merit due to longevity, but for how Director
William Friedkin shot the scene-barely no soundtrack, just the grunts and
groans of two men brutally trying to kill each other backed with the
lovely sounds and sights of rushing water flowing down a waterfall. The
violence does keep the movie running at a nice tempo, but the shots of
Tommy Lee Jones constantly and quickly turning his head (as if he suddenly
heard something) while tracking Del Toro did get boring, albeit amusing,
after the first three hundred times. Jones does a nice job of portraying
Bonham as a social misfit when around people, while remaining “mean”
and intense when hunting and fighting Del Toro’s character. Benicio Del
Toro is Benicio Del Toro, you can take him or leave as far as I’m
concerned. DVD extras include director’s commentary, four documentaries
on the making of The Hunted, deleted scenes (which deserved to be
deleted), and trailers. Men, this isn’t a date movie...unless you’re
dating another man, I suppose…or dating a female who likes manly
fighting. Refreshing, in a violent hand to hand combat sort of way. –
Denis Sheehan
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