Five years after the war in Bosnia ends, disgraced reporter Simon Hunt (Richard Gere) reunites with old cameraman Duckie (Terrence Howard) for a story that will get him back on top: capturing the Fox, a legendary war criminal still at large. They are joined by eager new kid Benji (Jesse Eisenberg). Their adventure will become urban legend, involving espionage, old-fashioned teamwork, and nearly being killed.

CRITIQUE

The genre of war films has great stories, mostly divided into two types. The first is the kind that focus on one person, their story and their personal heroism. The other is the epic kind, one in which we meet many characters and the scope of war is what the filmmakers want to show. The Hunting Party is neither of those. The journalism element turns it into more of a thriller. The acting, direction, and especially story of The Hunting Party turn it into one of the most engaging, entertaining films of the year.

Once you finish watching this film, the thing the viewer remembers most is the overall tone. I can’t think of any other film in recent memory that has so poignantly shown us the horror of war violence but has also left you with some humorous moments as well. The comedy, though, is of the dark variety, almost gallows humor, which is perfectly fitting with the idea of journalists being able to find a notorious war criminal in two days and be mistaken for a CIA hit squad along the way.

Another major element of the tone here is that the American government doesn’t come out looking so well, something that truly makes the political aspect of the film impact the viewer. The foul-mouthed congeniality that journalists use to interact with each other is represented more than adequately as well. Most of all, though, the moments that the audience will have branded on their memory will be the harrowing moment when it is revealed why Simon broke down on air, the very cool moment Benji plays tough with a contact, and the ultimate fate that Shepard chose to give the Fox (which is a moment most will stand up and cheer for.)

Given that he did write the script as well as direct, this tone can be attributed not only to Shepard’s words but his use of visuals too. The opening credit sequence, for one, is immediately engaging. He also makes nice use of freeze frames, voice-over, and editing throughout the film. The use of authentic locations and the music is also effective. Add to this that Gere, Howard, and Eisenberg give such strong performances and the film is obviously successful. The Hunting Party is exciting and unique, with strong direction and performances.

THE VIDEO

The widescreen format is perfect for this film, as most people will be watching this for the first time at home. The preservation of the picture and color is such that it will feel most like theatrical viewing.

THE AUDIO

The Dolby 5.1 for the English track is excellent, as usual, which is beneficial to a film with sound like this. There are no other language tracks but there are Spanish and English subtitles offered.

THE EXTRAS

Audio Commentary by Director Shepard: This is a good solo track. Shepard talks a lot about the things that go into creating the visuals. I particularly like the bit about the Enjoy Sarajevo sign. He points out what little bit of CGI is used and what is a dolly shot, for example. It’s also cool to learn that Gere did a bit of stunt driving while claiming to be almost blind without glasses. There is interesting info here, so give it a listen.

Deleted Scenes: Six scenes are included here, along with optional commentary from Shepard for each. These are good scenes overall, except for one that feels like it should have been on a gag reel, and I wish that especially the one with the nice line about “poverty and ghosts” could have been included. The commentary is a nice touch too, though mostly Shepard just says that the cuts were made to tighten the film’s pace.

The Real Hunting Party: Director Shepard sits down with two of the five journalists who actually lived the events the film is based on in this excellent, long interview. There is good, funny camaraderie between these guys as they recount what happened to them. This is always interesting and the best part is at the end when they relate how this could connect to today’s political environment.

Making The Hunting Party: This is the usual making-of doc, and it’s an okay length and filled with good interviews. Mostly the director and cast discuss the political implications of the film. Shepard also talks about wanting, as director, to really shoot in the Eastern European locations of the story and using local actors for the smaller roles. This is good but I wish there were more. The best part is that he scene where Duck meets his old comrades includes the actual reporters the events happened to.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation: The original Esquire article that the film is based on is included in its entirety here and it is a fascinating read. Anderson is a wonderful writer and the film matches up surprisingly well. Definitely take some time to read this.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Hunting Party is a unique film, one with acting, direction and production values used well and in service of a thrilling story. Audiences will be thoroughly entertained. The extra features are excellent on this disc as well. All adults will find that at least renting this film will not be a waste of time and many will probably want to buy.