johnny-08 Review of The Hunting Party

The Hunting Party (2007)

Perhaps if the International Community opened a summerstock theatre...

[7/10 · 18 November 2008]

After solid 'The Matador'(brilliant Brosnan), Richard Shepard decided to direct a movie that is about catching war criminal in Bosnia. I must say that this is a very brave project and I salute Mr.Shepard on demanding to shoot the entire movie on places were its plot happens (alright there is no Serbia but it's clear why) and not in Czech Republic (it would be much much cheaper). What is great about this one is obvious critic to USA (advertise in papers and phone number that you can call but only from America...), UN (they're actually not doing anything;great scene when our main characters talk with Indian guy with donuts), NATO, EU, The Hague, secret services and everyone who are pretending that they're catching war criminals. Three journalists found out where is 'The Fox'(actually character of Radovan Karadjic who is caught few months ago) hiding and all secret services couldn't do that in 5 years (they obviously didn't want to). What I also liked is the end when Simon, Duck and Benjamin surrender 'The Fox' to people of town he bombarded and destroyed. In real life those people were hunted, killed and raped and no one couldn't do anything about it, nor great America, United Nations, no one. That is greatly described in movies like "No Man's Land" but "The Hunting Party" is American movie so I'm a bit surprised by the level of truth there is in this movie. Because of that I'm willing to pass over some minuses like thin script or very fast ending. Also the direction of Shepard is very good just like the acting. Gere & Howard are great together and those humor parts aren't faked so there is chemistry between them. I must say that Terrence Howard is better then Richard Gere in here but Gere always gets away on a charming card. 5 minutes of Diane Kruger as Mirjana are great just like the role of my country-men Ljubomir Kerekes as 'The Fox'. So if you want to watch a movie that presents only the facts then you have to watch this movie and maybe learn something about the war on these areas. War is now behind us and I think that this crew enjoyed themselves on beautiful locations like Sarajevo, Zagreb or at the Adriatic sea.