Hunter Killer (2018)

__So much potential, but still a disappointment__

If you have nothing else to do and need to fill some time, this is an okay respite. But, don't expect anything more than a *standard military action movie* with cliched dialogue, unreasonable scenarios, and mediocre acting.

This movie could have been decent, if the producers and script-writers had only spent some time researching facts about how the military and special forces work IRL. Instead, they decided to throw reality to the wind and use fantasy & make-believe to create contrived conveniences to support a predictable storyline. I don't mind when a movie asks me to suspend belief a little. But, this one asks us to leave all rational thinking at the door.

It's __just__ interesting enough that you'll stay with it, mostly because you think it might get better. __Sadly, it doesn't__.

So a megalomanic Russian admiral "Durov" (Michael Gor) concocts a plan to start a nuclear war with the Americans by kidnapping his own president "Zakarin" (Alexander Diachenko). His best laid plans had not, however, factored in the cunning of "Capt. Glass" (Gerard Butler) who commands the "USS Arkansas" and who begins to suspect that the clues he is being left are red herrings. When he discovers that a recent maritime disaster might not have been caused the way he is being told, he initiates a daring rescue mission and soon jeopardy is the name of the game... It's not a bad action adventure story, this - but the acting is pretty diabolical. Butler really struggles to sustain whatever accent he is trying to deliver and Gary Oldman is just completely mis-cast as his Joint Chief boss "Donnegan" whose character would hardly have been left in charge of a lawnmower, much less the military might of the United States. Therein lies the problem here - nothing of it pans out in anything like a plausible or menacing fashion. Had it been made seventy years earlier, it could have been brushed off as a piece of post-war propaganda, or sixty years ago as a piece of cold war cinema - but in 2018 it all just comes across as poorly written and delivered nonsense. There are a few fun underwater special effects but they are usually drowned out (no pun intended) by an overly enthusiastic score. Might have looked better on paper, but ultimately it's just another weak outing for Butler that nobody - including him - is likely to ever remember.

Hunter Killer jumps straight into action with little time for character development, which can be a hit or miss depending on what you’re looking for. The plot is straightforward but packed with tension, keeping the pace tight throughout. While it doesn’t dive deep into its characters, there are small moments like the archery scene that try to add some depth. The directing keeps things engaging, and the cinematography does a solid job of capturing the intensity of underwater warfare, though some CGI moments are not perfect.

The acting is commendable, with Gerard Butler delivering a dependable performance, but nothing groundbreaking. The script holds the movie together, balancing the tactical aspects with the action-heavy sequences. The sound design and score work well to enhance the tension, adding to the overall thrill. It is not a film that reinvents the genre, but it knows what it is. An action-packed military thriller that delivers on suspense and spectacle. If you are in the mood for something that keeps the adrenaline going without overcomplicating things, Hunter Killer does the job.