The Hunted

Release Date: March 14, 2003
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: William Friedkin
Screenwriter: David Griffiths, Peter Griffiths, Art Monterastelli
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Benicio Del Toro, Connie Nielsen, Jenna Boyd, Leslie Stefanson
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R (for strong bloody violence and some language)
Official Website: Huntedmovie.com

Plot Summary: Tommy Lee Jones plays a federal agent conducting a manhunt. Jones is a FBI tracker who captured a serial killer who hunted down deer hunters. However, when the assassin escapes into a city, Jones must hunt him down again before he himself becomes the hunted.

Review By: Mike Thompson
- Better than a cheese royale: buy one while its hot

Academy Award® winners Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro awe us once again with the amazing and somewhat unique action movie, The Hunted..

William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) has shown us some astonishing stuff, but brings us a bit of a cliched idea in this action movie. Aaron Hallam (Del Toro) is a very highly trained killer that can disappear at any moment and kill anybody anywhere. But he has escaped from the military because of terrible visions of a mission that he fulfilled in Kosovo.

When Hallam starts killing any one who comes near him, the local and national authority have to locate the one man who even has a chance against this man. That man is L.T. Bonham (Jones), the man who trained him.

The film brings the normal concept of good guy versus bad guy. But Friedkin throws something very unique and different into the mix; there are almost no guns at all in the movie. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed and brilliantly executed... with knives. It’s stunning how realistic the knife fights are done and how fast you get caught up in the duels.

As Hallem and L.T. play a deadly game of tag, you can’t help but find yourself on the edge of your seat just wanting more. I have to say that uses the same formula for most action movies, so it’s a bit repetitive in that, but that’s the only downfall. Friedkin brought something that I’ve never seen before with the knives and as a result, it made me an even bigger fan. Recommended for anyone looking for good, original action.