[usr 4]
An untested American submarine captain teams with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been kidnapped by a rogue general.
In the tradition of “The Hunt for Red October,” “Under Siege,” “Air Force One,” and “U-571” – among others – comes “Hunter Killer,” starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman. This is a cold war tale for the current era that explores possibilities for both chaos and cooperation in trying times.
Gerard Butler plays Captain Joe Glass, a roguish fellow who did not graduate from Annapolis. Rather, he worked his way up through the ranks doing most of the other jobs onboard the submarine. Although the story boasts plenty of action, this is not a simplistic shoot-‘em-up. In fact, the film’s surprises most often come from its restraint, particularly on the part of Butler’s character – starting with his first metaphoric scene. There, Glass opts not to take a near-certain bow-and-arrow kill on a large buck after he notices its family in tow.
Glass is summoned to the USS Arkansas to investigate the disappearance of a U.S. submarine in the Arctic. Meanwhile, suspicious activity at the Polyarny base in Murmansk prompts naval planners to dispatch a SEAL to undertake reconnaissance. These disparate storylines come together when Russian President Zakarin, played by Alexander Diachenko, finds himself subdued by Admiral Dmitri Durov, his renegade defense minister. Durov holds Diachenko incommunicado in a scheme to start World War III, reminiscent of “The Sum of All Fears.”
Gary Oldman plays the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who tediously counsels Madame President Dover, played by Caroline Goodall – who looks like someone who might have been president had Wisconsin voted differently. Oldman’s character is a disappointment given his substantial range. Mostly he is reduced to shouting worthless platitudes at anyone that happens to be in earshot.
Toby Stephens, who has come a long way since his role as the chief antagonist in “Die Another Day,” adds verve as Navy SEAL team leader Bill Beaman. In “Hunter Killer” he is tough, engaging, credible, and eventually, even likable.
Following a fine performance in “The Hate U Give,” Common plays two-star Rear Admiral John Fisk, who acts as a counterweight to Oldman’s bombastic presence. Common’s interaction with Linda Cardellini as NSA liaison Jayne Norquist adds a welcome flavor of interagency cooperation to the mix.
Michael Nyqvist is Russian submarine Captain Andropov who survived a mysterious attack on his boat in the film’s early sequences. Captains Andropov and Glass remain understandably wary at first, as they size each other up. It is a pleasure to watch Butler and Nyqvist slowly develop trust – despite the adversarial nature of their positions – as they navigate the prospect of full-blown conflagration between the U.S. and Russia.
Based on the novel ‘Firing Point’ by George Wallace and Don Keith, there are more than a few resemblances to “The Hunt for Red October.” Yet, the ambitions of the storyline are larger than Clancy’s inaugural work, if not always successful. Directed by Donovan Marsh, “Hunter Killer” is nonetheless an engaging narrative that explores nationalism and parochialism as two sides of the same coin. Although elements of the plot strain credulity, the tale offers fans of submarine movies enough to satisfy.
In theaters Friday, October 26th
