The Hunter (IV) (2011)

Martin, a mercenary, is sent from Europe by a mysterious biotech company to the Tasmanian wilderness on a hunt for the last Tasmanian tiger.

Director:

Daniel Nettheim

Writers:

Julia Leigh (novel), Wain Fimeri (original adaptation),

Stars:

Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Morgana Davies

5 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Willem Dafoe	...	Martin
Frances O'Connor	...	Lucy
Sam Neill	...	Jack
Morgana Davies	...	Sass
Finn Woodlock	...	Bike
Jacek Koman	...	Middleman
Callan Mulvey	...	Rival Hunter
John Brumpton	...	Publican
Dan Wyllie	...	Pool Player
Sullivan Stapleton	...	Doug
Jamie Timony	...	Free
Dan Spielman	...	Simon
Maia Thomas	...	Shakti
Marc Watson-Paul	...	Jarrah

Storyline

The independent and lonely hunter Martin David is hired by the powerful biotech company Red Leaf to hunt down the last Tasmanian tiger. Red Leaf is interested in the DNA of the animal and Martin travels to Tasmania alone. He poses as a researcher from a university and lodges in the house of Lucy Armstrong. Martin learns that Lucy's husband has been missing for a long time and he befriends her children, Sass and Bike. When Martin goes to the village, he has a hostile reception from the locals. Along the days, Martin spends his days in the Tasmanian wilderness chasing the Tiger and becomes closer and closer to the Armstrong family. But Red Leaf wants results no matter the costs.

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Plot Keywords:

wilderness | tasmanian tiger | mercenary | crying man | little boy | 

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Taglines:

Some Mysteries Should Never Be Solved

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and brief violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 2011 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Az orvvadász

Filming Locations:

Central Plateau, Tasmania, Australia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$19,032 (USA) (6 April 2012)

Gross:

$176,432 (USA) (8 June 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Porchlight Films, Screen Australia, Screen NSW

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Picked up for 2012 distribution in the United States by Magnolia Pictures after the film's world premiere at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival.

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Goofs

As Martin is driving towards Jarrah's house there is a GPS located on the dashboard in front of him. When he turns on the road towards the house, the GPS is now located on the left side of the dashboard location were it was before.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Martin David: Who's he?

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Soundtracks

"Song to the Moon"
from "Ruselka"
Written by Antonín Dvorák
Performed by Yvonne Kenny and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

User Reviews

Spectacular landscape in a mercenary-redemption thriller

It's hard to tell which is more craggy and characterful - the Tasmanian outback of Willem Dafoe's face. The parallel is clear. Just as the man

• a mercenary called Martin David - goes in search of a rare, precious

animal in the extraordinary landscape, so he also finds his charting his own soul and its shortcomings.

One of the devices for this is the classical music that he listens to on his iPod. He seems detached from it, as if he needs to play it to remind him of something but he cannot think what. Only the accidental attachment of a family can make the connection for him.

Frances O'Connor as the mother and Morgana Davies as her daughter are at least as good as Dafoe in this picture. Sam Neill also has a role as a morally vacillating local. I found the idea and the storytelling strong. However, there is a slight sense of an intellectual remove, of the company and director well aware of their work and perhaps trying to hard to convey it rather than inhabit it. Still a really good solid film. 7/10