<Review by: Sailesh Ghelani>

Directed by Donovan Marsh. Starring Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common, Michael Nyqvist, Linda Cardellini, Toby Stephens, Ryan McPartlin, Corey Johnson

Running time: 2 hours

I don’t know what the crap the critics are cribbing about, but Hunter Killer is a fun, thrill ride above and below the water.

While Gerard Butler hasn’t been doing the greatest films recently he’s always been a dependable, mid-level action hero with the grace and gravitas to deliver. In Hunter Killer, we see him as Captain Joe Glass, a submarine commander who doesn’t always play by the rules. Which is why he’s sent in to Russian territory to recover a sunken US sub and investigate whether it fired on a Russian sub, which could possibly lead to a world war.

Reminded me of other sub films like The Hunt for Red October and Crimson Tide; both very gripping movies. I guess it comes with the territory of being stuck on a vehicular bomb deep under water trying to sort out a mystery. In Hunter Killer the mystery leads to clues of some sinister plot to take over Russia and cause the next big war. An elite combat team are sent in on land, along with Capt. Glass’s sub, which recovers the Captain of the downed Russian sub, who must now assist the US team to save the day. Very adrenalin pumping stuff this.

There’s nothing particularly new about the plot. But the execution is pretty cool and hits all the right marks in terms of being nail-biting and thrilling. I watched Halloween just before this, and that film left me cold and bored. Hunter Killer had more thrills in it, which woke me up from the stupidity of Halloween.

You go for movies like this to be part of the action. You’re right there with them, and if you’re claustrophobic then you’re going feel their tensions and fears. You’ll rejoice when the ‘bad guys’ help out the good guys. You’ll see that this is a feel good film, which is what we need in today’s times where evil seems to be riding roughshod over everything we hold dear.

Hunter Killer is a super thrill ride with plenty of action and fist-pumping highs to enliven your day. Go watch it!