Tired of slow motion, wire work, long-drawn-out fight scenes? Me too. (Don't get me wrong- I liked the first few!)
The Hunted is a necessary break from the “unrealistic” with some really unique action choreography.
And don’t shelf this movie as a mindless action flick.
The Hunted isn't short of great action sequences, it just doesn’t rely on them. The film has excellent performances from Jones and Del Toro, and a creative story line that you haven't seen a lot of . . . except maybe
First Blood . (And do Stallone Films really count?)
I think the greatest part of this film is Jones' character which is based on the real life tracker/survival expert Thomas H. Brown Jr., who was also a technical advisor on the movie. This is a guy you would want with you on your next hike through Yellowstone. (Anthony Hopkins would have loved his companionship in
The Edge.) Make sure you watch the supplemental material on the DVD so you can meet the real guy!
Friedkin's filming style doesn't require you to check your brain at the door. Join his ride into the lives of characters that you don't get to see every day, but you'll probably be convinced are very real. (And if you watch the DVD extras, you'll find out . . . they are!)
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth
Ministry, is the author of numerous books including the new
Should I Just Smash My Kid's Phone?, and youth ministry books like
Ministry By Teenagers,
Connect: Real Relationships in a
World of Isolation, and the award winning book
Do They Run When They See You Coming? Jonathan
speaks and trains at conferences, churches and events across North
America, all while providing free resources for youth workers and parents on his
websites,
TheSource4YM.com and
TheSource4Parents.com. You can follow Jonathan on
his blog, getting a regular dose of youth culture and parenting help.
Jonathan and his wife Lori, and their three teenagers Alec, Alyssa and Ashley live
in California.
