Review of The Hunter

Steve McQueen plays real-life bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson in this disappointedly routine action film, which would sadly be his final film. "The Hunter" is a mostly episodic story, with McQueen tasked with hunting down different cons who've jumped bail, which leads to fist fights, car chases, and one particularly enjoyable chase atop a commuter train. There's also a quaint scene where he uses an early incarnation of a taser. Journeyman director Buzz Kulik ("Villa Rides," "Sergeant Ryker," "Brian's Song") delivers adequate action sequences, but lacks the style of Sam Peckinpah's "The Getaway" or Peter Yates' "Bullitt." A stronger director could have elevated this material, but there's no denying that McQueen is one of the coolest actors of all-time and does turn this completely average material into something much more compelling than it deserved. With a lesser actor playing Papa Thorson, "The Hunter" would have long been forgotten, but McQueen makes this film something worth watching. Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson, and Tracey Walter also appear in the film. RELATED RECOMMENDATION: If you want a higher quality movie about modern day bounty hunters, watch Robert DeNiro in "Midnight Run" instead.