Plot leaves you hunting for a reality check

The Hunted l Rated R

I never really expect action/thriller movies to be true to life -- but I prefer that at least a few of the film's basic ideas be real. "The Hunted" is so far from reality that it disconnects you from the entire film. And that starts in the first five minutes.

Aaron Hallam (Benicio Del Toro) is a trained war assassin who was awarded a Silver Star for assassinating an evil Serbian leader. After the war, Aaron can't get rid of his nightmarish memories or turn off his drive to kill. The remains of his brutal murders are found in a forest, attracting the attention of the FBI. L.T. Bonham (Tommy Lee Jones), who trained Aaron to kill, is brought in to help. Chase scene after chase scene ensues (with a few fights thrown in) as L.T. tails Aaron, the FBI following closely behind.

This is a typical plot -- master vs. student -- but it's far less enthralling than anything you'll ever see in "Star Wars." The first five minutes involves one of many horrible scenes in the movie, a stereotypical war scene. It's the good against the bad, where both sides are clearly defined. There's none of the chaos that we all have learned about war. And not only is the war depicted in "The Hunted" a twisted version of reality, but the producer found it absolutely necessary to put in ample amounts of tasteless, useless gore. True, war does have blood and guts, but the gore of "The Hunted" seems to be aimed at pure shock effect. Amid the blood, the writers try to create tear-jerking scenes that just left me wondering if I was supposed to laugh.

The casting also bothered me. There's no doubt that Jones can handle the thrill and action of a movie of this caliber, but Del Toro seems to be too involved in developing his new fighting techniques. Del Toro's portrayal of Aaron seems to be torn between a violent, fearless murderer and a wimpy "girly-man" sulking over his past.

But really, the responsibility for this dismal film is the writers, who mangled "The Hunted" from the beginning. In an attempt to add depth to the action film, the lines are unrealistic and cheesy. No matter how well the actors deliver them, the fact remains that "The Hunted" is a poor script.

Don't let the fast-paced previews fool you. "The Hunted," with its seemingly fascinating plot and cast, is destined to let you down.

Grade: D

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