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List Price: $14.95 | | Label: The Weinstein Company
Salesrank: 13437
Released: January 22, 2008 |
| Our Price: $3.04 |
| Used Price: $1.52 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Inspired by true events, The Hunting Party stars Richard Gere and Terrence Howard as vacationing journalists who try to track down a missing war criminal in one of Eastern Europe’s deadliest regions. What begins as an impulsive reporting adventure immediately turns dangerous, as hostile locals, shady underworld figures and a case of mistaken identity puts them squarely in their target’s crosshairs. Amid the bullets and bombs, they discover that getting the scoop is one thing – getting out alive is something else entirely.
Description of The Hunting Party:
In the tradition of The Three Kings, The Hunting Party takes a satiric look at post-war opportunists. In this case, washed-up foreign correspondent Simon (Richard Gere, last seen in The Hoax) teams up with hotshot cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard, fresh off The Brave One), and rookie reporter Benjamin (Jesse Eisenberg, The Squid and the Whale) to catch a war criminal. Like an all-male A Star Is Born, Hunt and Duck enjoyed a successful partnership before the horrors of Bosnia reduced the former to self-parody (he suffered a breakdown). By chance, they meet up again in Sarajevo five years later. This time, Duck is joined by Benjamin, a recent Harvard grad eager for action. Hunt convinces them to help him track down "The Fox" (Ljubomir Kerekes), so named for his love of small-game hunting. It isn't just the thrill of the chase that fuels their mission... but the $5 million bounty. Naturally, things go terribly awry. Based on the Esquire article "What I Did on My Summer Vacation," The Hunting Party was written and directed by The Matador's Richard Shepard. As he makes clear in the opening title, the parts that seem the most preposterous hue closest to the facts. At the end, another title sequence clarifies the distinction (Diane Kruger's informant, for instance, was actually a man). If the film is rarely as funny as intended, it's worth a look for the charismatic turns by Howard and Gere. Eisenberg and James Brolin, as an acerbic anchorman, provide quick-witted support. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
The Hunting Party Reviews:
the names changed to protect the guilty 
2009-07-04 - The point of this being that if you have money and power you can slide...
There is this famous terrorist that is still loose.
Richard Gere plays a good burnt out international TV journalist
who leads an expedition to interview/capture a Serbian war criminal.
Several of these fellows are still loose.
War reporting is the most dangerous (and maybe exciting) job
in journalism. What they seem to have uncovered besides the war criminal is "deals" made with the people in power to protect the guilty.
I liked the movie: it seemed honest.
CHEAP PROPAGANDA 
2009-06-06 - The Hunting Party seems to be the latest Serb-bashing film to come out of Hollywood. A Croatian-American production, it is drenched in bias from start to finish. The film attempts to portray the efforts of three stooge-like journalists who decide to capture Bosnian Serb Dr. Radoslav Bogdanovic, a.k.a. the "Fox", (a fictitious character drawn up to resemble a cross between Bosnian Serb leaders Dr. Radovan Karadjic and General Radko Mladic). The film starts off poorly from the beginning and continues its downfall all the way to the very bottom.
Specifically:
1) It is the same old/usual clichés involving one of Hollywood's favorite villains/scapegoats: the Serbs (surprisingly there were no Russians or Germans in this one...). Can we not find something more original than the USUAL crazy/deranged/dangerous Russian "boogieman" (or the USUAL German/Nazi "bad guy" cliché for that matter), together with the leading to the USUAL need to be rescued by the benevolent Anglo-Americans? Is that too much to ask?
2) Bad choice of actors. The much aged Richard Gere does not live up to expectations in his role as Simon Hunt. Moreover, the choices of Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg for Duck and Benjamin respectively were poor at best with disheartening performances that fail to convince.
3) The film justifies the unjustifiable: vigilantism and revenge. Instead of helping heal the wounds from the Balkan conflicts, it is instead inflammatory fueling hatred and condoning revanchism.
4) Weak car chases and poor action scenes serve more to annoy than to entertain.
5) The not-so-hidden and rather dangerous political and "moral" (or lack of...) messages included in the film, plot/storyline for which the writers are to blame.
There is a term used in such situations and it's called... propaganda!
On the other hand:
1) The film does a fairly good job of getting the message across, as it should do, in making people aware of the evils of war and the fact that the international community is often slow to act.
2) It is indicative of the deal that Richard Holbrooke made with Dr. Radovan Karadjic in promising immunity in exchange for the Bosnian Serb leader stepping down, which the former is now vehemently (though unconvincingly) denies.
In short, the film is racist and offensive, insulting and divisive, and shame on Richard Gere for stooping so low as to accept a role in this badly scripted film.
In conclusion, The Hunting Party follows a line of other Serb-bashing films, such as Behind Enemy Lines (Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman), Icon (Patrick Swayze), Peacemaker (George Clooney), and Welcome to Sarajevo (Woody Harrelson).
A shame really...
I laughed throughout the movie... didn't realize it was a dark comedy!
2009-05-29 - The plot, though crazy, is entirely believable. It is not too out there to imagine a couple guys cook up a crazy scheme to catch a war criminal, not only to make their mark as journalists (or just to have a really GOOD story to tell), but because they can. It is the territory of lawlessness and corruption, of payoffs and favors. The satire and the depth of the roles played by Richard Gere and Terence Howard was expertly handled with nuance and credibility. I kept giggling throughout... there were some really funny moments but I kept wondering if I was laughing inappropriately. I hadn't heard a thing about this movie - I guess it didn't receive the attention it truly deserved - so I had no preconceived notions or expectations. I felt like I was transported into the story, which it has to be pretty intriguing for me to get that interested. I was hooked on its soundtrack as well. I looked to see if the soundtrack is available through Amazon, but no such luck. This movie I would see again and that's not a typical remark.
Problem not to be solved 
2009-02-17 - This is more than an entertaining film, but an allegory of our times. The point being if the problem were solved, our so called leaders would have nothing left to do. If they caught Osama, who could they spend millions more dollars to chase. If African-Americans were self sufficient, Jesse Jackson would need to look for a job! Highly recommended!
Good film but not the best 
2008-11-16 - The movie is OK but is not the best by Richard Gere. Its full of action but there is something lacking that I can't put my finger on.
