The Hunting Party

Based on an Esquire article that detailed the true story of a group of journalists who set out to catch one of the most wanted war criminals of the Bosnian war, The Hunting Party is an uneven, though entertaining, look at a post-war culture. Simon (Richard Gere) is a rebellious war correspondent who’s down on his luck after an on air meltdown due to the stress of witnessing the aftermath of a genocidal massacre. When Simon learns where the Fox (Ljubomir Kerekes), the most wanted man in the country, is hiding out, he enlists the help of his friend and cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard), and a young cable news producer (Jesse Eisenberg), and sets off to locate, interview and capture one of the most dangerous men in Eastern Europe. The Hunting Party, at times, seems to be in conflict with itself, unsure of whether it wants to be a darkly comic war film or a serious examination of a post-war country. Visually, the film can be a little strange, with a crisp digital look that takes a little getting used to. The movie was shot on location in Sarajevo, which gives the film a unique setting that helps contrast some of the script’s misplaced humour. The DVD extras are well done, including a lengthy interview with the journalists the film is based on discussing the actual events, the original Esquire article that inspired the film, as well as a typical "making of,” deleted scenes and commentary. The Hunting Party takes many liberties with the real life story however, including a fully fictional ending designed to satisfy our desire for revenge, but writer/director Richard Shepard (The Matador) creates an entertaining film that has enough redeeming qualities to overshadow the awkward moments.