HUNTER KILLER

US, 2018, 122 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common, Linda Cardelini, Michael Niqvist, Toby Stephens, Caroline Goodall.
Directed by Donovan Marsh.

You could hardly have a more direct and blunter title than Hunter Killer. Not exactly subtle. And some of the action throughout the film is not so subtle.

However, it does become more complex in its perspectives, in its military perspectives, in its political perspectives, especially in the confrontation between Russia and the US.

For those who like submarine films, here is another in the tradition of The Hunt for Red October, Crimson Tide, K-19, the Widowmaker. And for those enjoyed these films, this one will be enjoyable, quite satisfying.

Hunter Killer is actually the technical name for submarines which go into action. One is under the water and under the ice in the Barents Sea when it becomes involved with, pursued by, threatened with torpedoes by, Russian submarines. And then the Russian submarine is destroyed – but not by the Americans.

and his advisor, Jayne Norquist (Linda Cardellini). They have a solution to a possible international crisis, even threat of nuclear war. They have a contact, a submarine commander who did not go through the training at Annapolis but learned on the job. He is Joe Glass, played by Gerard Butler, who has already done quite an amount of action-saving in Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen (and another Fallen action drama to follow). (And, once again, Gerard Butler shows what an effective Jack Reacher he might have been.)

Not everything is as clear-cut in the Pentagon as we might have hoped. The main admiral is played by Gary Oldman, prone to be hawkish. And there is a sequence with Madam President (Caroline Goodall) very reminiscent of and looking like Hillary Clinton (maybe the film was in production before her unanticipated presidential defeat.)

Plenty of complications ensue, the discovery that the destruction of the Russian submarine was not the work of the Americans, that something strange is going on at the Russian port, including the Russian President (the tall dark and handsome actor might make Vladimir Putin more than envious!), his Foreign Minister, a coup.

Also in the act are a group of super troopers who are flown in from Turjikistan, parachuting into Russia, able to set up cameras and audio to give the Pentagon info on what is going on and helping them to make decisions. In the meantime, Joe Glass, with criticisms from his second in charge, rescues some Russians from their doomed submarine – which leads to a scenario for sailing through mine-charged depths, the rescue squad in action, helping the Russian President, avoiding an international confrontation.

So, entertaining submarine action and Russian- American conflicts – and the niggling thought throughout as the audience might wonder as they watch this hypothesis and scenario, what might actually be happening in the real world right now.

1. A submarine story? The tradition of submarine films? War films? Echoes of Soviet- American confrontations?

2. The settings, the Barents Sea, the Russian port, ships, submarines, offices? The surrounding forests? The contrast with Washington DC and the Pentagon? The musical score?

3. So much of the action happening underwater, the graphic presentation of the ocean depths, rocks, caves? Dangers for submarines? The interiors of the submarines?

4. The opening, the American submarine, working efficiently, Captain and crew? The Russian pursuit? The torpedoes? The explosions? The destruction of the American submarine? The blowing open of the Russian submarine?

5. The Washington situation, Admiral Fisk and his control of the situation, his personality, determined? Jayne Norquist, advisory, knowledge, female presence amongst the men? Admiral Donnegan and his hawkish stances? The news of the destruction of the American submarine? The information about the Russian submarine? The decision to appoint Joe Glass?

6. Glass, in Scotland, hunting the deer, not killing the stag because of the family? The helicopter, his going to the submarine, his not going to Annapolis, experience? Taking command, getting the men back to the submarine, asserting his authority, the nature of the mission?

7. The voyage of the submarine, into Russian waters, the discovery about the implosion of the Russian submarine? The risks in going down, the squadron rescuing the Russians? Glass’s assistant and his by the book approach? Threats of court-martial? The interrogation of the Russians? The captain, wariness, the explanation of the situation? His willingness to cooperate?

8. The Russian command, the president, the Foreign Minister, their presence at the port, the ship? The sudden coup, the shooting of the bodyguard, thrown into the water, the irony of his surviving? The taking of the president? Imprisoning him? The Foreign Minister taking over, the plan for war? The Russian Navy?

9. The dilemma in Washington, the meeting with the president, her decisions, Donnegan and being ready for war, the setting up of the Atlantic Fleet? The contrast with Fisk and Norquist, the possible rescue of the Russian President? The orders for the submarine? The special squad in Turkijistan, the flight to Russia, their weapons, parachuting in, making their way to the Port? Injuries? Surveillance?

10. Continued communications, the squad setting up the cameras, the audio? The information coming into Washington?

11. The mission to rescue the president, Glass and his decisions, the objections of his second in charge, the dealing with the Russian captain, the maps, guiding them through the caverns, the dangers, suspicions, succeeding?

12. The rescue attempt, getting into the building, scaling the walls, the shooting, getting the Russian President, the help of the wounded bodyguard and his death, the escape down the wall, firepower, grenades, their being shot at? Running along the pier, the vehicle pursuing, death of the men, the president in the water, swimming, wounded, the daring rescue and bringing him into the submarine? His being briefed, the attempts to communicate to the Russians? The rescuer turning back, swimming, the injured man and he is acting as sniper, his been captured, rescued, the return to the submarine?

13. The coup leader, the decision to fire missiles, the ship to fire torpedoes? The imminent possibility of war?

14. Glass, keeping his cool, rising so that the Russian president could communicate, the effect on the ship, the sailors refusing to obey orders? The missiles from the headquarters?

15. The irony of the Russian ship firing on the coup leader and destroying the offices?

16. Washington backing down, Donnegan congratulating Fisk?

17. War averted – and audiences watching hypotheses on screen and wondering what was actually happening in real life and real circumstances?