THE HUNTING PARTY

US, 2007, 103 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jessie Eisenberg, James Brolin, Diane Kruger.
Directed by Richard Shepard.

The Hunting Party is a sardonic look at the war in the Balkans. It has many touches of irony - and communicates its very strong message and critique through comedy and irony.

The film was written and directed by Richard Shepard (Matador). He had visited the Balkans and absorbed something of the atmosphere of the place as well as the history of 1990s wars.

The film opens with some graphic footage where Richard Gere and Terrence Howard are involved in reporting the war for television. They get a buzz out of all the danger, the adrenaline flowing, a sense of being alive. However, finally the atrocities have their effect on the Richard Gere character, Simon Hunt. He breaks down and denounces everybody on prime time television. His career goes into a slide and he works in many wars for the television industries of small countries. In the mean time, Howard is promoted to New York.

The focus of the film is Sarajevo in the year 2000. Howard comes to Sarajevo for a 5 year memorial of the war’s end, with the TV front (James Brolin) and the son of a vice president, Jesse Eisenberg, (Roger Dodger, The Emperor’s Club, The Squid, and the Whale).

When Simon Hunt gets in touch again, he proposes that they seek out the Fox, the man responsible for atrocities. Organisations such as the UN and the CIA have not been able to track him down in the Balkan Mountains where he is being protected by loyalists.

The irony of the film (which is said to be based on actual events but that the ridiculous aspects are the true aspects) indicates that these three journalists, mistaken by everybody for CIA agents, can actually track down and capture the Fox. This is a blend of thriller, action, ironic comedy. However, they achieve their mission and justice is seen to be done.

In the final comments, the full irony is manifest as it is pointed out how all the organisations have not been able to track down several of the Balkan War criminals whereas independent people can do it. It also raises the question - and this is the final comment - about the possibilities of tracking down

Osama Bin Laden and the reasons why these people have not been found as well as the political deals behind these failures.
Not one of the great Balkan films, but a very interesting and challenging look. Other Balkan films include Saviour, Welcome to Sarajevo, Ulysses’ Head.

1. How effective a thriller? Action film? Comic and ironical?

2. The tone: the statement of factual basis, the ridiculous elements being the true elements? The realistic style? The fantasy adventure? The comment and irony on the UN, the US? The critique and condemnation of the lack of action towards war criminals?

3. The use of Balkan locations, the Balkan war and the picturing of atrocities? Sarajevo in 2000? The republic neighbouring Montenegro? The mountains, the roads and the forests? The sinister locales, the inns and bars? The tunnels? The musical score?

4. The voice-over by Duck, his description of the action in the Balkans, his description of Simon Hunt and his personality, his sense of mission, his skill as a journalist, his fearlessness, the adrenalin for living? His history? The events of war, photographing the Balkans? His promotion after Simon's breakdown on screen? 2000, meeting Simon again, the proposition for the search? The adventure, the comment? The light factual touches and the irony?

5. Richard Gere as Simon, his relationship with Duck? Their achievement, adrenalin, action and living, the bulletins, the fear in the streets, the bombs and the guns, the camerawork, Simon as the front and speaking to the TV audience? Interviewed by Franklin? The breakdown and his disgust about the massacre? The consequences, his being fired, glimpsed going to various wars, his working for small nations and their television? The later inclusion of the flashbacks, the massacre, the explanation, Simon and his relationship with the girl, her pregnancy? Her going to help her townspeople? The massacre? The Fox and his smile? The desperation in 2000? Motivation of revenge rather than the five million dollars?

6. Duck, his promotion, easy life in New York, photographing Franklin? Franklin, the front, the stereotype of this personality? His surgery? On air? His relating to Simon? Giving him permission to do the interview? Bringing Benjamin along?

7. Benjamin, his age, son of the vice-president, Harvard School of Journalism, the theoretical learning, studying Simon's breakdown? Gawky? Knowing that he was a gawk? The introduction to the journalists?

8. Simon in the hotel room, talking with Duck, persuading him to change? Duck, phoning his girlfriend in Greece? Benjamin eavesdropping? Wanting to join the group? The aim of the journey, the truth? Simon not having a source? Having the coffee, borrowing the money - not paying and the owner shooting? His warning about Fox?

9. The flashbacks with Fox, the massacre, his reputation, his being protected in the mountains? The ethnic cleansing, the Bosnian Serbs and their being anti the Bosnian Muslims? His bodyguard with the warning tattooed on his forehead?

10. Going to the bar, the locals, the drinks, their saying they were not fools, their being ousted? Returning to Sarajevo?

11. The interview with Boris, the United Nations? The Indian and his offering doughnuts? Not having the information about the Fox? The critique of the UN and the US? The second meeting with Boris, the tunnel, meeting Mirjana and her story? The plan, the issue of the thousand dollars - and Benjamin improvising about the CIA rules and payments? Her believing him?

12. The three abducted from the hotel, the hideout, being tied up, the henchman and his threats, Simon about to be killed? The rescue by the CIA? The CIA manager and his abuse?

13. The irony of everybody believing they were CIA? The critique of the CIA? Their decision to continue, to run?

14. The insight that the Fox would be caught while he was hunting without his bodyguards, the Fox confronting an actual fox? The three coming up on him, capturing him? Leaving him in the square of the town? The reaction of the people? Justice being done?

15. The postscript about what was true and false? The insight into the Balkan wars and the long traditions of hate? The ugliness of war and massacres? Diplomacy and deals? The UN, the US, the UK, the CIA, the Hague, international justice? And the continued question that if three people can capture the Fox, what about Osama bin Laden?