“The Hunting Party” is a remarkable little film. If for no other reason than because it’s a funny movie about the strange quest of three journalists to get access to an infamous war criminal in Bosnia. Yes, you read that right. Funny. War. Bosnia.
Director/screenwriter Richard Shepard skillfully navigates extremely heavy themes with an unexpected levity, which in turn, gives the film and its story some real panache. To be certain, “The Hunting Party” is an exhilarating balancing act that offers up a substantive story with intrepid style.
The movie stars Terrence Howard and Richard Gere as a duo of fearless journalists who have made careers for themselves in battlefields, covering conflicts as they happen. Legendary reporter Simon Hunt’s (Gere) partner and cameraman Duck (Howard) has the task of filming Hunt’s career-toppling breakdown on national television live from Bosnia. In the aftermath of the incident, Duck’s career moves on and up.
He is promoted to head cameraman for the current network heavyweight Franklin Harris, a Cronkite-like newsman played by James Brolin. Hunt disappears into a downward spiral, both personally and professionally destroyed by his highly publicized fall from grace. Duck returns to Bosnia five years later to shoot a story with Brolin and unsurprisingly– Hunt reappears. Overwhelmed by nostalgia and the security of an impending vacation, Duck agrees to tag along with Hunt in a foolhardy attempt to get close enough to the most wanted war criminal in all of Bosnia to get an interview.
Duck, Hunt and an overzealous young assistant, the son of a network V.P., set off to gain access to “The Fox,” the criminal mastermind behind the Bosnian genocide, who coincidentally is the most insulated man in the region. From there “The Hunting Party” becomes a road movie, a suspense adventure and an edgy comedy– all wrapped in the horrors of the brutal Bosnian war.
In general, I’m not a big Richard Gere fan. I find I am unable to strike “First Knight” from my usually-more-forgiving movie memory. However, as is sometimes the case, when an actor I have issues with gets their ass kicked in the film I am watching, I have the ability to give them a pass. “The Hunting Party” goes a long way to rehabilitate Mr. Gere and I’s troubled relationship. Not unlike Michael Douglas in the years after “Falling Down,” - which required “The American President” and “Wonder Boys” to repair the damage - Gere makes up a ton of ground with this fantastic performance.
Gere paints Simon Hunt as both a master manipulator and as a flawed, but redeemable guy. Gere succeeds in creating Hunt as a three-dimensional character, paving the way for the audience to sympathize with him for more than just the staggering blow that eviscerated his credibility and career.
Howard continues to be a riveting presence in film with yet another big league performance. Along with relative newcomer Jesse Eisenberg (“The Village”), Gere and Howard create a three-man ensemble with a dynamic range and quirky likability that recalls the quintessential quirky trio of Dreyfuss, Schieder and Shaw from Spielberg’s “Jaws.” 
This isn’t the first time Shepard has gambled on an unconventional formula and won. Shepard’s equally enchanting “The Matador,” starring Greg Kinnear and Pierce Brosnan, and flew mostly under the radar in 2006. “The Matador” similarly juxtaposed violence and hilarity, and showed off Bronan’s wicked timing.
Fresh is a horrible word that should only be used in reference to fruit and pastries, but I’m hard pressed to find a better adjective to describe the way I feel about “The Hunting Party.” This film doesn’t feel like the same old thing. It is fresh. It has teeth and it has an overt and adventurous style without feeling the need to go all Tarantino or “Ocean’s” 11 through 13 on your ass.
There may be nothing new under the sun anymore. But “The Hunting Party” IS that every once in a while, when somebody comes close enough…to keep things interesting.
There is nothing funny about war dude. War is real. Real like me. Spread the word, Chris Knudsen is real like war so Chris = War. There is a war coming and its being called War (which is me, Chris Knudsen).
I downloaded a CAM copy of this movie but I haven’t gotten around to watching it. I will probably give the film a lower score because I will be watching it with lower picture quality and muffled sound. Its going to get ** out of ***** max.