Hunter Killer

Submarine action thrillers are a rare breed in these post-Cold War times and some of the best were harking back to a time gone by, such as The Hunt for Red October and Crimson Tide, and even those feel like a swan song to this sub-genre. Black Sea tried a new angle in the modern day to mixed results whereas 2018's Hunter Killer tries to bring the men-on-a-mission submarine action film back to Hollywood complete with beeping sonars, missiles at the ready and crafty Russians up to no good.

The plot is not exactly outstanding but involves Gerard Butler's US submarine captain sent to investigate a distress signal in the Arctic and soon finds himself having to rescue the Russian president from his fellow countrymen who have gone rogue. Cue some submarine warfare as Butler's crew try to avoid starting a new Cold War and Toby Stephens leading a small squad to rescue the Russian President, while Gary Oldman and Common fight with words in the war room.

There was a strong familiar sense of deja vu with Hunter Killer as it mimics films and familiar tropes that have been used time and time again but all be it in a very watered-down condition. The film jumps between the three storylines and never quite satisfies on any, particularly with Oldman who is completely wasted in this. Sure we get to see him chew some scenery and shout at lots of people while dressed in uniform but there's nothing here needed for the story and could have easily been cut-out. Stephens brings some macho charisma as the squad leader but can't escape the b-movie action flick side-story he finds himself caught in.

However Butler still gets some decent moments in the final act that make Hunter Killer entertaining enough to bring it to a passable level, and much of this is in thanks to the late Michael Nyqvist in one of his final roles as a Russian captain taken onboard the US submarine. The film also knows what it is and wisely doesn't aim for the heights of Red October making for a entertaining action flick if you can get through the patriotic 'good ole' Americans saving the day, despite the irony that most of the leading cast are British.