Introduction

Hunter Killer is a 2018 American action thriller film directed by Donovan Marsh, written by Arne Schmidt and Jamie Moss, and based on the 2012 novel Firing Point by Don Keith and George Wallace.

The film stars Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Michael Nyqvist (in one of his final film roles), Linda Cardellini and Toby Stephens, and follows a submarine crew and a group of Navy SEALS who rescue the captured Russian President from a coup.

Outline

The US submarine USS Tampa Bay vanishes while shadowing the Russian Akula-class submarine Konek in the Arctic. Rear Admiral John Fisk (Common) sends the Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas, under the command of newly-promoted and unorthodox Commander Joe Glass (Gerard Butler) to investigate.

At the same time, a Navy SEAL team under the command of Lieutenant Bill Beaman (Toby Stephens) is sent in to discreetly observe a Russian naval base, but their mission is swiftly complicated when Martinelli (Zane Holtz), the team’s new designated marksman recruit, is rendered unconscious during the HALO drop. When they arrive at the naval base, they witness defence minister, Admiral Dmitriy Durov (Mikhail Gorevoy), conducting a coup d’état and taking Russian President Nikolai Zakarin (Alexander Dyachenko) prisoner, and swiftly realize that Durov intends to trigger a war.

Meanwhile, Arkansas discovers the destroyed Tampa Bay, and also finds the sunken Russian submarine Konek damaged in a manner that suggests internal sabotage rather than external attack. They are attacked by another Russian submarine, Volkov, that has been hiding under an iceberg, but Glass is able to destroy the ambusher and rescue Russian survivors from Konek, including its captain Sergei Andropov (Michael Nyqvist).

Back at base, the US government learns about the coup. Admiral Charles Donnegan (Gary Oldman) recommends preparing for war, while Fisk suggests that Arkansas be sent to rendezvous with Beaman’s team after they have rescued Zakarin. Glass manages to convince the reluctant Andropov to help, and with Andropov’s knowledge of the minefield around the base, Glass navigates Arkansas near the base undetected. Meanwhile, Beaman’s team infiltrate the base and succeed in retrieving President Zakarin, but lose two teammates, Devin Hall (Michael Trucco) and Matt Johnstone (Ryan McPartlin), in the process. Beaman delivers the injured president to Arkansas’s deep-submergence rescue vehicle, then goes back alone for Martinelli, whom he was forced to leave behind due to prior injuries.

As US and Russian fleets face off for battle, Arkansas sustains further damage when they are attacked by Andropov’s old ship — a heavily armed destroyer now commanded by Captain Vlade Sutrev (Ilia Volok), a member of Durov’s conspiracy – but Andropov is able to communicate a message affirming that President Zakarin is aboard the submarine. When Durov orders his forces at the base to fire missiles at the surfaced Arkansas, Glass refuses to take action, recognising that firing back at the Russians could start the war he is trying to stop. In the last seconds, Andropov’s old crew mates defy orders and destroy the incoming missiles with the close-in weapon system before they can strike Arkansas, and subsequently destroy Durov’s naval base headquarters with their missiles. With the war averted, Glass docks Arkansas to the Russian naval base to return Zakarin and Andropov’s surviving crew to their country. Glass and Andropov bid farewell and confirm their respect for each other. Beaman returns with an injured Martinelli, and Arkansas’s crew travels back to the US.

Film Inspiration

Published on 03 July 2012, Firing Point is about a US submarine captain who is trying to prevent World War III.

Written by Don Keith and George Wallace (a former US Navy submariner).

Production & Filming Details

• Director: Donovan Marsh.
• Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Tucker Tooley, Mark GIll, John Thompson, Matt O’Toole, and Les Weldon.
• Writers: Arne Schmidt and Jamie Moss.
• Music: Trevor Morris.
• Cinematography: Tom Marais.
• Editor: Michael J. Duthie.
• Production: Summit Premiere, Millennium Media, Original Film, Relativity Media, G-BASE, Tucker Tooley Entertainment.
• Distributor: Lionsgate.
• Release Date: 26 October 2018 (US).
• Running Time: 121 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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