A weathered lieutenant, his police force, and a local vigilante are all caught up in a dangerous scheme involving a recently arrested, troubled man who’s linked to years of female abductions and murders.
In a Blu-ray-only release, you expect a level of slopiness to show through any of the effects or acting that presents itself on-screen. “Night Hunter,” however, isn’t sloppy in the least and I was left wondering why it had not made its way onto larger screens than the one I was watching in my living room.
Henry Cavill plays a detective that is in search of a way to stop a serial killer even though they have him in custody. His performance here is completely opposite to that of Superman. In “Night Hunter” he is gritty and he is dark. He shines a light on evil but from a place of darkness, just like those he hunts. He has demons that haunt him and the relationships of those around him. It truly is a nice change of pace to watch him play something so different from that which he is known for. His mission is admirable and just but his ways of getting the job done are far from that. His accomplice in all of this is a former judge and current vigilante played by Ben Kingsley. Kingsley is usually on the opposite side of the law in the films that he plays in and although he operates in a grey area here, it is nice to see him as a character that is operating so that the world can be a better place although, like Cavill, his character does so not because it’s his duty but because he was pushed to that point. Kingsley plays a grieving father almost as well as a villain without morals and it is refreshing.
The story is straightforward with a few twists and turns that one can catch if they are eagle-eyed but it will surprise most. As I said before, the acting in this film is what sets it apart from others, the story feels rushed and empty at times but for the most part, it is fun to hitch along for the ride.
Available Blu-ray and DVD October 15th
