the hunter's prayer movie review

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, the hunter's prayer.

Now streaming on:

In “ Stardust Memories ,” Woody Allen described his mother’s cooking as putting food through “the deflavorizing machine.” “The Hunter’s Prayer” is like a Luc Besson film put through a deflavorizing machine to remove any element that could be distinctive, energetic, or fun.

The most over-used, over-wrought, over-determined and downright pretentious aspects of movies about a hit man with a heart are all here, dumbed down. Scene in a dance club with pulsing electronic music? Yes. Our heroes infiltrate a fancy party in a mansion surrounded by lots of wealthy people all dressed up? Yup. Ultra-violent shoot-outs that fail to attract the attention of a single cop? You bet. Even though the characters have been on the news and there are many chases and lots of gunplay, the police show up just once, only to allow a hit man to stroll casually out of the building as they race in. Is there a loner’s hideout with unfinished walls, uneaten food, a flat screen TV, and a small shrine revealing the assassin’s tender side? Sure is. Does someone looking into a gun barrel say, “Please, you don’t have to do this!” or someone pointing a gun say “It’s not personal; it’s business”? Check and check.

As those examples suggest, the actors palpably struggle to deliver numbingly wooden dialogue. The posh British criminal mastermind’s threats are interchangeable with those of the American gun for hire. No one wants the teenager on the run to sound like a hashtag, but some element of background and personality should come through in what she says.

That teenager is Ella ( Odeya Rush of " Goosebumps "). Sneaking a smoke at her posh Swiss boarding school, she tells her friends she is going to go dancing with her boyfriend. She does not know that a shadowy gunman has just killed her father and stepmother and burned down their Scarsdale mansion.

Ella gets the news from Lucas ( Sam Worthington ), who grabs her from the club. “I was hired to kill you but I’m not going to do it because I can’t,” he tells her in a typically clunky over-explanation.

The hit has been put on Ella to send a message to anyone else who might possibly consider stealing from super-criminal Richard Addison ( Allen Leech of “Downton Abbey”). Ella’s late father has betrayed Addison, who therefore put a hit on the entire family. Like everyone else in the film, Addison is a paper-thin caricature. He is so evil that he breeds attack dogs and tests them out on hapless minions. He even snaps at his young son, “What have I told you about your mother?” “My mother’s a whore,” the boy sadly replies. And, of course, he orders a hit on a teenager.

But Lucas is a dad himself, and even paid assassins who think they are dead inside can be reminded of their honor and humanity, especially when they are in a dumb movie that needs some reason for its protagonists to chase and be chased, shoot and be shot at.

Those chases and shoot-outs are generic as well: some squeal-wheel turns down the streets of various European locations, some rows of squibs playing the part of automatic weapons fire. Even those sparks of energy only have value as contrast to the uninspired stunts and story.

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

Now playing

The Good Half

Clint worthington.

The Girl in the Pool

Marya e. gates.

Rule of Two Walls

Isaac feldberg.

Monica Castillo

Close to You

Matt zoller seitz, film credits.

The Hunter's Prayer (2017)

Rated R for violence, drug use and language.

Sam Worthington as Stephen Lucas

Odeya Rush as Ella Hatto

Amy Landecker as Banks

Dean S. Jagger as Officer Schaller

Verónica Echegui as Dani

Martin Compston as Metzger

Katia Bokor as Aunt Jesse

Jonathan Mostow

Writer (novel)

Kevin Wignall
Paul Leyden

Cinematographer

José David Montero
Ken Blackwell
Federico Jusid

Latest blog posts

A Woman Without Peers: Gena Rowlands (1930-2024)

The Needle Drop Sessions: Pump Up the Volume & Untamed Heart

Locarno Film Festival 2024: Youth (Hard Times), Transamazonia, Moon

Thumbnails 8/15/24: Six Must-Reads You Don’t Want To Miss This Week

an image, when javascript is unavailable

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘the hunter’s prayer’: film review.

‘Avatar’ star Sam Worthington plays a rogue assassin in Jonathan Mostow’s latest thriller, ‘The Hunter’s Prayer.’

By Justin Lowe

Justin Lowe

Share on Facebook
Share to Flipboard
Send an Email
Show additional share options
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest
Share on Reddit
Share on Tumblr
Share on Whats App
Print the Article
Post a Comment

With sci-fi actioners Surrogates and Terminator 3 already under his belt, director Jonathan Mostow should have no trouble handling a real-world Euro-thriller like The Hunter’s Prayer , yet control of the narrative appears to rapidly slip from his grasp as the movie’s implausibilities mount. What should be a reliably entertaining, if not especially original, replication of well-worn crime-thriller conventions instead turns into an enervating slog. Audiences seeking mindless diversion are more likely to discover The Hunter’s Prayer on VOD than in theaters, where it doesn’t have, well, a prayer of lasting past opening weekend.

Antihero assassins come in various guises, from scruffy John Wick types to sophisticated Jason Bourne exemplars, but Stephen Lucas (Sam Worthington), a needle addict with deadly aim, doesn’t really fit the mold. His mile-wide sentimental streak taken together with his rather unrelenting drug habit would seem to make him entirely unsuitable for the profession. Nevertheless, British drug kingpin Addison (Allen Leech) sees fit to send him on assignment to track down teenager Ella Hatto ( Odeya Rush) at her posh Swiss boarding school.

Release date: Jun 09, 2017

Addison has ordered Ella’s elimination after discovering that her dad has diverted $25 million in illicit revenues from his accounts. A father himself, Lucas hesitates when he gets an opening to gun Ella down at a Montreux nightclub where she’s partying with her boyfriend, well aware that his colleague Metzger (Martin Compston ) has already assassinated her parents. Lucas becomes a mark himself as soon as he violates Addison’s orders by grabbing Ella and evading his employer’s armed pursuers in a high-speed chase.

It’s not until they cross the French border and Lucas can get his fix that he reveals to Ella that he’s actually her killer, not her rescuer, barely managing to keep the girl in his confidence after taking a bullet for her when Addison’s thugs catch up with them. Realizing that Lucas may be the only one who can actually protect her, even if she can’t trust him, Ella must decide whether to help him recover before confronting Addison, or to go after her parents’ killer alone.

THR Newsletters

More from The Hollywood Reporter

‘alien: romulus’ wins busy box office weekend with $41.5m opening, $108m globally, alain delon, seductive star of european cinema, dies at 88, halle berry has one response to ‘catwoman’ critics who say 2004 movie “sucked balls”, jamie lee curtis is “grateful” for lindsay lohan as ‘freakier friday’ filming nears end: “my ultimate movie daughter”, locarno film festival top prize goes to lithuanian drama ‘toxic,’ the feature debut of saule bliuvaite, sarajevo film festival: doc lineup explores taboo subjects, both political and emotional.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

81% Alien: Romulus Link to Alien: Romulus
100% Daughters Link to Daughters
78% Cuckoo Link to Cuckoo

New TV Tonight

100% Pachinko: Season 2
-- OceanXplorers: Season 1
89% Chimp Crazy: Season 1
-- Classified: Season 1
-- Reasonable Doubt: Season 2
-- The Anonymous: Season 1
-- Face to Face With Scott Peterson: Season 1

The Hunter's Prayer Reviews

The modest scope of B-movie action thriller The Hunter's Prayer can be gauged by the fact that its big-time criminal tycoon (played by Downton Abbey's Allen Leech) has his international headquarters in Leeds.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 28, 2017

The Hunter's Prayer provides for a subversive take on the thriller genre...

Full Review | Nov 26, 2017

There's nothing remotely interesting or stimulating in the latest rogue-assassin-turned-good wannabe thriller, The Hunter's Prayer.

Full Review | Sep 28, 2017

Action-thrillers are usually right up my alley, but colour me unimpressed by this average offering.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 20, 2017

As is typical of these sorts of c-grade genre pictures, there's nothing massively wrong with it but there's next to nothing that's particularly good about it either.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 16, 2017

Marks must be given for how this is a character-driven project. But despite the attempt to make each person fully rounded, none of it feels fresh or engaging.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jun 14, 2017

Gritty, fast-paced action thriller, best suited for video viewing...

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jun 13, 2017

Worth checking-out for old-school action fans.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jun 12, 2017

While not doing anything special for the hitman genre, it can scratch the right itch if you're looking for a no-frills actioner.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 9, 2017

Too dimwitted to be disappointing.

Full Review | Jun 9, 2017

The transparent goal of this frenetic cat-and-mouse thriller is to keep the action moving so viewers don't pause to contemplate the narrative incoherence behind it.

Like a Luc Besson film put through a deflavorizing machine to remove any element that could be distinctive, energetic, or fun.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jun 9, 2017

A routine but reasonably diverting B-movie about a conscience-stricken hit man and the girl he opts not to kill.

The Hunter's Prayer is too familiar and formulaic to work in any significant or even trivial way, but it's so inconsequential that it's impossible to fault the movie too much.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 8, 2017

Worthington, ostensibly an old hand by now at cut-rate thrillers, pulls off the ignominious trick of seeming as if he were a bouncer randomly cast in his first movie.

Full Review | Jun 8, 2017

[Traffics] in routine dumb and inept movie assassins.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jun 8, 2017

Despite treading far-too-familiar territory, The Hunter's Prayer is a surprisingly solid action thriller that should appeal to fans of Luc Besson's earlier movies.

A "Taken"-style actioner arriving too late to matter, starring Sam Worthington, who seems to have an allergic reaction to giving expressive, meaningful performances.

Full Review | Original Score: D+ | Jun 8, 2017

Hampered by start-and-stop execution that depends overmuch on implausible hair-breadth escapes and gets bogged down in sappy back story.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Jun 8, 2017

The biggest sin The Hunter's Prayer commits is being too dumb to enjoy.

Full Review | Jun 7, 2017

Film Review: ‘The Hunter’s Prayer’

A routine but reasonably diverting B-movie about a conscience-stricken hit man and the girl he opts not to kill.

By Joe Leydon

Film Critic

‘Crescent City’ Review: Overplotted Thriller Sustains Interest Primarily with Yeoman Performances by Well-Cast Leads 2 days ago
‘Heart Strings’ Review: Schmaltzy Musical Drama About a Rigged Reality Show Is Pleasant but Predictable 2 months ago
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ Review: Lavish Tollywood Sci-Fi Epic Is an Unabashedly Derivative Spectacle 2 months ago

Echoes of “Leon: The Professional” and the Jason Bourne franchise resound throughout “The Hunter’s Prayer,” a briskly paced and instantly forgettable cut-and-paste thriller about a conscience-stricken assassin who becomes the target of other killers when he refrains from terminating a 16-year-old girl on his hit list.

Sam Worthington is Lucas, a drug-addicted combat veteran who makes his living as a lethal weapon, and Odeya Rush is Ella, the innocent teen who’s been marked for death because her dad embezzled money from Richard Addison (Allen Leech), a criminally inclined business tycoon. It’s unfortunate that the co-stars generate zero chemistry together, since the plot — adapted by scripters John Brancato and Michael Ferris from Kevin Wignall’s novel — pivots on the development of a surrogate father/substitute daughter bond between the hit man and the hunted girl. But never mind: Director Jonathan Mostow (“Terminator 3”) provides enough hairbreadth escapes, extended shootouts, crash-and-dash auto chases, and hand-to-hand combat sequences to make the movie modestly diverting for undemanding audiences.

Popular on Variety

As often is the case in trifles of this sort, the international supporting cast is littered with folks focused on making the absolute most of thinly written roles. The standouts here include Veronica Echegui, who strikes a punkish pose as a freelance medic for hit men on the run, and Amy Landecker, who snarls authoritatively as a corrupt FBI agent on Addison’s payroll. As Addison, Leech is pretty much your standard-issue Eurotrash slimeball. He repeatedly insists that he wants Ella killed to make some sort of statement to potential betrayers. Before she dies, however, he wants her to reveal where her dad hid the money he stole from him. This obviously is a matter of great urgency for Addison: The guy is so cash-strapped, he can’t afford more than three security guards to watch the front gate at his lavish estate.

Reviewed online, Houston, June 6, 2017. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 91 MIN.

Production: (U.S.-Spain-Germany) A Saban Films release of a Filmengine Entertainment production, in association with Vandal Entertainment and Full Clip Prods. Producers: Navid McIlhargey, Anthony Rhulen, Christopher Milburn, Sam Worthington, John Schwarz, Michael Schwarz, Tove Christensen, Michael Wexler, Juan A, Garcia Peredo, Jimmy Costas, Paul Rock, Paul Leyden. Executive producers: Gavin Poolman, Duncan Reid, Hugo Heppell, Jonathan Mostow, George Castrounis, Jack Murray, Ildiko Kemeny, David Minkowski, Norman Merry, Sharon Hanson, Davin Andre.
Crew: Director: Jonathan Mostow. Screenplay: John Brancato, Michael Ferris, based on the novel by Kevin Wignall. Camera (color): Jose David Montero. Editor: Ken Blackwell.
With: Sam Worthington, Odeya Rush, Allen Leech, Amy Landecker, Martin Compston, Veronica Echegui.

More from Variety

Fox nears sell-out of super bowl ads before end of summer (exclusive), ‘skibidi toilet’: flushing out audience data on an internet phenomenon, bungie layoffs highlight post-m&a issues for gaming industry as its unions react, more from our brands, lindsey graham admits trump ‘may not win’ if he keeps mudslinging, introducing, frédéric panaiotis – champagne’s renaissance man, nfl to meet again on private equity on aug. 27 in minneapolis, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, john aprea, another world and full house vet, dead at 83.

Suggestions

Review: the hunter’s prayer.

Jonathan Mostow luxuriates in the pure surface pleasures of the his many taut, formally dynamic action sequences.

Near the halfway point of Jonathan Mostow’s The Hunter’s Prayer , Lucas (Sam Worthington), a hired assassin, sits down for a bite to eat with Ella (Odeya Rush), the teenage girl whose life he spared in a moment of weakness and compassion when she reminded him of his own estranged daughter. Finally, a potential breather, as the film follows an opening murder scene with a shootout and an extended car chase that has hitmen intent, and incentivized, on seeing Lucas and Ella dead. Aside from a brief glimpse of the adverse effects of Lucas’s PTSD from his time in the military, both characters are still mysteries, having barely uttered a word to one another. Yet right before the two have a chance to dig into the expository tête-à-tête that the setup of this diner scene initially promises, Lucas lifts his drink to his lips only to have it shattered by a bullet. And the chase begins once again.

That’s an unexpectedly humorous moment that also functions as a prime example of the film’s tendency to speak with action rather than words, and to prioritize the intricacies of its visual rather than narrative movement. Leaving behind the sci-fi trappings and bloated budgets that weighed down his previous two films, Surrogates and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines , Mostow returns to the stripped-down action of his lean and mean Breakdown . The Hunter’s Prayer packs its brisk 85 minutes with an impressive array of car chases, gun fights, hand-to-hand combat, and foot pursuits, all cut with a precision and an economy that heightens the impact of every hit. Its overarching story, involving a British magnate, Richard Addison (Allen Leach), who goes to over-the-top lengths to have Ella killed as punishment for her father’s disloyalty to him, is trite, but Mostow is intent on pushing story and dialogue as far to the fringes as possible in favor of luxuriating in the pure surface pleasures of the film’s many taut, formally dynamic action sequences.

The Hunter’s Prayer is steadfastly concise and efficient, foregrounding action above expositional groundwork. Eventually, as the machinations of Lucas and Ella’s emotionally unstable dynamic and Richard’s master plan do come to the forefront, the flimsiness of John Brancato and Michael Ferris’s screenplay fully reveals itself. In spite of that, Mostow delivers an appropriately brutal, gripping finale amid the dark chambers of Richard’s underground lair—a poor man’s version of John Wick: Chapter 2 ’s Catacombs sequence to be sure, but an effective set piece nonetheless. The brief, redemptive scenes tacked on at the end may stink of studio interference, as the film would have been better served had it ended a few minutes prior on the ambiguous note between Lucas and Ella, but despite the intermittent flashes of recycled genre tropes, The Hunter’s Prayer provides the sort of cogent and compact visceral thrills that are in short supply in recent American action cinema.

You might be interested in

‘Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1’ Review: Kevin Costner’s Stilted Grand Opus

Missing Review: Storm Reid Tries to Find Her Mom in Unintentionally Funny Searching Sequel

Avatar: The Way of Water Review: An Exhaustingly Splendid Return to Pandora

Derek Smith

Derek Smith's writing has appeared in Tiny Mix Tapes , Apollo Guide , and Cinematic Reflections .

Review: Camera Obscura

Review: Funeral Parade of Roses

Cookie policy

‘The Hunter’s Prayer’ Review: Sam Worthington Hits Some Familiar Beats

Published June 8, 2017 Movies , Reviews By Rob Hunter Disclaimer When you purchase through affiliate links on our site, we may earn a commission.

A hitman finds redemption in the innocence of his latest target.

Ah the hitman/hitwoman. The character is a genre film favorite for understandable reasons, and they typically fall into one (or both) of two types. They’re either slick and cool as hell ( John Wick ) or they’re highly efficient and held back only by their humanity ( The Professional ). Director Jonathan Mostow ‘s ( Breakdown ) latest falls into the latter category, and while it can’t touch the heel of Leon’s worn leather shoe it’s still an entertaining-enough diversion.

A wealthy couple and their maid are gunned down by an assassin, and their teenage daughter Ella ( Odeya Rush ) is next on the list. She had actually been targeted previously, but the killer assigned to the task refused to act. Lucas ( Sam Worthington ) refuses to sit back this time though and while other assassins converge on the girl he moves in to rescue her. It’s a bumpy road of understandable distrust made even more complicated by his heroin addiction, but the pair form a truce of sorts that gets her to safety. It doesn’t last long though as her own desire for revenge leads the pair into the lion’s den with the very people who want her dead.

Mostow knows how to craft simple and effective action sequences, and those are the beats that work best in The Hunter’s Prayer . Less successful though is a script intent on adding dull “depth” and the cliched theme of bad fathers into the mix without the benefit of fresh insight.

First though, the action is good stuff. Mostow offers up a car chase that moves from cramped city streets to the dark winding roads of the coast, and while the latter is maybe a bit too dimly lit the sequence is as exciting as it needs to be. Most of the film’s action though is of the gun play and fisticuffs variety, and the scenes are staged and choreographed well with Worthington getting his hands dirty in some suitably messy brawls.

The “bad dads” theme is driven home a bit too hard though with not one but three examples unfolding before our eyes. Ella’s father ignores her and sends her off to private school, and Lucas is himself an absentee dad with a wife and daughter who he abandoned years prior. His work as a killer as well as his drug addiction play a role there, but it’s his guilt over their absence that fuels his desire to help Ella. These two would be enough to make the point, but the script (from John Brancato and Michael Ferris , both Mostow regulars having written his Bruce Willis sci-fi/action picture Surrogates ) feels the need to up the ante further. The film’s main villain ( Downton Abbey ‘s Allen Leech ) is a wealthy prick who we see berating his own young son for failing to achieve perfection on the archery range.

We get it. Bad dads are the worst.

Performances are competent to fine across the board with both Worthington and Rush finding an uneasy chemistry amid the bullets. One scene that’s meant to be powerful — she catches him attempting to shoot up his next fix and gives him grief for it — is hurt a bit by the fact that he’s standing in front of the girl with his pants down, but the pair play it straight enough that it almost succeeds. The villains don’t fare as well, but who cares… they’re probably gonna die anyway.

The Hunter’s Prayer is a fast, forgettable watch that will hold the attention of action fans for its short running time. Mostow deserves better though than what amounts to a second rate, direct to DVD action picture. Give the man a better script, a slightly bigger budget, and get Kurt Russell back on the phone. The world’s ready for Breakdown 2: Can You Believe Our Luck Honey the Car Has Broken Down Again .

Potentially Relevant Content ↓

Defining the Success of ‘Baywatch’ as a Summer Blockbuster

How to Make a Shot List Like Terrence Malick

film reviews and movie discussion

Top Ten Lists

THE HUNTER’S PRAYER (2017) review

written by: Paul Leyden and Oren Moverman produced by: Tove Christensen, James Costas, Paul Leyden, David McIlhargey, Christopher Milburn, Anthony Rhulen, Paul Rock, John Schwarz, Michael Schwarz, Michael Wexler & Sam Worthington directed by: Jonathan Mostow rated: R (for violence, drug use and language) runtime: 91 min. U.S. release date: June 9, 2017 (limited, Amazon & iTunes)

Nearly a decade after his comic book adaptation/sci-fi/Bruce Willis flick “Surrogates” comes “The Hunter’s Prayer”, the latest movie from director Jonathan Mostow. This is the guy who was given the keys to Ahnuld’s Harley with “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” when James Cameron bowed out. Mostow actually delivered one of the best thrillers of the 90s with “Breakdown” and followed that with a legit WWII submarine flick “U-571”, so it’s not like I’m ready to dismiss a new film from Mostow, but I am surprised since he’s been off my cinematic radar for a while now. His involvement in “The Hunter’s Prayer” was the sole draw for me and as it turns out he shows that he still has a fine handling of the pacing and suspense of an efficient action thriller, but if the director is the only good thing about a movie, then there’s trouble.

Before the story takes us across France and into the UK, we start out at a border school in Switzerland, where teenager Ella ( Odeya Rush “ Goosebumps “) attends class. This introduction tells us that she’s somewhat of a typically rebellious teen, sneaking out for a night on the town with her boyfriend ( Eudald Font ), when she notices a man following her with his eyes. Next thing she knows, this man is shielding her in a public place while unloading ammo an an unknown assailant across the way. After an intense foot and car chase, the mysterious man reveals himself as Lucas (Sam Worthington), a hired assassin who promises to drive her to safety, far away from the other assassin, Metzler ( Martin Compston “ The Disappearance of Alice Creed “), who unbeknownst to Ella has already killed her parents for supposedly hiding twenty million from his boss, Richard Addison (a broad and bland Allen Leech “Downton Abbey”) a powerful businessman in Leeds.

Ella was clearly unaware of her parent’s questionable business dealings and now has no choice but to tag along with Lucas, who’s got his own issues battling a drug addiction while they’re on the run. While Richard utilizes his resources, such as employing a corrupt Interpol agent ( Amy Landecker , in a thankless role), to find and kill the girl without incriminating himself, he also goes out of his way to blackmail Lucas into doing the job. When Ella learns Lucas had been hired all along to kill her, it puts an understandable strain on their developing bond, but as the teen learns of the reasons behind her protector’s actions, she comes to a greater realization of her silent albeit troubled guardian.

Although it’s based on Kevin Wignall’s 2004 book For the Dogs , which is an even stranger title than “The Hunter’s Prayer” (a throwaway line by the movie’s baddie) the whole thing feels derivative, blatantly attempting to emulate the “Bourne” and “Taken” movies. I know absolutely nothing about the book, but it becomes apparent that screenwriters Paul Leyden and Oren Moverman wind up revolving the plot around the recycled cliche “teen girl in peril protected by reluctant surrogate dude with a particular set of skills”.

A bearded Worthington, who’s shown his limited acting range, isn’t really able to offer much of anything beyond a furrowed brow and low mumblings. There are definitely moments where I thought there was going to be more to the story – like maybe his employer has gotten Lucas hooked on drugs in order to control him, get the assassin to rely on him – but no, what we get is something very familiar with stereotypical characterizations.

There is a hint of a backstory to Worthington’s character and we’re led to believe maybe the guy’s dealing with some combat PTSD from his time in Afghanistan, but that’s really only mentioned once. We learn of his vague estrangement from his wife and teen daughter, someone he’s never met, but this too is sort of glossed over and only hinted reasons for his emotional shutdown and actions. We can connect the dots and understand that he decides not to kill Ella because she reminds him of the daughter he doesn’t know (another cliche), but something else is needed for this character since he lacks an iota of charisma. Worthington comes across almost as wooden as his performances in “Terminator: Salvation” and “Avatar”, at least in “Terminator” it’s acceptable because he plays a cyborg.

One interesting supporting role is unfortunately eliminated too quickly and that is yet another assassin Dani (played with aplomb by Spanish actress Verónica Echegaray “ You’re Killing Me, Susana “) who is also interested in getting in on the price on Ella’s head. Echegaray may have limited screen presence, but she shows more life than anyone else around her in a short amount of time.

As for the character of Ella, a somewhat crucial role, it would’ve helped if Rush exuded a bit more charisma as well, instead of emoting the typical emotional teen girl, prone to volatile complaining and whining. I couldn’t help but to think of Hailee Steinfeld while watching her, probably because there’s a resemblance, but mostly because Steinfeld has played her share of daughters protected by estranged assassin dads, like in “ 3 Days to Kill ” with Kevin Costner and “Term Life” with Vince Vaughn (of all people). Coincidently, Steinfeld was originally considered for the role of Ella, but had to back out due to unresolvable scheduling conflicts. It’s all for the better since it would’ve felt like typecasting. As it stands, Rush is fine in the role, but doesn’t really offer much outside of conveying the typical teen antics we’ve come to expect for such a role.

As much as the story and characterization of “The Hunter’s Prayer” suffer, Mostow’s action, from a foot chase to a nightclub shootout, is better than much of the shakey-cam work we get from many directors lately. It comes as no surprise considering this is a director who’s recently worked on the TV series “The Last Ship”. The action here tests the stamina of the characters and is also easy for viewers to follow, which can be problematic in many movies. Ultimately, “The Hunter’s Prayer” isn’t anything special or unique as it propels its way to a predictable showdown ending and a cloying end tag of redemption. If you catch this movie, you’ll forget you watched it until it pops up while channel surfing and at that time it won’t make a difference whether you leave it on or continue surfing.

Discover more from Keeping It Reel

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Pop Culture
In Theaters
Blu-Ray Discs
instagram [#167] Created with Sketch.

Follow the JOBLO MOVIE NETWORK

Follow ARROW IN THE HEAD

Follow aith on youtube.

Home » Movie News » Review: The Hunter’s Prayer

Review: The Hunter’s Prayer

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

PLOT: An assassin ( Sam Worthington ) sent to kill a teenage-girl ( Odeya Rush ) has a crisis of conscience, and finds himself targeted by his former employer.

REVIEW: Given the premise, audiences won’t be surprised to learn that THE HUNTER’S PRAYER, with its “hitman with a heart of gold” twist adds absolutely nothing new to the genre. It’s been done over and over, from NIKITA, to LEON, THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS, and recently JOHN WICK. It’s about as familiar a trope as “tough guy cop avenging his partner.” Disposable, right?

Action fans will know that’s not necessarily true. Even if they’re unoriginal, a decent programmer can sometime scratch just the right itch, and THE HUNTER’S PRAYER, despite its modest budget, is a pretty good one. The credit should probably go to director Jonathan Mostow , a solid journeyman with some good product under his belt, like BREAKDOWN, U-571, and the better-than-you-remember TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES (especially compared to the last two sequels).

Mostow keeps things chugging right along, with the ninety-minute run-time meaning a near total lack of flab. It gets started right away, with the heroine’s parents being murdered within sixty seconds of the studio logo, and Sam Worthington ’s anti-hero, immediately, stalking Odeya Rush through a packed nightclub in Switzerland. It quickly escalates into a solid gun-fight car chase, with him deciding to rescue the girl from her pursuers, who he’s initially working with, leading to a violent flight across Europe (with some good local atmosphere thrown in for good measure).

Worthington, who never quite worked out as an A-list leading man, makes a good case for himself as a future grizzled action hero as he gets older. About forty now, and slightly more weathered than in his AVATAR days (which are about to come again with the sequels maybe being on the way), he looks the part, and moves well. One interesting bit is that he’s a hardcore heroin addict, with the chase stopping every now and then so he can shoot up, and addiction the baddies use to their advantage. He’s suitably tortured, and comes-off as a more believable kind of low-life killer than usual.

Mostly a two hander, THE HUNTER’S PRAYER has an asset in Odeya Rush as the girl everyone’s hunting, and she wisely underplays it a bit, a solid contrast to how it might otherwise be. You like her, making Worthington’s choice easier to swallow, given that it puts him in the cross-hairs of seemingly every killer in Europe.

The action beats are good, with Mostow opting for a down-and-dirty style, with vicious hand-to-hand scraps, quick chases, and chaotic gunfights. They, wisely, don’t try to ape JOHN WICK, going instead for a gritty, PAYBACK kind of vibe. My only issue is that the baddie, played by “Downton Abbey’s” Allen Leech is too cartoonishly evil. Given that Oren Moverman is among the screenwriters, you’d expect a better, less typical threat (with him the kind of baddie who inexplicably shoots his own henchmen). Of the villains, “Transparent’s” Amy Landecker , as the all-business second-in-command, comes off the best just on the merits of how atypical her casting is.

While it’s strictly B-fare, and not especially creative, THE HUNTER’S PRAYER is a solid action programmer, and worth checking-out for old-school action fans. I had a good time with it, and sometimes this kind of lower-rent type shoot-em-up hits the spot. It’s not a bad VOD rental at all.

The Hunter's Prayer

Viewer ratings (0 reviews), add your rating.

About the Author

Chris Bumbray began his career with JoBlo as the resident film critic (and James Bond expert) way back in 2007, and he has stuck around ever since, being named editor-in-chief in 2021. A voting member of the CCA and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, you can also catch Chris discussing pop culture regularly on CTV News Channel.

Latest Movie News

Green Lantern: Is It REALLY That Bad?

While Ryan Reynolds is ruling the roost with Deadpool & Wolverine at the box office, years ago he had a flop with Green Lantern, but is it that bad?

Poll: What’s The Best Alien Movie?

What’s the best Alien movie? Take our poll at let us know what you think!

Alain Delon Dead: Iconic French Actor Was 88

Alain Delon, the iconic french star of such classics as Purple Noon and Le Samourai, has died at 88.

Dave Bautista obsessed over playing Bane and Lex Luthor

Dave Bautista may be known for his work with Marvel, but he had dreams of playing either Bane or Lex Luthor for DC.

Alien: Romulus is on track for a solid domestic opening, but is a major blockbuster overseas

While Alien: Romulus is on track for a solid opening in North America, the real story is how well it’s performing overseas.

Aliens Expanded is a 4 hour documentary that takes a deep dive into writer/director James Cameron's 1986 classic Aliens

Alien Movies Ranked: From Worst to Best

With Alien: Romulus now in theaters, we decided to rank all the Alien movies!

No Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy in The Batman sequel?

A VFX member on The Batman says the likes of Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc and Poison Ivy may be too far-fetched for villains in the sequel.

Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Alien: Romulus, In A Violent Nature, Rocky, Terminator 2, Up

Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for…

JoBlo Friday Night Flicks: Our Live Stream Ranks the Worst Video Game Movies!

Tonight! Join Kier Gomes on JoBlo Originals on YouTube (also on Rumble) for our latest Friday Night Flicks Live Stream at 8:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM PST.

Logan co-writer says people warned him that Deadpool & Wolverine ruined his ending

Logan co-writer Michael Green says people warned him that Deadpool & Wolverine ruined the ending of his movie.

It's quick and easy to login and vote!

The Hunter's Prayer | Sam Worthington hunts down a B-movie Mr Big to his Yorkshire lair

The Hunter's Prayer Sam Worthington as Lucas

The modest scope of B-movie action thriller The Hunter's Prayer can be gauged by the fact that its big-time criminal tycoon (played by Downton Abbey’s Allen Leech) has his international headquarters in Leeds. Even so, Terminator 3 director Jonathan Mostow whips up a fair degree of excitement as Sam Worthington’s repentant assassin strives to protect his erstwhile target, Odeya Rush’s 16-year-old Swiss finishing-school girl, from the villain’s lethal minions, dodging bullets and speeding cars as they make their way across Europe towards the bad guy’s baronial lair, ‘Near Harrogate’.

Certificate 15. Runtime 87 mins. Director Jonathan Mostow

The Hunter's Prayer debuts on Sky Cinema Premiere on 28 December. Available on DVD & Digital from Signature Entertainment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tngceN9IbPo

Get the What to Watch Newsletter

The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more!

A film critic for over 25 years, Jason admits the job can occasionally be glamorous – sitting on a film festival jury in Portugal; hanging out with Baz Luhrmann at the Chateau Marmont; chatting with Sigourney Weaver about The Archers – but he mostly spends his time in darkened rooms watching films. He’s also written theatre and opera reviews, two guide books on Rome, and competed in a race for Yachting World, whose great wheeze it was to send a seasick film critic to write about his time on the ocean waves. But Jason is happiest on dry land with a classic screwball comedy or Hitchcock thriller.

Real Housewives star Garcelle Beauvais leads new Lifetime romance Tempted by Love, debuting tonight

New on Netflix August 17-23: our expert picks 7 shows, movies and docs to stream

The Yuppie Murder details the tragic case of Charles and Carol Stuart

Entertainment

How to Watch
My watchlist
Stock market
Biden economy
Personal finance
Stocks: most active
Stocks: gainers
Stocks: losers
Trending tickers
World indices
US Treasury bonds
Top mutual funds
Highest open interest
Highest implied volatility
Currency converter
Basic materials
Communication services
Consumer cyclical
Consumer defensive
Financial services
Industrials
Real estate
Mutual funds
Credit cards
Balance transfer cards
Cash back cards
Rewards cards
Travel cards
Online checking
High-yield savings
Money market
Home equity loan
Personal loans
Student loans
Options pit
Fantasy football
Pro Pick 'Em
College Pick 'Em
Fantasy baseball
Fantasy hockey
Fantasy basketball
Download the app
Daily fantasy
Scores and schedules
GameChannel
World Baseball Classic
Premier League
CONCACAF League
Champions League
Motorsports
Horse racing

New on Yahoo

Privacy Dashboard

Film Review: ‘The Hunter’s Prayer’

Get more from Variety and Variety411 : Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter

The Hunter's Prayer (2017)

Stream & Watch The Hunter's Prayer

Cast & Crew

Movie Details

Similar movies.

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

Cast & crew
User reviews

The Hunter's Prayer

An assassin helps a young woman avenge the death of her family.
This high-octane thriller focuses on Lucas (Sam Worthington), a solitary assassin hired to kill a young woman, Ella (Odeya Rush). When he can't bring himself to pull the trigger, the plan falls apart, setting in motion a twisted game of cat-and-mouse. Now both are marked for death and forced to form an uneasy alliance. Relentlessly pursued across Europe, their only hope for survival is to expose those responsible for brutally murdering her family and bring them to justice.

It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. Be the first to contribute.

Contribute to this page

Sam Worthington and Odeya Rush in The Hunter's Prayer (2017)

See more gaps
Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore, recently viewed.

Jonathan Mostow

Sam Worthington, Odeya Rush, Allen Leech, Amy Landecker, Martin Compston, Verónica Echegui

1:31

6/9/17 (limited)

| June 8, 2017

is too familiar and formulaic to work in any significant or even trivial way, but it's so inconsequential that it's impossible to fault the movie too much. It's bland in a, well, bland sort of way.

by Kevin Wignall) had given Lucas a therapist, someone might have won at their game of Cliché Bingo.

are foundational, not formal. The central problem is that we've seen this before—done better on some occasions and certainly done much worse on more than some. The movie falls squarely in the middle, with the final thought on it being that, while it's not good, it definitely could be worse.

Movieman's Guide to the Movies

The hunter’s prayer blu-ray review.

The Hunter’s Prayer (2017)

Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller, Drama Lionsgate | R – 91 min. – $24.99 | August 8, 2017

Date Published: 08/15/2017 | Author: The Movieman

Jonathan Mostow
Kevin Wignall (novel); John Brancato & Michael Ferris (screenplay)
Sam Worthington, Odeya Rush, Allen Leech, Amy Landecker, Martin Compston, Veronica Echegui

Featurettes
Yes
Blu-ray
1

English (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
1080p/Widescreen 2.39
English SDH, Spanish
29.5 GB
MPEG-4 AVC
A

This review contains plot , so reader’s please be aware!

Lucas (SAM WORTHINGTON) is a solitary assassin hired to kill a young woman, Ella (ODEYA RUSH). When Lucas can’t bring himself to pull the trigger, the plan falls apart, setting in a motion a twisted game of cat and mouse with his one employer, the rich and egomaniac Richard Addison (ALLEN LEECH). Now, both are marked for death and forced to form an uneasy alliance. The pair are relentlessly pursued across Europe dodging other assassins as Lucas has a price on his head and Ella has the key to money her father stole from Addison.

While I won’t go as far to say was a surprise considering its direct-to-video status, I will say that it’s at the very least a passably entertaining thriller, one in which Sam Worthington may not deliver a amazing performance, but his Lucas assassin character being emotional reserved works well for the much maligned actor, no longer Hollywood’s next great star following a stint of box office, and critical, flops. Odeya Rush on the other hand is probably the highlight; she might not have gotten the material to utilize a ton of talent, but she was the standout.

The supporting cast are more less fillers. You’ve got the appropriately named Allen Leech as the film’s primary, and rather weak, villain; Amy Lendecker, who played Dr. Bruner in , portrays a corrupt U.S. government agent; and Spanish-born actress Veronica Echegui is a fellow assassin who helps Lucas before turning on him and to her credit, Echegui actually isn’t half bad for such limited screen time.

Jonathan Mostow directs , if the name sounds familiar, his claim to fame, as director’s go anyway, was 2003’s , and while that film was a big letdown, I’ve found Mostow to be a serviceable director given subpar scripts (as demonstrated by and ) while 1997’s , when I last saw it many years ago, was a solid little thriller. So with that, it’s kind of nice to see him go back to the basics.

There’s nothing new with the plot, though the added element of making an assassin also a junkie was rather interesting, albeit it didn’t go very far as, being pushed to quit by Lucas’ new ward, didn’t exactly ring true. Yes, he goes through painful withdraws, but seemed to get past it with little repercussions, but I suppose in the name of quicker pacing, they skipped over the recovery stage.

But in any case, clocking in at a speedy 91-minutes (less with credits), might not be the most memorable thriller to come out but I did find it rather entertaining based mostly on its young star, Odeya Rush, while Sam Worthington makes for a fine lead, nothing more. At the very least, this is probably worthy of a rental, but if you’re on the fence, Netflix would be a good option as well.

This release comes with a matted . Inside is a redemption code for the copy.

(11:08; HD) – This is your standard making-of featurette and includes on-location interviews with the cast and crew as they discuss the characters. looks at the various filming locations across Europe. examines the vehicular stunt work.

– , , , ,

Presented in 1080p high-definition and a 2.39 widescreen aspect ratio, looks fine in HD, detail is fairly good especially in close-ups while the more distant shots tend to be on the softer side. Colors are generally bright during the daylight scenes; nighttime scenes, though, have that distinctive – and cheap – day-for-night appearance, which is a bit stark in high-def. But otherwise, and considering a somewhat low budget (reportedly $17 million), it’s a rather standard looking picture that won’t wow but doesn’t look terrible either.

The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offers crisp and clean dialogue levels mainly through the center channel. When the action does manage to pick up, primarily with gunfire, the depth is on display with nice usage of the front channels while the rear speakers are relegated for ambient noise and a generic (i.e. forgettable) score by Federico Jusid ( ).

Overall, no, isn’t exactly a memorable suspense-drama or anything and Sam Worthington doesn’t exactly turn in a strong performance, meaning par for the course for the actor, but I did think the young Odeya Rush was a standout and I was moderately entertained from beginning to end. That said, this is probably at best worth a rental. The Blu-ray release has good video/audio transfers while the features aren’t substantial though better than nothing…

Your Comment

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Name (required)

E-mail (required)

A CARPENTER’S PRAYER

"a redemptive story of faith and forgiveness".

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Man with alcohol problem gets pastor’s young son to say nothing to father about his problem, but it’s rebuked and resolved positively.

More Detail:

A CARPENTER’S PRAYER is an inspiring example of God’s faithfulness to redeem even the most unlikely of people.

Pastor Doyle Clark pastors a local church in Michigan during the 1970s. Despite their humble means, the Clark family is full of love and trust that God will provide. Pastor Clark wants to pursue God’s calling on his life of uniting four smaller churches under the roof of a new building. However, when a pastor from another church backs out, Pastor Clark is desperate to find the money to continue the project.

Another problem arises when one of the contractors, Lloyd, has a heart attack. Now, Pastor Doyle not only needs money, he also needs a carpenter who can fill in for Lloyd.

Meanwhile, at a bar in Detroit, a drunk named Glenn Frank plays his guitar. Glenn is promptly kicked out and taken to jail. Glenn’s sister picks him up and offers him a place in her home in the same town as Pastor Clark and his family. Despite his vices, Glenn tells Pastor Clarke he can fill in as carpenter. Better yet, he can work for free because he still gets paychecks from his old job.

Thankful for Glenn’s act of kindness, the Clarks take Glenn in and shows him the love of God by providing him with community and meals. Glenn grows close with Pastor Clark’s oldest son, Lance, whose greatest wish in life is to learn to play the guitar.

Glenn makes the boy promise not to tell his father about his drinking problem. In return, Glenn will teach Lance how to play the guitar. Lance is conflicted about lying to his father, but he agrees.

However, Glenn’s reliance on alcohol only grows as memories from his past bombard him with grief. The town begins to question Clark’s relationship with Glenn, especially when he starts to put his own life and other people’s lives in danger.

While Pastor Clark begins to lose hope, Lance trusts that God still has a plan for Glenn, his family and the church.

A CARPENTER’S PRAYER is a rousing true story about how God has the power to redeem, the importance of showing God’s love to those in need, and God’s provision despite our circumstances. Along with the movie’s overarching themes of redemption and God’s love, there are many encouraging examples of local ministry and faithful pastoral leadership such as prayer, baptism and worship.

Despite some heavier, adult themes, A CARPENTER’S PRAYER is an encouraging, inspiring movie many families can enjoy together. Due to some depictions of drunkenness, MOVIEGUIDE® does advise caution for children.

COMMENTS

The Hunter's Prayer movie review (2017)
The Hunter's Prayer. In " Stardust Memories ," Woody Allen described his mother's cooking as putting food through "the deflavorizing machine." "The Hunter's Prayer" is like a Luc Besson film put through a deflavorizing machine to remove any element that could be distinctive, energetic, or fun. The most over-used, over-wrought ...
The Hunter's Prayer
Jun 9, 2017 Full Review Jason Best Movie Talk The modest scope of B-movie action thriller The Hunter's Prayer can be gauged by the fact that its big-time criminal tycoon (played by Downton Abbey ...
'The Hunter's Prayer' Review
The action falters a bit when attention shifts to the rocky relationship between Lucas and Ella, but cinematographer Jose David Montero and editor Ken Blackwell succeed in getting things back on ...
The Hunter's Prayer
Despite treading far-too-familiar territory, The Hunter's Prayer is a surprisingly solid action thriller that should appeal to fans of Luc Besson's earlier movies. Full Review | Jun 8, 2017
The Hunter's Prayer (2017)
An Excellent Thriller. HealthyLove 5 June 2017. The Hunter's Prayer is a British-American action thriller film directed by Jonathan Mostow, based on Kevin Wignall's novel "For the Dogs." "The Hunter's Prayer" follows Lucas (Worthington), a solitary assassin, hired to kill a young woman, Ella, (Rush), who is unaware that her family's ...
'The Hunter's Prayer' Review
Film Review: 'The Hunter's Prayer'. A routine but reasonably diverting B-movie about a conscience-stricken hit man and the girl he opts not to kill. Echoes of "Leon: The Professional ...
The Hunter's Prayer (2017)
The Hunter's Prayer: Directed by Jonathan Mostow. With Martin Compston, Tina Maskell, Eben Young, Stephanie Dooley. An assassin helps a young woman avenge the death of her family.
Review: The Hunter's Prayer
Review: The Hunter's Prayer. Jonathan Mostow luxuriates in the pure surface pleasures of the his many taut, formally dynamic action sequences. Near the halfway point of Jonathan Mostow's The Hunter's Prayer, Lucas (Sam Worthington), a hired assassin, sits down for a bite to eat with Ella (Odeya Rush), the teenage girl whose life he spared ...
'The Hunter's Prayer' Review: Sam Worthington Hits Some Familiar Beats
Movies · Reviews 'The Hunter's Prayer' Review: Sam Worthington Hits Some Familiar Beats. By Rob Hunter · Published on June 8th, 2017 ... The Hunter's Prayer is a fast, forgettable watch ...
The Hunter's Prayer
The Hunter's Prayer is a 2017 action crime film directed by Jonathan Mostow, based on the 2004 novel For the Dogs by Kevin Wignall. The film tells about a conflicted hitman helping a young woman to avenge the death of her family. The film stars Sam Worthington, Odeya Rush, Allen Leech, and Amy Landecker.Filming began on August 12, 2014, in Yorkshire, England.
THE HUNTER'S PRAYER (2017) review
THE HUNTER'S PRAYER (2017) review. June 8, 2017. tags: Allen Leech, ... Nearly a decade after his comic book adaptation/sci-fi/Bruce Willis flick "Surrogates" comes "The Hunter's Prayer", the latest movie from director Jonathan Mostow. This is the guy who was given the keys to Ahnuld's Harley with "Terminator 3: Rise of the ...
The Hunter's Prayer
The Hunter's Prayer - Metacritic. Summary Lucas (Sam Worthington), a solitary assassin, is hired to kill a young woman, Ella, (Odeya Rush). When he can't bring himself to pull the trigger the plan falls apart, setting in motion a twisted game of cat and mouse. Now both are marked for death and forced to form an uneasy alliance.
The Hunter's Prayer (2017) Review
The car chases are strong, and the gunfights are above average. Strictly taken as an action movie, though, The Hunter's Prayer has solid kinetics available. The Technics: With a slightly larger budget and a more experienced cast and crew than most, The Hunter's Prayer looks, sounds, and flows terrifically. Mostow gifts The Hunter's Prayer ...
The Hunter's Prayer (2017)
An assassin forges an unlikely partnership with one of his targets: a woman seeking revenge for the murder of her family. Jonathan Mostow. Kevin Wignall. John Brancato. Michael Ferris. Gimly. Join the Community. The Basics. About TMDB.
The Hunter's Prayer (2017)
The Hunter's Prayer (2017) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... Menu. Movies. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. TV Shows. What's on TV & Streaming Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Browse TV Shows by Genre TV News.
Review: The Hunter's Prayer
REVIEW: Given the premise, audiences won't be surprised to learn that THE HUNTER'S PRAYER, with its "hitman with a heart of gold" twist adds absolutely nothing new to the genre. It's ...
The Hunter's Prayer
The modest scope of B-movie action thriller The Hunter's Prayer can be gauged by the fact that its big-time criminal tycoon (played by Downton Abbey's Allen Leech) has his international headquarters in Leeds. Even so, Terminator 3 director Jonathan Mostow whips up a fair degree of excitement as Sam Worthington's repentant assassin strives to protect his erstwhile target, Odeya Rush's 16 ...
Film Review: 'The Hunter's Prayer'
Echoes of "Leon: The Professional" and the Jason Bourne franchise resound throughout "The Hunter's Prayer," a briskly paced and instantly forgettable cut-and-paste thriller about a ...
The Hunter's Prayer (2017)
Visit the movie page for 'The Hunter's Prayer' on Moviefone. Discover the movie's synopsis, cast details and release date. Watch trailers, exclusive interviews, and movie review. Your guide to ...
The Hunter's Prayer Movie Reviews
Buy a ticket to A Quiet Place: Day 1 Get $5 off A Quiet Place 3-Movie Collection; Summer Greetings from Fandango! Get double points July 1st - July 4th; FREE advance screening of Those About to Die RSVP and be the first to catch the new series; Join The Frontier Pass For Horizon: An American Saga
The Hunter's Prayer (2017)
An assassin helps a young woman avenge the death of her family. This high-octane thriller focuses on Lucas (Sam Worthington), a solitary assassin hired to kill a young woman, Ella (Odeya Rush). When he can't bring himself to pull the trigger, the plan falls apart, setting in motion a twisted game of cat-and-mouse.
Mark Reviews Movies: THE HUNTER'S PRAYER
Review by Mark Dujsik | June 8, 2017. Here's an action thriller that seems to exist to define the idea of middlebrow entertainment. The Hunter's Prayer is too familiar and formulaic to work in any significant or even trivial way, but it's so inconsequential that it's impossible to fault the movie too much. It's bland in a, well, bland sort of way.
The Hunter's Prayer Blu-ray Review
The Hunter's Prayer isn't exactly a memorable suspense-drama or anything and Sam Worthington doesn't exactly turn in a strong performance, meaning par for the course for the actor, but I did think the young Odeya Rush was a standout and I was moderately entertained.. The Hunter's Prayer (2017) Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller, Drama Lionsgate | R - 91 min. - $24.99 | August 8, 2017
A CARPENTER'S PRAYER
A CARPENTER'S PRAYER is a rousing true story about how God has the power to redeem, the importance of showing God's love to those in need, and God's provision despite our circumstances. Along with the movie's overarching themes of redemption and God's love, there are many encouraging examples of local ministry and faithful pastoral ...

Movie Reviews

Now playing

The Good Half

The Girl in the Pool

Rule of Two Walls

Monica Castillo

Close to You

The Hunter's Prayer (2017)

Writer (novel)

Cinematographer

Latest blog posts

A Woman Without Peers: Gena Rowlands (1930-2024)

The Needle Drop Sessions: Pump Up the Volume & Untamed Heart

Locarno Film Festival 2024: Youth (Hard Times), Transamazonia, Moon

Thumbnails 8/15/24: Six Must-Reads You Don’t Want To Miss This Week

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

site categories

Justin Lowe

Related Stories

THR Newsletters

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

The Hunter's Prayer Reviews

Film Review: ‘The Hunter’s Prayer’

Related Stories

Popular on Variety

Reviewed online, Houston, June 6, 2017. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 91 MIN.

More from Variety

Suggestions

You might be interested in

‘Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1’ Review: Kevin Costner’s Stilted Grand Opus

Missing Review: Storm Reid Tries to Find Her Mom in Unintentionally Funny Searching Sequel

Avatar: The Way of Water Review: An Exhaustingly Splendid Return to Pandora

Derek Smith

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Review: Camera Obscura

Review: Funeral Parade of Roses

‘The Hunter’s Prayer’ Review: Sam Worthington Hits Some Familiar Beats

A hitman finds redemption in the innocence of his latest target.

Defining the Success of ‘Baywatch’ as a Summer Blockbuster

How to Make a Shot List Like Terrence Malick

film reviews and movie discussion

THE HUNTER’S PRAYER (2017) review

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

Discover more from Keeping It Reel

Follow the JOBLO MOVIE NETWORK

Follow ARROW IN THE HEAD

Review: The Hunter’s Prayer

The Hunter's Prayer

About the Author

Latest Movie News

Green Lantern: Is It REALLY That Bad?

Poll: What’s The Best Alien Movie?

Alain Delon Dead: Iconic French Actor Was 88

Dave Bautista obsessed over playing Bane and Lex Luthor

Alien: Romulus is on track for a solid domestic opening, but is a major blockbuster overseas

Alien Movies Ranked: From Worst to Best

No Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy in The Batman sequel?

Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Alien: Romulus, In A Violent Nature, Rocky, Terminator 2, Up

JoBlo Friday Night Flicks: Our Live Stream Ranks the Worst Video Game Movies!

Logan co-writer says people warned him that Deadpool & Wolverine ruined his ending

It's quick and easy to login and vote!

The Hunter's Prayer | Sam Worthington hunts down a B-movie Mr Big to his Yorkshire lair

Get the What to Watch Newsletter

Most Popular

Entertainment

New on Yahoo

Film Review: ‘The Hunter’s Prayer’

The Hunter's Prayer (2017)

Stream & Watch The Hunter's Prayer

Cast & Crew

Movie Details

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

The Hunter's Prayer

Contribute to this page