"Only the most ridiculous parts of this story are true."
The Hunting Party is a 2007 American action-adventure-thriller film with elements of political activism and dark satire, starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Diane Kruger and Jesse Eisenberg. Very Loosely Based on a True Story.
The Hunting Party had its world premiere at the 64th Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2007.
This movie provides examples of:
- America Saves the Day: An actual team of CIA agents rescue Simon, Duck and Benjamin from the Fox.
- Ax-Crazy: The Fox's main bodyguard Srđan, who actually does wield an axe and has the phrase "Died before birth" tattooed on his forehead in Cyrillic.
- Big Bad: The Fox.
- Black Market: The trio runs into a group, and they are about to kill our heroes when one of them recognize Simon. Turns out they are Black Marketeers, and Simon owes them money.
- Broken Pedestal: Simon is considered a cautionary example after his on-air meltdown. Benjamin said that he watched it in journalism school.
- Camera Abuse: The cameramen Simon uses after Duck aren't that great, and it shows.
- Casual Danger Dialog: Often between Simon and Duck. As the story progresses, Benjamin gets into the act.
- Could Say It, But...: When Boris introduces our heroes to MirjanaBoris: I'm not doing what I'm doing. I mean, clearly I'm doing this, but I'm not doing this, because if I was doing this, I could get into a lot of trouble for doing it.
- Cycle of Revenge: Duck says, "It was shitty on both sides."
- Do with Him as You Will: The protagonists ultimately succeed in capturing a Serbian war criminal. They drive to a town he persecuted, leave him in the town square with his hands securely bound, and drive away. We don't see his fate, but it was probably unpleasant. The last that's seen of him is the camera freezing on him, running and with a scared expression on his face, just as the villagers catch up with him.
- Donut Mess with a Cop: The Indian UN officer the trio see before Boris has a large box of donuts which he offers to them, something the epilogue admits is fictional.
- Heroic BSoD: Simon has one at the beginning of the movie. A flashback reveals why: He'd found his pregnant girlfriend's dead body 20 minutes earlier.
- Mysterious Informant: The local smuggler who offers them information on the Fox, claiming it is due to him affecting her business.
- Mysterious Mercenary Pursuer: A scarred man who follows our heroes throughout the movie turns out to work for the CIA.
- Nepotism: Benjamin is the son of someone important at the network, which might be why he got a job, although not too important of one.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: The UN officers whom Simon, Duck and Benjamin meet don't try to stop them, but aren't that helpful (although Boris does try).
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Duck's full name is not given.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Boris, in a bumbling fashion. He focuses on cleaning up the effects of the war, and while acknowledging that his hands are tied about officially pursuing the Fox is eager to provide aide to others with that goal, facilitating unofficial meetings and such.
- Sure, Let's Go with That: Mirjana thinks the trio are from the CIA, and she wants money for information on the Fox. Simon and Duck, who have no money and are not CIA, are uncertain what to do. Mirjana stands up to leave. Then Benjamin says...Benjamin: The Agency has strict rules. We're not authorized for payments.[Mirjana sits back down while Simon and Duck stare in amazement]Benjamin: Others in the company are, but not us. Smaller divisions, weaker divisions. You know what we do. You know who we are. You know our reputation and our accuracy in achieving our goals around the world.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Why everyone seems to believe the trio are a CIA hit squad. If they were, they would deny it.
- Token Good Cop: : The U.N. Peacekeepers are mostly clueless and unhelpful throughout the reporters' hunt for the Fox, but Boris does try to set them up with useful contacts while hoping they succeed and seems to handle his other jobs well.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: Five Western war-reporters reunited in Sarajevo during April 2000. Over some drinks at a local bar one night decided to make a halfhearted attempt at catching the accused war criminal and fugitive Radovan Karadžić. The group consisted of Americans Scott Anderson, Sebastian Junger and John Falk, as well as Dutchman Harald Doornbos and Philippe Deprez from Belgium. Junger, Falk, Doornbos, and Deprez make cameo appearances in the movie as unnamed journalists in the press pack.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: The fate of Simon's girlfriend's cousin, who appears in a short flashback scene, is left unclear.
