Woodyanders Review of Death Hunt

Death Hunt (1981)

A solid and exciting chase action thriller winner

[8/10 · 3 February 2008]

The Yukon territory in 1931. Rugged, laconic loner trapper Albert Johnson (a splendidly terse and stoic Charles Bronson) saves a badly wounded canine from a brutal dogfight. The guys involved in the dogfight decide to pay Johnson a visit. Johnson shoots and kills one of the men in self-defense. Tough Mountie Sergeant Edgar Millen (a strong, steely turn by Lee Marvin) tries to arrest Johnson, but he gets away and so begins one of the deadliest manhunts in history. Director Peter Hunt relates the gripping story at a steady pace, vividly evokes the Great Depression period setting, stages the action scenes with rip-roaring flair, and frequently punctuates things with startling outbursts of raw, bloody violence. Bronson and Marvin both excel in the leads (their one big confrontation scene is a taut, crackling doozy); they receive fine support from Andrew Stevens as eager, by-the-book, fresh-faced rookie Alvin Adams, Carl Weathers as the jolly Sundog, Ed Lauter as gruff, huffy troublemaker Hazel, Angie Dickinson as the sweet, enticing Vanessa McBride, Henry Beckman as wily veteran tracker Bill Lusk, August Schellenberg as the hot-tempered Deak De Blearque, Maury Chaykin as the scruffy, dim-witted Claurence, Len Lesser as the grizzled Lewis, Scott Hylands as cocky airplane pilot Hank Tucker, and Willam Sanderson as the clumsy Ned Warren (he gets his arm caught in a bear trap). James Devis' slick, expansive cinematography, Jerrold Immel's rousing, majestic score, and the desolate wintry landscape all further enhance the overall sound quality of this cracking good and stirring picture.