Sick Product of a Sick System

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Extremely Low-Budget War Film about the very Last Days of the Korean "War". It is a Thoughtful, well Researched Little Movie that Introduced Robert Redford to the Big Screen and has a Few other Notables...Director Sydney Pollack before He Changed Occupations as a Sgt., Tom Skerritt (also a debut), and John Saxon in a Show Stealing Role as a Psychopath who is Completely Divorced from Reality.Saxon and Redford are the Leads Playing Polar Opposites. Redford as a Naive Rookie and Saxon as an Insane Killer Relishing His Environment.There are some Deep Subplots for such a Short Movie and the Look is like Good Television of the Era with Echoes of "Twilight Zone" and foreshadowing "Combat".At the Center of the Movie is an Orphaned Korean Child "adopted" by the Maniac Saxon and Redford doing what He can to Rescue the Kid before it is Too Late. The Politics and Intricacies of the War and its Negotiation Table Necessities are included and some Dialog about the Method of this "Police Action" Madness.A Strong Cast and Good Camera Work along with a Haunting Score and Script, make this a "Sleeper" for War Movie and Anti-War Movie Fans. A Film that is virtually Unknown but is Definitely one that's Worth a Watch. Not only for its soon to be "Star Power" but for its Raw and Real Characters and its Offbeat but very Realistic Tone.

This ultra low-budgeted and virtually unknown war/drama movie is probably the most interesting from an "acting" point-of-view. "War Hunt" remarkably – but I suppose coincidentally as well – features the big screen debuts of no less than three names that are nowadays considered hugely famous and acclaimed. Director Sydney Pollack (who sadly passed away earlier this year) and charismatic star Tom Skerritt both appear in small yet memorable roles, while Robert Redford (later star of classics such as "The Sting" and "All The President's Men") debuts in the fairly complex leading role of idealistic soldier in the center of a senseless Korean war zone. And yet, in spite of the more appealing great names, it's unquestionably the still underrated veteran actor John Saxon who steals the show. Even more so, Saxon owns the film and he's genuinely petrifying as the introvert soldier who appears to use the Korean War to give rein to his murderous and psychotic tendencies. When the young and inexperienced private Loomis arrives at the front during the last stage of the Korean War, his fellow soldiers immediately warn him to stay out of the way of Private Endore and his protégé Charlie; a local orphan kid. Endore is a brilliant soldier and of immeasurably value to the American army, but that is mainly because he single-handedly decreases the number of Korean soldiers by deliberately sneaking behind enemy lines at night. Private Loomis protests against this, especially because he wants to protect the young Charlie from his dangerous colleague. The rudimentary plot of "War Hunt" is actually pretty genius, since it's the first and only film – at least, as far as I know – that openly suggests signing up for the army is the ideal method for psychopathic killers to get away with their incontrollable urges and even get honored for them! Private Endore is anti-social, impolite and without manners but his superiors never cease to cover from him because he's such a powerful weapon against the enemy. The atmosphere of "War Hunt" is aptly depressing and dark, with some really brilliant musical choices and bleak photography. Presumably due to the absence of financial means, there's a severe shortage of action scenes and hence you'll have to struggle yourself through a handful of seemingly dull and redundant moments. Still, if it's not necessarily boisterous gunfire and violent battles in the trenches you're searching for, I would definitely recommend "War Hunt", if it were only for John Saxon's stupendous performance. His menacingly painted faced, the desolate star in his eyes and his completely unpredictable and impulsive personality make this one of the greatest performances I've ever seen in a low-keyed war epic.

At the outset the film appears to be about the typical effects of war and its effects upon the soldiers and population surrounded by it. A closer look though reveals the questioning of the purpose of the Korean War. Besides the negative psychological effects upon the soldiers; they constantly seem to ask themselves, through the eyes of Robert Redford, what the purpose behind the killing is. We are constantly reminded that this was a war fought by the politicians and bankers to the detriment of the soldiers and the Korean people who suffered. This is ironically depicted when we see a group of soldiers being driven to the front while one of them is looking at the price of Wall Street stock prices. Redford in this, one of his early film debuts, dramatically questions the senseless violence. This is emphasised at the end of the film by the senseless killing of a fellow American soldier who looses control over his ability to distinguish between killing as a soldier and for no reason at all.

The 'psychotic' hero is an essay captured in two fine War films: Donald Siegal's "Hell Is For Heroes"— the story of a sergeant who for being psychotic embarked on suicidal heroic missions, and our distinguished film "War Hunt."The picture is clearly stated and openly defined... Pvt. Raymond Endore (John Saxon) goes out at night on 'solitary' patrols... The information he brings back is very useful for Capt. Wallace Pratt (Charles Aidman) whose posture toward Endore is 'paternal' gratification...But the strong reason to his voluntary patrol is to murder... He is a ritual killer practicing a formal act with his knife, and after finishing with his victim, he stands behind the body in mystical meditation...Even after the cease-fire on the Korean front, Endore extends his night patrols... This 'psycho' mind is already sick, and there is nothing to be done to narrow his actions...With just one major battle scene, "War Hunt" is absolutely a penetrating study of War drama, focusing on its traumatic effects: The 'fighting' soldier and the 'non-fighting' man..."War Hunt" is ingenious, deeply stimulating, and cautiously photographed... The extraordinary hand-to-hand fight, between Redford and the Chinese soldier, proves it...John Saxon is terrific as the tormentor and Robert Redford (in his film's debut) is excellent as the idealistic Pvt. Roy Loomis...