The Hunter

Theatrical Release: August 1, 1980

DVD Release: August 14, 2001

faith

integrity

sex

language

violence

drugs

nudity

other

Content Rating Descriptions

Synopsis

Veteran bounty hunter Ralph “Papa” Thorson (Steve McQueen, in his final film role) goes on a series of downright dangerous searches to bring in the bad guys in this action film (with some comedy sprinkled in) based on the real-life bounty hunter Thorson. With each life-threatening incident in the line of duty, Thorson questions his chosen profession and his longevity in it. Kathryn Harrold plays Thorson’s pregnant girlfriend, Dotty.

Dove Review

Steve McQueen plays “Papa” Thorson, a modern day bounty hunter who always runs into some action when he tries to get his man. He balances his dangerous life with a very-pregnant girlfriend who is tentative about marriage due to her failed first marriage. Thorson finds himself as both pursuer and the pursued in this explosive, action-packed movie, the last film Steve McQueen made before passing away. Unfortunately, there are some violent scenes in the film, along with strong language as well as a few scenes of sex outside of marriage so we are unable to award this movie our Dove Seal as a family-friendly picture.

Content Description

Faith: None

Integrity: None

Sex: Unmarried couple has implied sex and the woman is several months pregnant; some sexual sounds heard from behind door; a man in his mid to late twenties if not older has sex with a girl who is anywhere from her mid to late teens and it is strongly implied with sounds but not seen; a "horny" comment.

Language: J-1; Ch*ist-1; G/OMG-5; S-18; H-7; D-4; SOB-3; A-3; B-4; P-1; Cr*p-1; A couple of use of "fool" and one racial term of "cracker" and one use of slang for masturbation.

Violence: A gun is held on young man who is in trouble with the law; a character bangs a few cars with his parallel parking; a stun gun is used on a man; dynamite thrown at man; car blows up with bad guy in it; a man scares a teacher at school by saying he is going to kill her boyfriend; a man's life is threatened over the phone; gun shots at house; man holds gun to girl; man shoots woman in chest and blood is seen; it is said a character committed suicide; a man is hit lightly by a car; a man is beat up; several cars crash in a chase; an explosion from released gas in a science lab.

Drugs: Drinking in bar; scenes of drinking beer; a joke about marijuana; a character is drunk; a man who sold marijuana is caught.

Nudity: Shirtless man; cleavage; rear female nudity from a distance which is difficult to see.

Other: A character in one scene tries to remind his pregnant girlfriend he wanted her to have an abortion; a car is stolen; a woman talks to a man about his gay boyfriend;

Info

Company: Paramount Home Entertainment

Writer: Christopher Keane and Ralph Thorson

Director: Buzz Kulik

Producer: Mort Engelberg

Genre: Action

Runtime: 97 min.

Starring: Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson, Richard Venture, Tracey Walter, Teddy Wilson Thomas Rosales Jr. Ray Bickel Bobby Bass Karl Schueneman Margaret Mary O'Hara James Spinks Frank Delfino

Reviewer: Edwin L. Carpenter