The Hunter (2005): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2005, The Hunter is a war, action and drama film directed by Kong Sheng, running about 103 minutes.

What it’s about. Shanzi 's father is an experienced hunter. Under his father's influence, Shanzi became a skilled marksman. The Japanese came, massacred his village, and brutally killed his family, the sixteen year old boy became an orphan. One day, a Japanese broke into the trap set by him. He snatched the enemy's gun but was blocked by Eighth Route Army soldiers. After some twists and turns, he joined the Eighth Route Army. He thought that if he joined the army, he would be able to fight Japanese invaders and avenge his parents, but the army commander disarmed him and sent him to the cooking class to follow Lao Jiaodong. One day, the squad was tasked to cover a large force. However, this was a very dangerous mission. The sudden invasion of the Japanese plunged the squad into a bitter battle. They were forced in a desperate situation, at the moment of life and death, Lao Jiaodong sacrificed his life to save Shanzi. From then on, he became a lone hunter trying to take on the Japanese by himself.

How it landed. With an audience score of 10.0/10, The Hunter sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Hunter page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Hunter tend to enjoy Schindler's List, Grave of the Fireflies, The Pianist and Apocalypse Now.