The Hunters
Performance & Direction: The Hunters Review
Last updated: January 24, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Hunters (1958) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 5.7/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this War.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any War is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Hunters features a noteworthy lineup led by Robert Mitchum . Supported by the likes of Robert Wagner and Richard Egan , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of The Hunters (1958) is mixed. With an audience rating of 5.7/10, it stands as a decent one-time watch.
Story & Plot Summary: The Hunters
Quick Plot Summary: The Hunters is a War, Action, Drama film that presents a compelling narrative that engages viewers from start to finish. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Ending Explained: The Hunters
Ending Breakdown: The Hunters attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to war resolution.
The emotional climax centers on character transformation, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the war themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Hunters reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Hunters Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Hunters uses real-world events as narrative inspiration. As a war, action, drama film, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, with attention to period detail and historical context.
Accuracy Assessment: The Hunters adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Hunters?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for War films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Top Cast: The Hunters
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch The Hunters Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
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YouTube
Fandango At Home🏷️ Buy on
Amazon VideoApple TV StoreGoogle Play MoviesYouTubeFandango At HomeThe Hunters Parents Guide & Age Rating
1958 AdvisoryWondering about The Hunters age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Hunters is 108 minutes (1h 48m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 5.7/10, and global performance metrics, The Hunters is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1958 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Hunters worth watching?
The Hunters is definitely worth watching if you enjoy War movies. It has a verified rating of 5.7/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Hunters parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Hunters identifies it as NR. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Hunters?
The total duration of The Hunters is 108 minutes, which is approximately 1h 48m long.
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Critic Reviews for The Hunters
Love tryst and thundering planes. Set during the Korean War, this picture features the fine talent of Robert Mitchum as Major Cleve Saville and a young fresh faced Robert Wagner as the cocksure Lt Ed Pell. As the war rages, and the airmen deal with the pressures that come with the service, Saville starts to fall in love with the wife (a very weak May Britt) of one of his men, thus adding further pressures to a company growing weary by the day. The Hunters, based on the novel written by James Salter, is a very solid picture, perhaps bogged down by it's determination to give the picture emotional heart, it never the less thrills with its aerial sequences and is awash with glorious colour that new televisual technology can enhance, it's also a film that definitely needs to be seen in widescreen. By not outstaying its welcome, The Hunters is the perfect film for genre fans who find themselves stuck in the house on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Though Mitchum of course oozes his usual screen presence here, he is playing second fiddle to the F-86 Sabres that are swishing about the bright blue sky, dog fighting with the Migs (well F-84 Thunders cunningly disguised as Migs) and thus giving the picture the necessary action quotient. Films set in the Korean War are few and far between, so to at least have a film like The Hunters to view when in the mood is surely a really good thing. 6/10
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
