Tommy Lee Jones spent much of the '90s hovering around the edges of action cinema, often stealing scenes without ever throwing a punch. In films like Under Siege, his menace was verbal—those razor-sharp lines and that steely glare—rather than physical. But in 2003, director William Friedkin handed him the keys to a full-blown action vehicle, and Jones proved he could hold his own in the mud and blood.
The Hunted pairs Jones with Benicio del Toro in a tense, gritty thriller that's now finding a new audience on Paramount+. The plot is straightforward: Jones plays L.T. Bonham, a retired survival instructor and tracker who's pulled back into service by the FBI. His target? Aaron Hallam (del Toro), a former student and Special Forces operative who's gone rogue, living in the Pacific Northwest wilderness and killing hunters he deems unworthy. Bonham knows the terrain and the man, so he takes the job personally.
At the time of its release, The Hunted didn't exactly set the world on fire—it earned a modest 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and underperformed at the box office. But streaming has a way of giving overlooked gems a second life, and this one is no exception. It's easy to see why: the film is lean, mean, and features some surprisingly visceral action.
What sets The Hunted apart from other thrillers of its era is how it treats its aging protagonist. Jones was 55 during filming, and he doesn't pretend otherwise. Bonham is a man who's seen better days—he's afraid of heights, gets airsick, and is socially awkward when the conversation turns to himself. He's a killer trainer, but he's never actually killed anyone. That vulnerability makes him more relatable than the typical invincible action hero.
The action itself is raw and physical. Jones and del Toro reportedly trained for three months to perform most of their own stunts, and it shows. The fight scenes are brutal, with knives and bare hands, and they feel authentic—no quick cuts or stunt doubles hiding the choreography. The third act is essentially one long, nearly dialogue-free chase sequence that echoes the tension of a certain iconic hunter.
One of the film's most memorable moments comes early, when Bonham rescues a wolf from a snare, then tracks down the poacher who set it and slams his head into a bar table. It's a scene that establishes his moral code and his quiet menace—he could have gone full Kingsman on the whole bar, but he chooses restraint. That unspoken intimidation is pure Tommy Lee Jones.
Adding to the film's cool factor is Johnny Cash's narration at the opening and his song "The Man Comes Around" over the end credits—a choice that predates similar uses in Dawn of the Dead and Logan by years. It's a fitting soundtrack for a movie about a man who's seen too much and still finds the strength to do what's right.
If you're in the mood for a tight, underrated thriller with a legendary actor in top form, The Hunted is now streaming on Paramount+. It's a reminder that sometimes the best action heroes are the ones who've earned their scars.
