I was about 6 or 7 years old when I first saw "Fate Is the Hunter" on television. I was so terrified by the opening scene and saddened by one particular passenger's demise (an unidentified young girl) that I didn't see the rest of the movie.
Fast-forward to 35 years later. I've watched various movies that could be considered "disaster" movies and some that certainly could be considered "disastrous". "Fate Is the Hunter" is right in the middle. It's better than most movies but not enough to stand-out.
I think where the movie struggled was the crash investigation process. I wanted to care about the lead character (Glenn Ford) and, through flashbacks, the pilot of the ill-fated plane (Rod Taylor). Sadly, I was not at all impressed with the character study. I thought it was all surface and very little depth. Suzanne Pleshette fared best in a good (albeit minor) cast as the flight attendant who survived the crash and helps in the investigation.
I was even more disappointed that the relatives of the crash victims were silent unknown actors. There was no voice for them. It would've meant changing the entire storyline but I believe it would've made the movie more interesting on an emotional level.
I will say the first 10 minutes and the last 10 minutes are still very terrifying despite some dated trappings (e.g.: "cheap" special and matte effects) and I do admire how the plot was developed and how the story was resolved. I also thought Jerry Goldsmith's musical score was low-key but very effective. I just wished the center portion of "Fate Is the Hunter" was better.
Fast-forward to 35 years later. I've watched various movies that could be considered "disaster" movies and some that certainly could be considered "disastrous". "Fate Is the Hunter" is right in the middle. It's better than most movies but not enough to stand-out.
I think where the movie struggled was the crash investigation process. I wanted to care about the lead character (Glenn Ford) and, through flashbacks, the pilot of the ill-fated plane (Rod Taylor). Sadly, I was not at all impressed with the character study. I thought it was all surface and very little depth. Suzanne Pleshette fared best in a good (albeit minor) cast as the flight attendant who survived the crash and helps in the investigation.
I was even more disappointed that the relatives of the crash victims were silent unknown actors. There was no voice for them. It would've meant changing the entire storyline but I believe it would've made the movie more interesting on an emotional level.
I will say the first 10 minutes and the last 10 minutes are still very terrifying despite some dated trappings (e.g.: "cheap" special and matte effects) and I do admire how the plot was developed and how the story was resolved. I also thought Jerry Goldsmith's musical score was low-key but very effective. I just wished the center portion of "Fate Is the Hunter" was better.