In the bonus segment of the DVD of "The Hunter's Prayer," director Jonathan Mostow described his intention to transform the generic action and "road film" with a major reversal in the character relationships. Due to the good character developments, the filmmakers were successful in their mission.

A hired killer named Lucas (Sam Worthington) is tasked with the job of killing the daughter of an attorney, who has recently been assassinated at the behest of the nefarious financier named Addison. The daughter, Ella (Odeya Rush),who stands to inherit a fortune, is captured by Lucas, but she asks him a question that is a game changer: "What is your name?" The killer is so taken aback by this human touch that he begins to reflect on his life as a thug. That transformation leads to the new life he will create for himself out of this experience.

The film is set in a variety of locations, including Scarsdale, N.Y.; Montreux, Switzerland; Chaumont, France; The English Channel; and Leeds, England. Much of the filming took place in Hungary. But there is some stunning footage of Yorkshire at the close of the film, as well as a grand old English manor house.

But the film will not be remembered for its panoramic vistas, but for the bonding that occurs between Lucas and Ella. Most of the characters in this film are villains, and they have no idea that Lucas will change his ways as a Jason Bourne-like killer. One of the bonus segments in the DVD is called "The Cost of Killing." Lucas comes to reflect on that cost, to kick his drug habit, and to contemplate reuniting with his family.

In one of the most memorable scenes, Lucas hands Ella his pistol and carefully explains what it takes to kill another human being. It turns out that the scene was improvised by the actors. That scene was one of the turning points for both characters, as they seek not merely to survive, but to discover a new inner identity to start their lives anew.

'THE HUNTER'S PRAYER': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

The new action thriller starring Sam Worthington as a hit-man who ends up helping the young woman that he was supposed to kill. It was directed by Jonathan Mostow (who's also helmed such other hit action flicks as 'U571', 'BREAKDOWN', 'TERMINATOR 3' and 'SURROGATES'),and it was written by Paul Leyden and Oren Moverman (the duo also co-wrote 'SURROGATES', 'TERMINATOR 3' and 'TERMINATOR SALVATION', also starring Worthington). The script is based on the 2004 novel 'For the Dogs', by Kevin Wignall. It costars Odeya Rush, Allen Leech and Amy Landecker. The film has received mixed (to negative) reviews from critics, and it was also only released on VOD and in limited indie theaters at the Box Office. I found it to be pretty entertaining.

Lucas (Worthington) is a loner assassin with a serious drug addiction problem. He's hired to kill a young woman, named Ella (Rush),but when he needs to pull the trigger, he can't do it. Instead Lucas ends up reluctantly helping the girl, by defending her from the very same people that hired him to kill her. By doing so, he also makes himself a target of his former employers. When Ella realizes her parents were killed by Lucas's former employer, Richard Addison (Leech),she attempts to hire Lucas to kill Addison for revenge.

I'd say the film is similar in quality to Mostow's other movies, I really like 'TERMINATOR 3' though. It's a fun action film for the most part, nothing too memorable (or special),but it is entertaining. I think Worthington makes an awesome action hero too, and I'd really like to see him make more movies like this. I can't overly recommend it, but it is a decent action flick.

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THE HUNTER'S PRAYER is very much an average kind of thriller: made with an average budget, an average script, and average direction from Jonathan Mostow, who once upon a time made some very entertaining movies in the form of BREAKDOWN and TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES. This one features a likeable Sam Worthington as an assassin who can't carry out his latest job and instead goes on the run with his intended victim. Yeah, it's that predictable, and plays out like a low-rent BOURNE copy for the most part: some shooting, some fights, lots of familiarity. You'll see plenty worse and you'll also see plenty better.