Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

The Bounty Hunter

also known as “The Bounty,” “Caçador de Recompensas,” “Der Kautions-Cop,” “El caza recompensas,” “Exän jäljillä,” “Ex-Posados,” “Il cacciatore di ex,” “Le chasseur de primes”
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for sexual content including suggestive comments, language and some violence.

Reviewed by: Raphael Vera
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Action Comedy Romance
Length: 1 hr. 50 min.
Year of Release: 2010
USA Release: March 19, 2010 (wide—3,000+ theaters)
DVD: July 13, 2010
Copyright, Columbia Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures Copyright, Columbia Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Columbia Pictures

Drunkenness in the Bible

Gambling

Should Christians be involved with lotteries or other forms of gambling? Answer

Murder in the Bible

Sin

Marriage

TRUE LOVE—What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

Marriage in the Bible

Is formalized marriage becoming obsolete? Answer
Many people are convinced that traditional marriages don’t work and that this practice should be abandoned. What does the Bible say about marriage?

Divorce

DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE—Under what conditions may Christians divorce and remarry? Answer

Divorce in the Bible

What does it mean to be “the husband of one wife”? Answer


Sex, Love & Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Discover biblical answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more.
Featuring Jennifer Aniston (Nicole Hurley, Cassidy Daley), Gerard Butler (Milo Boyd), Gio Perez (Uncle Sam), Joel Garland (Dwight—as Joel Marsh Garland), Natalie Morales, Jason Kolotouros (Gelman), Matt Malloy (Gary), Jason Sudeikis (Stewart), Adam Rose (Jimmy), Liam Ferguson (Casino Gambler), Daisy Tahan (Little Girl), Christine Baranski (Kitty Hurley), Dorian Missick (Bobby), Ruby Feliciano (Jane—Strip Club patron), David Costabile (Arthur), Lynda Gravatt (Judge), See all »
Director Andy Tennant
Producer Columbia Pictures, Relativity Media, Original Film, Madhouse Entertainment, Ryan Kavanaugh, Donald J. Lee Jr., Ori Marmur, Robyn Meisinger, Neal H. Moritz
Distributor
Distributor: Columbia Pictures. Trademark logo.
Columbia Pictures
, a division of Sony Pictures

“It’s a job. It isn’t personal. Well, maybe a little…”

Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler) is an ex-cop, now bounty hunter, who is on the top of his game when it comes to finding bail “jumpers” and collecting his commission for bringing them in. His job is his life… well that and the occasional drinking and gambling binges. After a run in with his former partners on the force, he gets his dream assignment when he’s asked to bring in his ex-wife Nicole.

Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston) is a top investigative reporter for The New York Daily News who is trying to find an informant of hers who has suddenly disappeared. Putting work before a court date, a warrant is issued for her arrest, and she finds herself right back in the crosshairs of her spiteful ex, Milo.

For Milo, finding and catching Nicole is no trouble. Trying to keep her is another matter entirely. Besides the comically verbal and physical jabs they take at each other, they also find themselves between the proverbial rock and a hard place: the gambling bookies eager to make an example out of Milo, and the killer aiming to silence Nicole before she discovers the truth.

Objectionable Content

Language: The profanities are as strong as they come for a movie rated PG-13. S*** is used over two dozen times, A** 14x, A**h*** 6x, plus a few derogatory forms of both female and male anatomy, one even said by Nicole’s mom, that are best not described in detail here. Sex is both described and insinuated in several scenes and in a very denigrating worldly way. “God” is used as an expletive a dozen times, with another 8 Godd****s, with the name of Jesus Christ thrown in once for good measure.

It bears repeating what other reviewers have pointed out, that language that was once only in “R” rated films has found a home in today’s PG-13 films. One doesn’t need much of an imagination to foretell what the future may hold.

Sex/Nudity: Visually, the heaviest content comes late in the film during a prolonged scene in a strip club as strippers wearing pasties and thongs are seen performing. At one point, a handcuffed Nicole crawls over a sleeping Milo to try and get his gun when he asks her if she is trying to seduce him. In dialogue full of innuendos and double entendres, Milo and Nicole lead each other on, but nothing develops further. An Atlantic City rickshaw driver offers Nicole a free ride if she’ll show him her breasts. While she thankfully doesn’t follow through, it is easy to see from this scene how laced with guttural sexual overtones the whole film is.

Violence: As a bounty hunter, Milo is expected to play the heavy and readily butts heads with the biggest goons and is not above tackling his ex-wife or stuffing her in the trunk of his car for safe keeping. Later, she nearly electrocutes him using a taser.

A coworker of Nicole’s is stalking her, and, when he gets mistaken for Milo by the bookies, he ends up getting his leg broken. Later, while staggering away, his leg gives way, and he cries in pain—just one of many instances where pain is played for laughs. Milo and others trade gunshots with the killer, and blood is seen.

Lessons

Gambling is not glorified and is clearly a source of much of Milo’s woes. Even though Milo wins big every now and then, like all streaks, it soon comes to an end. The Word of God warns and advises us that:

“Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11).

You might be surprised that the best message of the movie was about marriage. Needing a hideout for the night, they stop at the same honeymoon place, Cupids Cabins, they stayed in when they first got married. Not knowing they are divorced, the owners ask how they managed to “keep the flame going.” Milo and Nicole start describing each other’s faults and the different ways they get back at each other. The owners marvel at how “true love covers all the blemishes.” They are so close to the biblical truth that says:

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

In fact, it is during their time there that they begin to admit to each other their own contributions in letting their marriage fail. They describe how each of them could have done more, and, in their own way, echo faintly God’s own prescription for marriage that even today saves so many from the heartache of divorce:

“Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…” (Ephesians 5:24-25).

TRUE LOVE—What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

In my opinion, the most constant shortcoming of most movies rated PG-13 and up is how casually God’s name is used, and not usually in praise. God’s chosen people, the Israelites, held God’s name in such high regard that they did not even pronounce it out loud. And if we choose to ignore their tradition of respect, how can we deny what the Ten Commandments directs us regarding this very matter:

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7).

Final Thoughts

The story fluctuated between the “very predictable” to the “near unbelievable.” Director Andy Tennant (“Hitch,” “Ever After,” “Sweet Home Alabama”) seems a little out of his element combining action with a romantic comedy. The star power and appeal of Anniston and Butler barely manage to lift “The Bounty Hunter” above what would otherwise be just a “made for TV” movie.

The profanity and sexual content, frankly, merit an “R” rating, and, as such, it cannot be recommended for anyone under 17. Christians, and those who wish to guard their hearts and minds would be better off either waiting for a heavily edited TV version or just passing on it altogether.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Heavy / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—This was a fantastic movie!!! The plot was good. They had all the actors in good parts. The language was not to great, but only a few words thru the whole movie. I would reccomend this movie for anyone over 10 years old and looking for a good movie!! Overall, great movie, and a good movie to buy!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Bob, age 46 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—Good movie/sweet movie; terrible language! Not much to the plot. Average movie in my estimation.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
Beverly, age 39 (USA)
Negative
Negative—I went into the movie theater thinking that this was going to be a clean funny movie. I have to admit that it had a lot of funny moments, and I had to laugh quite a bit, but the most offensive part to me was the part in the strip tease club. It really ruined it all for me. I also have to say that sometimes the things they said and the words they used, were very offensive to me. Hopefully, you won’t make the mistake and go see this movie. It really is not worth it.

It could have been a great movie, but really made me feel sick to my stomach at certain scenes. There was also a lot of violence in the end. “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” —Proverbs 4:23-27
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Sybill Lara, age 25 (USA)
Negative—BORING!!! If I had a remote, I wouldn’ve “fast-forwarded” for more than half the movie. It had great humor at times, but very little, considering the length of the movie. I truly didn’t care for the strip club segment. GD was said 4 times (maybe more?). Also, Jennifer Aniston wore the same dress for 95% of the movie, just to show off her legs and cleavage. Sad that the movie makers thought they needed to rely on that for her character.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Jack Gooden, age 53 (USA)
Comments from non-viewers
Negative—This was the DUMBEST movie I have ever seen! I was so bored, I would have rather watched paint dry—that would have been a better use of my time. I was shocked, because I like Jennifer Anniston, but she was terrible in this movie, terrible. And she was dressed very risque the whole time, it was uncomfortable to even watch it for that reason, but her acting and role were totally lame. Her ex-husband was the funny one. I could not take more then 40 minutes, I had to stop watching it. DON’T waste your time. I ONLY watched it because someone I trust told me she liked it, I don’t know how, because it was so boring, so so boring. I like slap stick stupid comedy, but it wasn’t even that. That is 40 minutes of my life I wont' get back. Stay away from this movie.
Samantha Taylor, age 35 (USA)