Gerard Butler has done it again in another actioner that is so badly made and written that it deserves to be part of late night TV fodder than a theatrical release (like Geostorm and Den of Thieves).

Right out of a Tom Clancy novel-turned-movie The Hunt for Red October, Hunter Killer is also adapted from novel called Firing Point by Don Keith and George Wallace. In the story, wwo submarines – one Russian the other American – are attacked and sunken in the Artic. Another US submarine is sent to investigate the site captained by Commander Joe Glass (Gerard Butler).

At the same time in the Pentagon, Admiral Donnegan(Gary Oldman) and Rear Admiral Fisk (Common), try to size up what the Russians really want, and at the same time a team of navy SEAL’s are send on a land mission to Russian for further reconnaissance. There the SEAL’s find the Russian President (Alexander Diachenko) was taken hostage by a military general, and wants the Americans to take the bait and go on a full scale war with Russia. The Americans now have to save the Russian President safely without causing a war.

Hunter Killer is clichéd and muddled with uninspiring direction by Donovan Marsh. Acting is novice at best, while action is abundant and the accompanying CGI looks passable. Still, avoid if possible – even on late night cable. •