The Hunter features Willem Dafoe at his grizzly best and a spectacular Tasmanian backdrop, yet its emotional dramatics misses the mark resulting in a not wholly satisfying film.

Dafoe is one of those actors who brings a certain gravitas to his films, whether it be the art-house (Shadow of the Vampire) or blockbuster (Spider-Man). The Hunter greatly benefits from Dafoe’s thespian prowess, for this is a film that lives or dies on its central character and with Dafoe giving his best performance in years, you can guess its fate.

But that doesn’t put The Hunter out of the woods. Based on a novel by Julia Leigh (she who directed the dreary Sleeping Beauty) and directed by Daniel Nettheim, The Hunter deals with relationship dramatics that are never fully realised, despite the efforts of its cast.

Dafoe stars as Martin, a mercenary hired by a bio-tech company to find the last Tasmanian Tiger reportedly sighted in dense Tasmanian bushland. A hardened man of little social graces, the role suits Dafoe’s world weary face and ability to delve into a dark state of mind.

Martin’s brooding, isolated existence is challenged by his growing affection for a local woman (Frances O’Connor) and her two children (Morgana Davies and Finn Woodlock), whose zoologist husband has been missing for months.

It is here that The Hunter falters, with more groundwork needed to make these connections – especially with O’Connnors despondent hippie activist- work, resulting in an emotional payoff lacking in every way.

What does work is the dark tones and great use of location, with Tasmania’s vast wilderness beautifully captured by cinematographer Robert Humphreys. Also, the real life tension between Green activists and loggers is utilised here to good effect, with many tense moments featured.

The biggest draw in The Hunter is watching Dafoe headline a movie with a quiet, powerful performance in an otherwise adequate film. But then again, what else are great actors for if not to elevate the films they appear in?