User Reviews

I was in the mood, googled Italian series, and... oh my. What a surprise. The writing is intelligent and creative. The acting is fantastic, and even the hot blooded melodrama comes off well. Top notch cinematography, editing, music and... based on real events. Just a real treat to discover and I can't wait for another season.

In a sentence this is by far the best of maybe half a dozen recent TV series following the fight-against organised crime in Sicily, beginning around the time of (in this instance, shortly after) the assassinations of legendary lawmen Falcone and Borsellino. It is also, hands-down, one of the best crime shows from anywhere in recent years.

The Hunter (Il Cacciatore) is exemplary for its attention to 'historical' detail and mood, for its nuanced script which makes no one too heroic or Bond villain-bad (though there be monsters here a-plenty). The acting is almost all great, the action scenes are terrific, the settings, of course, to die for. Where is it all going? Well we know that the power of the Corleonese Mafia was greatly reduced in the period covered by this show (mid '90s onwards), so it's not surprise but authenticity and character that is needed to keep you watching, and The Hunter provides both in spades. High-level drama, convincing and largely intelligible familial relations and complications, and at least one complex (i.e. Flawed) 'hero' on a mission to take Sicily back from those who've stolen it, all make this a TV series not to be missed. Even where the personal narrative seems to be about to follow a too-obvious turn, the writers do something interesting and unexpected (for instance avoiding a long-drawn-out show-down between central character and his nemesis in favour of a new development in the main story, something Hollywood almost never has the courage to do). Add to all of this the often inspired slow-reveal exposition of essential details in place of easy summaries and you have a show (first season at least) which makes others look predictable and clumsy in comparison. Highly recommended.

This Italian series tells of the war against the Cosa Nostra in the 1990s; in particular the hunt for Leoluca Bagarella, a senior Mafioso and his associates and a child they are believed to have kidnapped. Saverio Barone, a young prosecutor recently recruited to the Anti-Mafia squad, is among those leading the hunt; a hunt he becomes obsessed with. He is partnered with Carlo Mazza, a more experienced prosecutor. Over the course of the first series we see events from the perspective of these prosecutors; Bagarella and his associates, most notably his driver Tony.

I really enjoyed the first season of this series and hope the second becomes available here soon. The tone is understandably fairly bleak... anybody hoping for the fun of Sicily based crime drama 'Inspector Montalbano' will be sorely disappointed! The series doesn't shy away from showing Mafia crimes; there are some fairly gruelling scenes of torture and murder and as hunt for the boy drags on for months and years with him chained up and his chance of survival not that great there is a sense of bleakness. The opening of each episode reminds us that this is based on real events, but with details changed for dramatic purposes; this helps keep the viewer on edge, especially if like me you don't know how the real story ends. The cast does a really impressive job bringing their characters to life... not 'larger than life'; the Mafiosi are shown as fairly ordinary people who happen to be violent criminals rather than obviously evil villains, which explains why they aren't easily caught. Overall I'd certainly recommend this.

These comments are based on watching the series in Italian with English subtitles.

I did not know what to expect. It blew me away. Its about 1990's Mafia, and its shot in Palermo and the surrounding, has some really cool vintage cars, strong story, a great soundtrack and above all an amazingly good actors. The lead actor is just superb and the rest don't disapoint either. whay can I say.. ma ma mia

Very nice series on historical events which tells the ups and downs of the magistrates who captured the most infamous mafia criminals in Sicily.

Good interpretation from the actors, nice story, nice photography.

It makes you love the role of magistrates and prosecutors!

Let me begin by saying that I am not one for usually writing reviews. Having said that, and after having seen the entire series, I feel compelled to share my thoughts. Let me begin by saying that this show treats the viewer with respect, both for their intelligence and their time. Unlike regurgitated puke-inducing American shows, this superlative Italian crime drama, absolutely redefines the genre. It is original, gripping, filled with nuances and intrigue, and never relinquishes control of the viewers attention. I cannot say enough good things about the level and maturity of the acting on display. It is such a breath of fresh air to find a show, albeit in another language, that brings to life a story and characters in the most lucid and thought provoking manner. 10 out of 10.

Great Sicilian mafia series There's two seasons so far but they only have one season available on Amazon . From the first episode on it seems like the characters keep on growing and the episodes get better . Very good story .

'The Hunter' occupies similar territory to 'Mafia Only Kills in Summmer', telling a fictional story about the Sicilian mafia anchored in the real life history of the late 20th century. But whereas the latter series was full of comic charm, with its everymen protagonists unfortunately (and unliklily) linked into the major stories at every turn, 'The Hunter' is less humorous and more direct, focusing on a pair of somewhat macho state prosecutors. I found it hard to warm to the egotistical protagonists, and the story doesn't quite have the tension it might because it is set after the most infamous mafia killings of the 1990s, as the leading lights of Corleone begun to be rounded up; in some ways, the biggest drama has already happened. It concludes with a hanging ending, and the feeling of a second series to follow.

I have binge watched both seasons and I really got sucked into the 90's in Sicily. I have never watched a mafia series that felt so authentic. In parallel I read the Wikipedia articles about the main characters which obviously added to the authentic experience. It is amazing with what ease people were killed in those times - times which aren't even long ago.

You have to overcome the first episode which appears a bit confusing, at least for foreigners. Also, after a while I started to fast forward parts of the flashbacks, which weren't bad but I was much more interested in the current events, i.e. The manhunt. I don't think I missed anything important.

Overall a really great series. Bravo, Italian TV!

Subject matter was interesting but it was done in a very melodramatic way. Not sure who is at fault. The script writers, the director or the actors: or maybe it is a cultural thing. I still watched it to end of series 1 but the personal storylines were missable and towards the end unwatchable.

A fiction tale based on historical events in Palermo, Italy which draws out the atrocities of the Mafia at the time, and how Italian prosecutors drawn by an unwavering sense of justice, but also a sense of thrill, attempt to bring down the Corleone family. The film is both raw and direct. The killings, brutal. I loved it.

You hear stories about this Italian mafia and those who tried and sometimes dies trying to stop their activities. Really enjoyed this textured portrayal of both sides. Looking forward to season 2.

All 3 seasons of This series captures the relentless efforts of the prosecutors in Italy's Anti-mafia division as they hunt down the biggest bosses and minions of the Mafia during the 90's, on the heels of one of the bloodiest decades of that criminal enterprise.

The pacing of the series is almost pitch perfect as yog allows you to experience, along with those "Hunters", the excruciating patience, focus and drive, not to mention the enormous sacrifice, it took to bring those real life monsters to justice. And it's all true. Highly recommend this series.

I have just finished the second series. What a great series this has been, with drama that has you on the edge of your seat. The acting is superb all round.

The relationship between the two main Prosecutors, Saverio and Carlo, is really well played and they are both great in their roles. The programme also shows that ruthless Mafia killers are also human and have families and relationships, and in the second series the Brusca brothers are very well played.

I just hope the third series will be available on Walter Presents in the UK before too long.

This excellent television series from Italy deals with the work of the anti-mafia authority in Sicily. It's the year 1993: The Maxi Trials are history, the two legendary "mafia hunters" Giovanni FALCONE (1939-1992) and Paolo BORSELLINO (1940-1992) have been brutally blown up. In Palermo in 1993, a young public prosecutor (great: Francesco MONTANARI) starts his service with the anti-mafia authority. His ambitious and dogged nature doesn't go down well, especially not with a long-established colleague (also great: Francesco FOTI).

How the two pull themselves together is the highlight of the first season. Because there is a lot to do. The focus of the first season is also on the almost incomprehensible crime that was committed in those years against the young Giuseppe Di MATTEO (1981-1996), the son of a "key witness" against the mafia. This monstrous crime has finally turned large parts of Italian society against the mafia. The series focuses less on the mafiosi than on the investigators, who are confronted with numerous problems in their everyday lives because of their work. However, it is well described how limited (mentally and spatially) the life of mafiosi actually is. Living underground doesn't just offer advantages.

The series was produced by RAI (and the Munich-based BETA-Film). It gives an excellent insight into the events of the 1990s. As a supplement, the Italian series "1992" with its sequels "1993" and "1994" is recommended, which takes a look at the changes in Italian society as a whole.