If you’re settling in for Film 4 this evening, then brace yourself for a hard-hitting military thriller that seems torn directly from the pages of an action-packed novel.

Additionally, two colossal stars in Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman deliver serious Hollywood star power to this high-octane underwater rescue operation Hunter Killer.

The 2018 picture may have secured just a 38% rating from 115 critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re passionate about action thrillers.

Here’s the premise – American submarine Captain Joe Glass (Butler) is tracking down a US sub in trouble in the Arctic Ocean.

However, he discovers that a clandestine Russian coup is brewing that could jeopardise global stability, reports the Mirror.

Glass must then assemble an elite team of Navy SEALs to infiltrate hostile waters, save the captured Russian president and avert World War III.

Sounds mad enough for a comfortable evening in with your partner and a glass of wine, doesn’t it?

According to Epoch Times, the film delivers “a blend of geopolitical intrigue and action … sure to satisfy genre fans.”

Meanwhile, a Rotten Tomatoes critic described it as “a beefy Tom Clancy–type thriller that takes no prisoners.”

Another said: “It may be pure fantasy, but it’s smartly paced, unexpectedly complex, action-packed, and thoroughly satisfying.”

A fourth reviewer, who awarded it a perfect five stars, added: “This is a DVD I have had for years. Not even sure how I got it. It just sat there collecting dust. “I knew nothing about the movie. I chose to watch it tonight and was very entertained. Really cool movie. Not one lull. Always moving!”.

However, one disappointed critic wrote: “A waterlogged thriller; a sopping wet excuse for Butler to grunt his way through another film that is beneath his talent.”

Another went further still and condemned it as “ludicrous”.

They wrote in full: “A cheesy, laughably simplistic and oftentimes ludicrous work that now feels like a musty relic from an era that has no great degree of nostalgia attached to it.”

Conversely, the audience response proves far more generous.

The “Popcornmeter” (Rotten Tomatoes’ audience tracker) hovers around 67%, revealing that viewers are more prepared to get caught up in the thrills, even if critics remain unconvinced.

For anyone seeking a rapid-fire, traditional submarine thriller with blockbuster aspirations (and two major stars leading the cast), Hunter Killer provides exactly that.

Simply don’t anticipate having your world turned upside down unless you enjoy your geopolitical drama packed with plenty of weaponry and tactical manoeuvres.