Genre:Sci-Fi/Thriller
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: Mark Newton
Based on the novel by James Byron Huggins
Cast: Eric Bana, Jeff Bridges, Walton Goggins, Mark Strong, Michael Douglas, Ken Watanabe, Paula Patton, Karl Urban, William Hurt, Allison Tolman, Lynn Collins, Robert Patrick, Kevin Durand
Plot: Nathaniel Hunter (Eric Bana), an expert tracker, trudges through the wilderness with his wolf companion Ghost. He has been brought in by the local authorities to track down a child who has gone missing during a massive blizzard. Hunter and Ghost finally manage to locate the child's footprints in the snow. They hurry to follow the tracks before the snow storm erases them. Just before dark, Hunter and Ghost manage to find the child, huddled up next to a large tree. Hunter picks up the child and carries them out of the wilderness and back to the authorities waiting back in town.
Meanwhile, a scientific research facility deep in the Arctic Circle is attacked by a large beast (Kevin Durand). Following the attack, Colonel Maddox (Jeff Bridges) is called in to take charge of the situation. His right-hand man Major Westcott (Walton Goggins) has joined him, in addition to mysterious government spook Dixon (Mark Strong), and biologist Dr. Tipler (Michael Douglas). They tour the ravaged facility together. Dr. Tipler announces that while the footprints of the beast are similar to that of a grizzly bear, they aren't an exact match for any specific species of bear. Col. Maddox asks Tipler what he recommends doing to figure out what or who is responsible for such destruction. Dr. Tipler suggests they call in Nathaniel Hunter in to track down whatever or whoever is responsible.
Hunter is flown in to the facility on a helicopter, Ghost at his side. He investigates the footprints, but he is also unable to identify what species could have possibly been responsible. Col. Maddox asks Hunter to lead a kill team to track down and kill the beast. Hunter is hesitant to accept the offer, but his curiosity about what creature could have caused such destruction gets the best of him and he takes the job. Maddox and Westcott introduce Hunter to the kill team led by Commander Takakura (Ken Watanabe). Dr. Tipler asks if he can tag along as an observer. Hunter is opposed to the idea, but Maddox allows it. Takakura introduces Hunter to the team's sniper, Bobbi Jo (Paula Patton), before they leave.
In Washington DC, US Marshall Chaney (Karl Urban) is assigned to investigate the destruction at the facility in the Arctic Circle. Before he catches his flight up north, Chaney consults with his former superior Brick (Robert Patrick) about the assignment. Meanwhile, Dr. Tipler's assistants, Gina (Allison Tolman) and Rebecca (Lynn Collins) create a cast of the beast's footprints. They discover a tendril from the plaster and decide that they need help examining it. Rebecca says that the will take it to the CIA's physicist to take a look at it. Rebecca meets with Dr. Hamilton (William Hurt). She believes that based on the tendril, that whatever the creature is, it is most likely immune to disease and highly dangerous. Dr. Hamilton scoffs at her theories and tells her to leave his office as he is not interested in her wasting his time with such ridiculousness. While Rebecca is driving away from Dr. Hamilton's office, she is killed in a car accident.
Hunter and the kill team manage to track the creature to an ice cave, but the beast overpowers the team, killing several of the soldiers before the kill team makes their retreat back to the facility. Knowing that the beast may very well follow the team back to the facility, Hunter decides to cover the team's tracks and lead the beast away from the rest of the team. The beast attacks Hunter, but Hunter is able to wound it with his knife. Hunter then regroups with the rest of the team and leads them to a mine to take shelter from an incoming storm. That night, as the team rests, the beast makes its way to the mine as Hunter keeps watch. Hunter once again manages to fight the beast off, wounding it further with his knife.
Chaney interviews Dr. Hamilton about what he may know about the damaged facility, but is only given vague answers. Chaney then goes to see Dixon, but Dixon gives Chaney the run-around. As he leaves a building, Chaney is approached by Gina, who tells him that she believes her colleague Rebecca was murdered. Later, Chaney breaks into Hamilton's house and finds documents about a strange creature retrieved from ice in 1978. Suddenly a hit squad bursts into Hamilton's house. Chaney manages to neutralize them and escape. He heads to a bar to see Brick. Together Chaney and Brick go to the Tipler Institute where they find Gina about to be killed by a second hit squad. Chaney and Brick take out the squad, saving Gina. Chaney tells Gina to find someplace safe to lay low for a few days while he tries to figure out what's going on. Chaney finds out that Dr. Hamilton has left for a facility in the Arctic. Chaney and Brick decide to head after him.
Hunter and the team make their way into a cavern. Hunter warns the team that the beast is going to be waiting for them. Hunter goes ahead by himself, instructing the others to hold their position while he draws the beast out. As Hunter makes his way deeper into the cavern, the beast emerges and introduces himself as "Luther", before attacking Hunter. Luther chases after Hunter. The kill team fires upon Luther, but it doesn't seem to be doing any damage. The team flees the cavern and make their way to a remote facility, where they find Col. Maddox waiting for them. At the facility, Dr. Hamilton and his team have another creature, long dead, stored deep within the facility. They synthesize a serum from the creature's DNA to give one the creature's longevity, but without turning the subject into a beast. Hamilton explains that is what happened to a previous test subject named Luther. Dr. Hamilton attempts to test the new serum on Dr. Tipler, but is suddenly attacked by Hunter's wolf Ghost. Hunter then emerges and takes the serum while Hamilton manages to escape the room. Chaney and Brick arrive at the base at the same time and question Hunter on what's going on. Dr. Tipler believes the creature is an ancient smilodon. Dr. Hamilton gives Chaney a tour of the facility, while Hunter sneaks into the room containing the other creature. Hunter accesses a computer terminal where he finds a video of a man, Luther, injecting himself with a serum and rapidly turning into a smilodon-like beast - the same beast the team has been battling.
Dr. Hamilton and his security team corner Hunter, who asks Hamilton what is really going on. Hamilton explains that his objective was to attempt to make certain high-ranking, powerful members of society immortal so that they can continue to control world affairs long into the future. Brick arrives and opens fire on Hamilton's security team. Hunter knocks Hamilton unconscious and sets fire to the body of the dead creature. Luther then emerges and attacks the facility. Dr. Tipler has a heart attack and dies. Ghost charges at Luther, but dies while battling the creature. Bobbi Jo fires her sniper rifle at the creature, wounding it enough to allow the team to escape. Dixon arrives with a kill team of his own. He has his men begin rigging the facility to exlode, planning to kill everyone in the facility. Hunter confronts Dixon and threatens to destroy the new serum if Dixon doesn't pull his team out of the facility. Dixon reluctantly agrees and tells his team to stand down. Both teams board a helicopter about to take off. Once the helicopter is off the ground, Hunter throws the serum out, which shatters agaist the ground. Dixon then orders his men to detonate the explosives, blowing up the facility, killing Dr. Hamilton in the process.
Hunter insists that the helicopter head to a cavern where he believes Luther has gone into hiding. The remaining members of the two teams are intent on killing the beast once and for all. They all converge on the beast's lair, surrounding it. Luther attacks the team in a rage, killing Brick, Takakura and Dixon in the process. Hunter sets the beast, Luther, on fire. As Luther scrambles in pain, Hunter decapitates the beast with his knife. Hunter, Chaney and Bobbi Jo limp out of the facility as the only survivors.
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