War Hunt

Loomis arrives as a replacement to an infantry company on the front line late in the Korean War. He quickly learns about Private Endore, who repeatedly slips out at night to infiltrate enemy lines and bring back information. Captain Pratt tolerates Endore's unorthodox methods because they sometimes yield useful intelligence. Loomis remains wary of the unusual man and what his actions may cost.

Endore begins his nocturnal infiltrations, slipping from camp under cover of darkness with dark clothing and face paint. He returns with strategic tidbits that seem valuable but raise questions among the men. Loomis observes these excursions with growing unease, while Pratt defends Endore's methods as a necessary edge.

During a night patrol, Loomis witnesses Endore knife several enemy soldiers and then circle each body in a strange, ritual-like gesture. The other men avoid Endore and warn Loomis not to mess with him. Loomis questions the morality and danger of Endore's behavior as the war nears its end.

Endore's actions create tension within the company; the men keep their distance from him and Loomis finds himself isolated by his curiosity. Loomis probes Endore and the chain of command about the risk to the cease-fire, but receives little support. The sense of impending disaster lingers as armistice approaches.

Loomis forms a cautious friendship with Charlie, a Korean orphan, and argues that Charlie deserves a chance at a normal life away from the front. He suggests placing Charlie in an orphanage where he would have other children and basic stability. The idea highlights Loomis's softer side in a brutal conflict and sets up conflict with Endore.

Endore openly resists Loomis's plan for Charlie, expressing a desire to stay in Korea after the war with the boy. The schism between them grows as Endore's behavior becomes more unpredictable. The looming confrontation over Charlie foreshadows the clash to come.

As the armistice approaches, Endore defies orders again by donning dark clothes and taking Charlie to cross enemy lines. Loomis and others fear the action could jeopardize the cease-fire. The act demonstrates Endore's fixation on remaining in Korea and his control over Charlie.

Alarmed by the potential impact on the cease-fire, Loomis reports Endore's actions to Captain Pratt, accompanied by Sergeant Van Horn. Pratt acknowledges the seriousness and commits to dealing with Endore through the proper channels. The conversation marks the shift from peripheral suspicion to official action.

Pratt asks for volunteers to retrieve Endore, and only Loomis and Van Horn step forward to confront him. They prepare to move against Endore to prevent any further breach of the armistice. The tension tightens as the group closes in on Endore's position.

The small team locates Endore, who has dragged Charlie behind enemy lines and resists returning. Endore's erratic behavior shows clearly as he fights to stay with Charlie. Loomis and Pratt struggle to enforce orders against his insistence.

Endore lunges with a knife and attacks Pratt; Loomis pleads for restraint, but Pratt shoots Endore to stop the violence. In the confusion that follows, Charlie flees into the night. The immediate crisis ends with Endore dead and the war's fragile peace still in the balance.

In the aftermath, Charlie's escape hints at a grim future shaped by Endore's influence. The film suggests that the boy may grow into Endore's killer persona as a result of the lessons taught by him. Loomis confronts the moral cost of zealotry and the corruption of innocence in war.