Satirical thriller feels a lost cause
Mixed tone killsthe Hunt in its tracks
You’d expect a film Donald Trump claimed was “made to inflame and cause chaos”ahead of its release to have something important to say.
Alas, the political satire doesn’t bite quite as hard as it should in The Hunt.
In fact, the movie in general is more bark than bite as director Craig Zobel and writers Damon Lindelof and Nike Cuse choose use comedy every bit as much as injecting fear and tension.
The set-up — 12 strangers waking up in a field to discover they are being hunted — has been done before in the likes of Battle Royale and The Hunger Games.
Thankfully, there are some ingenious kills and a few surprises up the creative team’s sleeves.
Arguably the best things about The Hunt is being on edge over how the next person is going to perish and the Hitchcock-inspired decision to eliminate would-be lead characters and jump to someone else.
The over-the-top tone makes it very hard to take anything seriously and there are a few scenes that would fit right at home in a full-on comedy — not helped by the presence of funnyman Ike Barinholtz (Staten Island).
Betty Gilpin (Crystal) impresses in a very physical role that dramatically changes from beginning to end, and it’s nice to see Hilary Swank (Athena) playing against type.
Others like Ethan Suplee’s Gary and Emma Roberts’ Yoga Pants feel like they are just filling time as stereotypes ripe for the hunters’ cross hairs.
The blood flows thick and fast and anyone squeamish at the sight of exposed bones and organs might want to give this one a miss.
The Hunt is a frustrating film as it could have been something special, particularly within the horror genre — if only the creative team had steered clear of the humour and took a darker turn down the road.
■ What are your views on The Hunt?
Does it veer too far into comedy territory?
Pop me an email at ian.bunting@ reachplc.com and I will pass on your comments — and any movie or TV show recommendations you have — to your fellow readers.
Katie Sheridan said: “I really enjoyed the remake of Rebecca being shown on Netflix.
“Armie Hammer and Lily James are great together and the film is shot really well.”