Scheduled for release back in September of 2019, The Hunt went on hiatus due to a number of tragic shootings Stateside. Although there are plenty of violent films, and numerous shootings throughout the year, The Hunt was unfairly targeted due to it focusing on a plot that sees wealthy liberals hunt the right-wing. However, after seeing The Hunt, it all seems rather daft; this is social satire, but with so much tongue in cheek and over the top gore, that surely nobody will be taking it seriously.
Universal
The humour, which is very dark, is what propels the film to such an enjoyable standard, while also undermining a lot of its clever takes on the shooting gallery genre. At a brisk 90 minutes, that never slows down, there simply isn’t enough time to explore the central themes and, admittedly rather broad, social commentary. Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof’s screenplay plays with the 1924 short story ‘The Most Dangerous Game’, as well as cinematic conventions. We find a group of people wake up in a forest and hunted for sport. The script has no issues in revealing early on that the hunters are rich liberals, while the prey are right wing everymen (and women).
There’s a lot to unpack here, but rather than placing things into neat piles and discussing each issue, the film throws everything into the air to create an intriguing mess. The hunted are shown to be not the nicest people on the planet, with views against the progressive left, whether they be hunters of endangered animals, racists, or strict religious types who oppose same-sex marriage. But director Craig Zobel, whose tact and nuance shown in the incredible Compliance is not present here (all in the name of fun), still captures the fear and humanity of these people in a horrible situation.
Meanwhile, the hunters may have views many audience members hold, they are still cruel and intolerable. The most fun The Hunt has is making us care for people we might hate in other such films, and hate the ones who in other films would be the heroes. There’s a range of interesting and funny characters, but the real and only standout is Betty Gilpin as Crystal. Her performance is incredible, hitting moments of comedic genius, action heroine, and vulnerability. She carries the film through all its tonal shifts, and the finished piece would be nothing without her.
Even before its release, The Hunt seems to have offended the vast majority of people, but now it’s clear to see that this is simply a fun ride that pokes fun at the films it emulates and the people who watch them. If eradicating boredom was its modus operandi, then The Hunt can hold its head up high, but it must be said that somewhere within the premise is an in-depth TV series, hours long, that could realistically and purposefully explore the morals, hypocrisy, and damage caused, by both the right and left in these times we currently live in.
The Hunt is now playing in cinemas.
