In this time of political divisiveness, rampant hatred and distrust of our fellow man, and a life-altering pandemic that is threatening civilization as we know it, the “controversial” new film, The Hunt, is probably the absolute last thing the world needs. Nevertheless, it’s here and despite its poor timing this is an ingeniously smart and hilariously satirical action/horror film. Maybe like our government, we’re getting the movie we deserve.
The Hunt takes all of the absurdly wackadoodle conspiracy theories and talking-points of both the left and the right and exaggerates them to a hilarious level; then let’s them loose against each other in a no holds barred battle to the finish.
People who haven’t seen the film have already begun using it for their own radical political arguments. But, as with most things like this, the loudest voices seem to be the people who haven’t even seen the movie and don’t even know what they are talking about. (Don’t let anyone tell you what happens in this movie and ruin its surprises for you.)
Directed by Craig Zobel and written by Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof, this movie has revelation after shocking revelation and it never goes quite where you might think it is going to go. It takes a good 15-20 minutes before you even realize who the story’s protagonist is going to be – and even then you aren’t sure. If you are a fan of Lindelof’s style of writing on LOST and HBO’s Watchmen and The Leftovers, then you are in for a treat with this film.
The film’s hero (and I’m not saying who it is or if there even is one) delivers an awesome, award-worthy performance. You’ll know it when you see it. I will tell you that there is a cameo by The Dead Don’t Die’s Sturgill Simpson. The movie also has a very enjoyable soundtrack, with songs like “Mississippi Delta” by Bobbie Gentry, among others.
Despite what you might hear from cable-television news pundits, the underlying theme of The Hunt’s story is, “Can’t we all just get along?” It is ultra-violent and gratuitously gory – which is not a favorite thing of mine in movies – but I believe all of that hyperbolic carnage is meant to show that Americans, no matter which side we are on, all bleed the same color red.
Grade: 8/10
