When an unsuspecting woman stops at a remote gas station in the dead of night, she’s made the plaything of a sociopathic sniper with a secret vendetta. To survive she must not only dodge his bullets and fight for her life, but also figure out who wants her dead and why…

For in-depth thoughts on Night of the Hunted, please see my colleague Phil Walsh’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Night of the Hunted comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in a 2160p presentation with HDR10, which aids this transfer in staying strong with what could be challenging material. The most pivotal benefit of this format here is the utilization of HDR to perfect the contrast of the nighttime setting and the brightness of the fluorescent lighting in the gas station. This format helps prevent most instances of banding thanks to the deep black levels that do not succumb to any signs of crush. Highlights similarly hold firm with no blooming in the brighter sources.

While not the most overtly colorful film, there are some bold and vibrant hues within some of the light sources, articles of clothing, and production design. The different shades on display within the background elements are fine-tuned to perfection. Skin tones are very detailed with plenty of cuts, bruises, and wounds as the night progresses. This transfer reveals texture within the store that adds depth to the picture. We are thrilled anytime a Shudder title is released on physical media, and to get a 4K UHD release is all the better. Shudder has delivered the goods here.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with an effective DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that transports you into the middle of the nightmare. While dialogue is a key part of the narrative, many moments in the film unfold nearly wordlessly as the track brings the ambiance of the store to the forefront. The silence as you wait for another shot to ring out can be nearly unbearable. The sound design is not overly complex, but each gunshot is positioned perfectly for maximum effectiveness. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being drowned out by competing sounds. The score and certain songs flow through the room with ideal fidelity. The texture in the low end hits like a truck when bullets cut through the store. This is a great audio experience from Shudder. Optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Writer Tori Potenza provides a commentary track in which she discusses the production and release of the film, the career of Franck Khalfoun, the background of the performers, the impacts of COVID, and more.

Interview with Director/Co-Writer Franck Khalfoun: An eight-minute conversation with the filmmaker in which he discusses the plot of the film, what drew him to the material, making a single-location film, and more.

Interview with Actress Camille Rowe: A ten-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses her character, what she responded to in the material, the impact of filming at night, and more.

Behind the Scenes Gallery

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is provided featuring new writing by filmmaker Phillip Escott that takes a look at gas stations in the horror genre.

Final Thoughts

Night of the Hunted is a simple yet effective thriller that keeps you on edge as you wonder if the characters are going to be able to survive the night. Camille Rowe does a nice job of endearing you to the protagonist so that you care about her ultimate fate. Where the film comes up a bit short is in the lack of mystery with the perpetrator, as the near-constant ranting over the radio makes you more exhausted than scared. There are some exasperating choices made by a few of the characters, but you have to forgive the film some of its contrivances. The film is a mixed bag of quality and execution, but it is worth a watch to judge for yourself due to the spry runtime. Shudder has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a couple of decent supplements.

Night of the Hunted is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shudder & OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

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