The Hunt has had a really tough journey actually making it to the big screen. The film was originally supposed to hit theaters in September 2019 before it was delayed out of sensitivity to the spate of mass shootings occurring at the time. On top of this, the film became a political punching bag as pundits on both sides heard snippets of the plot and pitched it as a full-on call to massacre your political enemy, especially the Republican base. When the film finally hit theaters earlier this year in March, it used the taboo nature that had been attributed to it in all of its marketing to build up hype. Unfortunately for The Hunt, it had less than five days to gain any sort of following before theaters shut down due to the pandemic. This is a real shame as it has been unfairly saddled with controversy when it is simply an insanely fun time at the movies that deserves to be experienced with a large crowd. For those who missed it during its short window, you finally have the chance to see what all the fuss was about.
After an initial tease of an upcoming “hunt” among friends, eleven captives wake up gagged in a forest with no recollection as to how they arrived there. While initially disoriented, most of the group makes their way to a clearing where there is an arsenal of weapons and the keys to freedom from their bondage. It is here where the bloody mayhem of the hunt begins for our group. The film wastes no time with the inventive kills and body parts flying all over the place in the most twisted way. It is such an over the top sequence that you should not feel guilty if you are giggling at the carnage. The film keeps you on your toes as you are introduced to well-known actors like Emma Roberts (American Horror Story), Justin Hartley (This Is Us), Ike Barinholtz (Suicide Squad), Ethan Suplee (American History X) and even singer Sturgill Simpson. All of these people seem to be having a blast playing some stereotype version of a “deplorable” that is either easily visible or revealed later through dialogue. The film lets you know that anyone is fair game, and it is truly thrilling to see who makes it out of the onslaught.
As enjoyable as it is to see all of these people, the real star of the show, both in screen time and overall enjoyment, is Betty Gilpin (GLOW) as Crystal. She is a character that does not seem to be falling into the same traps as her companions. Crystal has an innate sense of self-preservation that keeps her and others alive way longer than her captors intended. Crystal is intentionally portrayed as aloof and introspective as she skillfully handles her business to stay alive. She discovers that everyone has been brought there for politically motivated reasons to be hunted by their liberally minded captors. While there is heavy-handed political satire afoot, it does not detract from the pure joy of the movie. Both sides of the political system are portrayed in an unflattering light to showcase how everyone is a bit too intense at times. The message of the toxicity of political extremism from either side is appreciated, but those not looking for a political message can set aside their fear that they are going to be preached to nonstop. Outside of politics, there are some compelling reveals and many interesting characters along the journey.
The film is very nicely paced at a compact hour and a half that bookends with extremely fun, bloody sequences. The brutality of the final scene rivals that of The Bride vs. Vernita Green in Kill Bill: Volume 1. Betty Gilpin is such an amazing actress and is the perfect leading lady for this film. She is mysterious and badass, but also has subtle facial reactions to other characters or extreme situations that elicit a hearty belly laugh. The film was saddled with a lot of baggage politically that probably would not have even made a dent in the news cycle if anyone had bothered to actually watch it. The film pokes fun at both sides with the backdrop of over-the-top violence to lighten the mood. In the end, the film feels extremely satisfying without alienating anyone. Leave the politics at the door, if you wish, and sit back and enjoy gnarly kills and some laugh out loud moments.
Video Quality
The Hunt comes to Blu-Ray in a stunning 1080p presentation in its 2:39.1 OAR that truly wows in high definition. The clarity throughout is truly outstanding with subtle flourishes of production design coming through crystal clear. Color saturation is great with bold splashes of color like Emma Robert’s outfit or in the copious amounts of blood throughout the film. There is a lot of activity in and around forests, which provides a lot of opportunity for fine detail and deep greens. Skin tones are natural, although a lot of exposed skin is covered in all manner of cuts and bruises. Black levels are pretty deep and do not fall victim to any noticeable digital noise or errors of the sort. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has knocked it out of the park!
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track is up to the high standards of the video quality. There is pretty consistent activity in this briskly paced film from jump, which gives ample opportunity to engage the speakers. The opening siege of contestants getting picked off in various ways provides the most dynamic sounds in the movie from the hustle and bustle of the contestants trying not to die to the gun fire and explosions. Dialogue comes through clearly and never gets stepped on by any sound effects or the score. All of the sounds have an accurate sense of direction within the mix with noises such as footsteps moving around the speakers in compelling ways. The more violent moments provide some good activity in the low end. This mix really puts you in the center of the action in a great way.
Special Features
- Crafting The Hunt: A five-minute look at the development of the film with the cast and crew. Everyone weighs in on why they responded to the script and the social commentary that runs through it.
- Death Scene Breakdowns: A nearly three-minute look at how they pulled off all of the brutal kills throughout the movie. The detailed look at the special effects and make up are really fun inclusions.
- Athena Vs. Crystal – Hunter or Hunted?: A nearly three-minute dissection of the final brawl between Athena and Crystal. Betty Gilpin and Hilary Swank discuss the intense training they did to perform most of the stunts themselves.
Final Thoughts
The Hunt was the final film I viewed before the theaters shut down. It also happened to be one of the most enjoyable times at the movies I have had all year. The mixture of insane violence and good-hearted humor brought home by the one and only Betty Gilpin proves to be the perfect movie cocktail. The film is one that holds up extremely well upon a rewatch. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has delivered a fantastic A/V presentation and some enjoyable extras with this package. Do not let political controversy keep you away from this one; it is a ton of fun! Highly Recommended
The Hunt is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has 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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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
