The Breakdown: While trying to film the debut episode of their dream TV show, a hunter and his camera man start experiencing some troubling phenomena deep in the West Virginian woods.
Watch If: You really wish horror films would stop showing their monsters.
Not If: You are easily annoyed by screaming.
Similar To: The Blair Witch Project (1999)
SECONDARY FACTS
Overall Rating: 3.6
Length: 1:29
Country: USA
Language: English
Scare Factor: 3/5
Gore Factor: 1/5
REVIEW
THE QUICK AND DIRTY
The Hunted is everything The Blair Witch Project wishes it could have been. If you get easily annoyed by screams, you'll probably have trouble with this one, otherwise, I recommend giving it a chance.
PREMISE: 3
Not only does this film manage to offer a believable premise and explanation for why the main characters don't just up and leave when the going gets tough, but, unlike so many of its contemporaries, The Hunted doesn't rely on the protagonist's incompetence to maintain its plot. Too often in modern horror, the main characters make dumb mistake after dumb mistake. It's refreshing o see a film in which the characters not only hold competence in their field, but also have experience to an almost professional level. Good horror lets you be competent because in the end, nothing you could possibly do could make a difference.
ACTING: 4
It's so easy to ruin a horror movie with bad acting- it often makes the difference between horror and comedy. Found Footage is especially vulnerable to this particular sink hole, as the entire format relies on the audience being able to accept the concept that the tapes (or other medium) *might* be real found footage. Nothing destroys that more efficiently than terrible acting. In The Hunted, horror is the goal, and the acting managed to let the viewer fall into the film, rather than just be pulled along by it.
AUDIO AND VISUALS: 4
The Hunted demonstrates an understanding of 'looking away' that is borderline masterful. It manages to balance tension in a way that borders on, but never fully reaches, frustrating levels. The sound design is impeccable, with brilliantly placed musical asides and sound effects that leave the audience wondering if the characters heard the same thing they did. The consistent theme of showing the characters through reflection offers a visually engaging viewing experience, that manages to exaggerate and offer visual context for the 'misdirected' shots during the action points.
ATMOSPHERE: 4
I went into this movie expecting it to be boring, and was pleasantly surprised. There's an excellent consistency to the tension, that casts the viewer out, only to real them in again at a moments notice, and this fluctuating manipulation of pacing and action makes The Hunting a joy to watch.
DELIVERY: 3
The Hunted is easily the most underrated horror film I've ever encountered. It was fun to watch, and entertaining even if the screaming got a little grating towards the end of the film. It totes some effective, and well deserved jump scares that even got my heart racing a bit.
If you're not in the mood for slow-burn horror, or you're hoping for a visually intricate monster, you're not going to enjoy this one. Come back to it when you're in a more slow-paced mood.
Starring
Written By:Josh Stewart
Director: Josh Stewart
Executive Producer: Bruce Fishelman, Jeffrey Tinnell, Robert Tinnell
Affiliate Companies: Fortress Features, Allegheny Image Factory
Music: Walter Werzowa
Cinematography: Gilbert Salas
Special Effects: Jason Baker