The Hunt (2020)

Oh boy this is fun.

"The Hunt" had preview screenings tonight, and I am SO glad I went to one. I have not been this entertained by a movie in a long time.

Originally scheduled for release late last year, due to media spin about a movie most of the complainers hadn't seen, Blumhouse Productions delayed the release, while they waged a quiet counter-campaign.

They were right, to do so. This movie IS NOT what the hue-and-cry suggested it is. To be sure, "The Hunt"is about political leftists hunting political conservatives (aka: "Deplorables") for sport, but this is satire; tightly scripted, brilliantly executed, and with every trace of polemics themselves lampooned for dark...very dark...laughs.

"The Hunt" is above all funny. If you have the sense of humor for it. It is also grisly; filled with flying body parts and graphic violence worthy of the horror movies Blumhouse is rapidly becoming famous for. But all of that is in service to political satire from which no point on the spectrum escapes unsoiled.

Best of all is the direction. Delightful twist follows carefully delivered surprise again and again. And just when I though I had the algorithm figured out, Director Craig Zobel gently pulls the rug, and I laugh at myself for thinking I could anticipate any of it.

"The Hunt" is rated "R", and it earns it. As I said, the violence is graphic and real. The language is as legitimate as angry people arguing for their lives, and their beliefs.

I would not say that the movie gains any special benefit from being seen in a theater, but I have a feeling this film is going to be a HUGE hit, and if you wait for a home release, you may experience people spoiling it for you. At the very least, you will be an outsider, listening to people rave about "The Hunt".

I give it nine stars.

Nine very shiny stars.

Fmovies: It had similar vibes of Ready Or Not, ideas and themes of The Purge and the unpredictability of The Cabin In The Woods. The first act is pretty strong and it really throws you off course as to who you think the main protagonist will be. That just set me up nicely for not having a clue of where it could go next. It moves at a good pace, the violence is brutal but cartoonish in its execution, the gags are solid and go down brave but potentially dangerous routes. I was fine with them. But it wouldn't surprise if some might offend the SJW cinema-goers. While the end was the most formulaic part of the film. The journey getting there made it a worthwhile watch.

This movie was written to basically call everyone an idiot if they base their whole lives around politically based ideological garbage. It's saying that regardless of being far right or far left you're still basically the same breed of moron and that it's the people living in the middle, who are actually trudging away just living our lives, are the actual badasses. Well not me specifically, but the general "we". The people who ignore the extremes of politics and just get things done. This movie portrays that in the least subtle way possible and I thought it was pretty hilarious.

There is almost no plot to this movie, which I'm sure will turn people off, but that's honestly what I liked about it because as commentary it speaks to political discourse that we see every day. It's all crap on both sides. Just buzz words and stupid conspiracy theories with both sides trying to paint each other into a box with very specific ideologies. Then we have the protagonist, a woman we know nothing about, nothing is ever explained about her, and she just takes over everything. It's all a very hamfisted analogy for modern society but I thought it was hilarious.

The plot is dumb, the characters are disposable, you never know what's going to happen next, everyone is insulted by the end, and Betty Gilpin does a hilarious job of just being bizarre. She also shows off some of her skills she's developed from starring on GLOW and her body is crazy tight in this. This is overall just a silly, ridiculous, popcorn flick with gratuitous violence...which is exactly what we need in an overly charged political era. It's a 6 because it's no masterpiece or anything, but it's plenty enjoyable.

The Hunt fmovies. Take a hint, my title is satirical, as was this film. Anyone finding the need to pick a political side from this film needs to give their heads a shake. This was pure mindless entertainment, and writers Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof nailed it! I want/ed more! Directing by Craig Zobel was excellent. Casting was perfect, and both Gilpin and Swank delivered. Despite the awesome violence and gore, in the end, it's just a feel-good movie, comedic in nature, as one bad guy after another gets what everyone in the audience thinks they deserved. The critics got this one wrong - they either took it too politically, or had their neck-ties on too tight. A definite recommend from me, and a well deserved 9/10!

I'm not sure all the people that gave bad reviews even seen this movie or they are just plain miserable. Some have just read too much into it. It's a fun dark humoured movie with a bit of gore that doesn't take itself seriously. You moaners need to get a life and not realise that not every movie has to be analised to see if its black/white or red/blue or rainbow. Enjoy it for what it is. FUN. If not then watch The Waltons on a loop.

I went in thinking I'd hate this movie but turned out loving it. The lead character is well written and Betty Gilpin pulls her off amazingly. Never saw this actress in anything before but will try and find her other movies.