Pitched as the one of the most controversial films of the year because of it's release delay and timely, topical satire of the US culture war, THE HUNT is actually a great picture.
Calling it the next GET OUT might be a bit too generous, but by no means does this film deserve as much negative press as it's getting.
Originally slated for release on September 27th, 2019, it was delayed, due to the Dayton and El Paso mass shootings, and criticisms that the film seemed to glorify killing red-state voters. It was released in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, on March 13th, 2020.
The film's villains are blue-state elites, and we are meant to root for Betty Gilpin's Crystal Creasey, so this criticism that the film is anti red-state, doesn't really make any sense.
By shifting who our protagonist is, at least twice, before finally revealing the real heroine, the filmmakers are able to instill an amount of unease and interest by breaking narrative conventions. When we do meet Crystal Creasey, she is detached, smart, strong, and an Afghanistan War veteran. She makes these quirky little facial gestures when under stress, which was such an interesting choice, and really elevated the performance and character.
Her climactic battle with her antithesis, Hillary Swank's Athena Stone, delivers a bad ass finale, and is the ultimate cultural showdown.
I believe the film's poor reception is due to its raw politics and the sensitivities of the moment. This is a shame, because it lost a lot of money at the box office, and these kinds of original, bold, smart genre pictures need to do well financially in order for more to be financed.
I'll add that being released in the middle of a pandemic certainly doesn't help its box office numbers either.
It's a solid B-movie, and no CITIZEN KANE, but I wish it did better commercially and critically. I guess Michael Jordan doesn't get the ball in the hoop every time he's up.
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