Hunter Hunter (2020)

Hunter Hunter (2020) What a shame! This film could have been great! It’s hard to find it completely rubbish, but it’s even harder to find it excellent. The film doesn’t go in the direction I thought it would. It takes several directions at once. We follow a film that’s part wolf movie, part survival and part story about how human beings are always the worst. And it ends with a final scene that’s as gory as it gets!

So there you have it, all the information you need to decide whether or not to see this feature film. I like these large wooded areas. Films set in forests always have a way of intriguing me, if not attracting me. Camille Sullivan has a small role in Dead Rising – Endgame (2016). As I enjoyed it so much, I was keen to see her in a bigger role. Here, I was served since she’s the lead actress. Unfortunately, I don’t think she’ll make it big with these films. It’s a very dark thriller with a very hard ending that shows a complete and utter meltdown. The ending features some powerful rock music… followed by the credits, which are silent, with only the sound of nature. Just the thing to soften the blow.

Hunter Hunter tells the story of how a family of trappers set out to hunt a wolf. It quickly becomes clear what is going to happen, but there is no plot, no plot twist, no mystery. It gradually slips into a tense atmosphere, ending with a shocking, violent scene. It’s a raw, simple film, but no less profound. We discover a family that leads a hard life, isolated from society, yet retains a certain naivety and ethics in the face of death. Until… Well, it feels like the film is two hours long, so much so that it drags. It’s well acted, but not incredibly well shot. A low budget for poor special effects. Hope kept me going, comforting me that there was some action, some coherence, some intrigue… but no!

Having said that, the tension builds quietly, continuing its slow progression towards anguish right up to the final act. The disturbing atmosphere is perfectly maintained. The actors are good. The ending is a little too insane and filmed with a simplicity that ices over the horror. It may seem totally ridiculous, too, or far too exaggerated, but that’s what makes it stand out. Otherwise, it’s a good summary of human nature, of what man is capable of doing to man, of what pain can generate in terms of violence even from the most benevolent among us, and of this entrenchment of the world which, despite everything, doesn’t spare us from the worst. Wherever we live, we’ll have problems with human beings. Conclusion, once again: Man is a wolf to man.