The Hunt

Craig Zobel’s horror comedy became a cause célèbre when the distributor suddenly cancelled its release, not merely because its violence was deemed excessive in the wake of recent mass shootings, but because its premise, which linked the gore to the extreme political divisions in the country, fueled attacks by various politicians, including President Trump.  Now that it can be seen, the verdict is that though the movie will hardly win awards as a subtle satire of today’s mores, in genre terms it is cunningly crafted and quite funny.  It begins with twelve people drugged and deposited in the wild, along with a crate that contains a cache of weapons. But as they arm themselves, they’re fired upon by rifles and arrows from a nearby bunker.  Some fall immediately to bullets or other devices—a spike trap, land mines—while others manage to flee into the surrounding woods, the attackers in hot pursuit. Eventually only three are left.  Two, Gary (Ethan Suplee) and Don (Wayne Duvall), are familiar with Internet postings about a conspiracy called Manorgate, in which ordinary folks are kidnapped to serve as quarry for 'Deep State' elitists to kill in elaborate hunts.  Each teams up for a time with Crystal May (Betty Gilpin), an army veteran who turns out to be the proverbial last girl standing in a face-off against the liberal mastermind behind the gruesome game, a loony leftie named Athena (Hilary Swank), who was fired from her government post when rumors circulated on the Web about her hobby—and she foolishly posted a message critical of our Commander in Chief.  The finale is a cat fight of hilariously overblown length and ferocity.  The Hunt works as a modern horror romp because it is chock full of death scenes that are clever and surprising enough to keep genre fans on their toes, especially at the beginning, when targets you are emotionally invested in get picked off without a moment’s pause.  The level of violence is high, of course, but it is staged in a cartoonish fashion that distinguishes it from movies of a grislier sort.  As a satire of the blue-red divide in America, on the other hand, the movie is amusing enough, but aims at very low-lying fruit, painting both sides in the broadest, most obvious strokes.  The prey—'the deplorables,' as the hunters call them—are a thoroughly stereotypical bunch, and the effete Manorites, all devoted to predictably politically-correct viewpoints, are equally caricatures (so much so that their devotion to the Second Amendment is weirdly out of sync).  But though it is hardly a classic satire, the movie may well represent the sort of grotesque, violent, low-class send-up our present screwy socio-political culture deserves.  Recommended.  (F. Swietek)