On 9th August 2019, Donald Trump claimed on Twitter “Liberal Hollywood is Racist at the highest level, and with great Anger and Hate. The movie coming out is made in order to inflame and cause chaos.” Shortly after the first trailer of the Hunt was released, two mass shootings took place in Ohio and Texas. The choice of words shown in the trailer along with the violence depicted among the two social classes are thought to be reason behind the statement of Trump. Even before it was released, The Hunt turned out to be one of the controversial movies of 2020.
The film was originally supposed to be released in September 2019. However, among all the ongoing controversies, Universal Pictures announced that the released would be postponed. After almost 6 months, of the original release date, the movie was finally released in March 2020.
The Hunt, directed by Craig Zobel, starts with a simple online conversation among a few friends, which soon leads a massive turn in the story. A gruesome bloodshed, starting with a bunch of weapons and 12 individuals stranded with mouth gags kick starts the mystery. For the first few minutes, it’s hard to find a stability in the plot and every other move seems rather unexpected. It might take some time to find the actual lead in the movie, but the wait is quite worth it.
The suspense is nicely maintained throughout the movie, as the audience might keep on searching for the answers. There is a combination of wonderful action, mystery, violence and still, somehow it is never too gross to watch. The director included plenty of action, with just the right pinch of humor. At a time, the plot might seem slow, but it soon catches up without delay. The entire movie is shot far from the typical cities, free from the external chaos. The scenarios are breathtakingly beautiful, which adds a positive point to the film.
Casting director, Terri Taylor did an amazing job casting some of the brilliant actors for the movie. The movie stars Betty Gilpin- famously known as Debbie Eagan for her Netflix show ‘Glow’. She was previously seen in mostly comic roles and the character she’s portraying is much different than her usual roles. Her mere presence is one of the reasons why this film deserves a watch. Along with other actors Hilary Swank, an award winning actress, Emma Roberts, Ethan Suplee and many others, the movie beautifully portrays what it aimed to. Apart from this Terri Taylor previously worked in ‘Crazy Rich Asian’, ‘The Invisible Man’, ‘Halloween’, ‘Insidious’ and many other films.
Although the movie shows the presence of two social classes: elites and deplorables (another term related to the controversy), the movie takes no sides. According to betty Gilpin, The Hunt is a social satire; instead of choosing a side, it mocks the flaws of both classes. However, unlike most satires, this movie doesn’t challenge the viewers with its perspectives. Instead, this shows a simplified perspective that leaves a warning about the current social conditions.
The Hunt offers a journey with the protagonist, into a world of survival. This is the chance to relive the old tale of the hare and the turtle with a unique ending, told from a new point of view. By the end of the movie, some viewers might still want to know a little more about the protagonist, as she comes and leaves with grace. For others, this movie might just be enough. One thing is for sure, the expectations were more from the antagonist, but it turned out she really was the ignorant liberal. The Hunt might be a new experience in the genre of thriller, which should be watched at least for once. Perhaps, this movie might teach a lesson to a few. Who knows, there might be second thoughts on many minds before mindlessly sharing something suspicious on social media. After all, not everything has to be true!