A high-octane action-thriller that sent viewers reeling, The Hunt, is on the brink of disappearing from Netflix in mere days.
The Hunt is a high-tension 2020 American action-horror cinematic experience helmed by Craig Zobel with Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof penning the script.
The film showcases the talents of Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank, Ike Barinholtz, and Emma Roberts as it unveils a harrowing tale of elites who abduct working-class individuals for sport.
In 2019, before the movie’s premiere, controversy shrouded its impending release. With COVID-19 plunging the world into turmoil and shutting down cinemas, The Hunt quickly became entangled in a political storm stirred up by then-President Donald Trump.
Conservative media lambasted the film’s promotional material for depicting what seemed like the hunting of Trump supporters by left-wing adversaries.
In August 2019, Trump erupted on Twitter, alleging the film industry was creating cinema to “inflame and cause chaos,” without directly naming the film in question.
However, just a week following its unveiling, the alarming spread of COVID-19 led to widespread cinema shutdowns, resulting in tepid box office takings of a mere $12.4 million.
However, the film has now garnered several glowing critiques on Rotten Tomatoes. One reviewer hailed The Hunt, remarking, “The Hunt is a clever, gory good time. In a perverse way, it’s about unity and coming together.”
Another viewer contributed their thoughts: “I really enjoyed watching The Hunt and I’m grateful that the film was actually released. I understand the worries people had, but most of the talk surrounding this film that got it canceled was a bit excessive.”
Offering a different angle, a third commentator added, “The film is definitely political. However, it’s not quite as black-and-white as pundits want you to believe. Ultimately, I don’t think it matters where you fall on the political spectrum; The Hunt is a fun flick.”
A fourth cinema-goer shared, “It’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea (least of all a certain political organization’s Tea Party), but The Hunt is a cut above your average mindless horror.”
Meanwhile, a fifth enthusiast opined, “It’s a sleek, short, well-wrought horror-thriller with buckets of gore, and a sharp performance by Betty Gilpin that deserved far more notice.”
“The film’s snarky humor is just a ruse to conjure the illusion of controversy. You could say the film offers a cheeky backhander to self-righteousness [but] it would strain any brain to see it as anything but a mischievous piece of splatter cinema,” another said.
The Hunt is on Netflix until Thursday, 15th May.