If you’ve ever spent any time on the political side of X, formerly known as Twitter, you know that it can be an ugly and hateful place. Writers Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof have certainly spent some time in that part of Twitter, because they’ve created a story that understands its absurdity and then uses that silliness as the basis for a bloody and funny action thriller. THE HUNT was quite controversial when it was released back in 2020, so I decided to finally check it out for myself.
The story begins with a group of strangers waking up in the middle of nowhere, confused, gagged, and wondering how in the hell they ended up that way. The field they’re in has a large crate that contains a sharply dressed pig, as well as a variety of guns and knives. Once they’ve helped themselves to the weapons, all hell breaks loose, with several of them being immediately killed in brutal ways. We soon learn that they’re being hunted by a group of wealthy elites who are sick and tired of dealing with these conspiracy-spreading, climate-denying deplorables and have decided to do something about them. One thing they didn’t account for was the amazing fighting and survival skills of Crystal May Creasey, played by Betty Gilpin. Before long, Crystal has turned the tables and the hunters have become the hunted.
I’m just going to say it right off, Gilpin is incredible as Crystal. I had not really seen her before, but I’m definitely going to be on the lookout for some of her other work. She plays Crystal with a confident coolness, which makes her reactions to the madness around her that much more effective. Hilary Swank, who plays the leader of the elites, knows her way around a fight scene, and their showdown delivers big time. Think of the fight between Uma Thurman and Vivica A. Fox in KILL BILL, and you’ll get an idea of their fight’s intensity, but this one lasts longer. The cast is sprinkled with some well-known actors like Amy Madigan, Justin Hartley, Macon Blair and Emma Roberts. I’ll just say that this isn’t the kind of film where you want to get too attached to the characters and leave it at that!
Did I mention earlier that THE HUNT is graphically violent? We know we’re in for a bloody ride when a guy’s eyeball is ripped from its socket in the second scene. The film will go on to present a wide array of impalings, blown up bodies, close-range shotgun blasts, long-distance rifle splatters, and many other creative deaths. While the violence is shown in graphic detail, it’s also played with an exaggerated sense of humor that made it easier for me to watch. It’s also presented in a way that matches the tone of the story.
What really sets this movie apart for me, though, is its political satire. I spent quite a bit of time on Twitter during Donald Trump’s first term, and this movie does an outstanding job of painting both sides in the broadest of strokes that are instantly recognizable for those in the know. The deplorables consist of a variety of conspiracy theorists, gun rights absolutists, big game hunters, and rednecks. The conspiracy theorists get it the worst, with something ridiculous to say for every occasion, even though a couple of times they’re revealed to be right! On the other hand, the elites have a hard time carrying on a conversation because they’re always correcting each other’s word usage, and they’re constantly lecturing everyone around them. And for a group of people who are never wrong, the elites make a crucial factual error that threatens to upend their entire plan. I’ll leave all of those details for you to discover, but I like that director Craig Zobel and his writers take aim at the absurdity of the entire online political spectrum, with no one getting a free pass. For me, that’s a big part of what makes THE HUNT so much fun. Beneath all the blood and guts is a recognizable version of the silly social media politics that I watched play out online just a few years ago.
I think those who understand the toxicity of American politics in the time of Donald Trump will get the most out of this film, but I still think it can work as entertainment for those who don’t. The action is energetic, the violence is outrageous, and it has a wonderfully twisted sense of humor. And it has Betty Gilpin, who plays one of the toughest, most badass female characters I’ve seen in a movie in a long time. Hell, she was worth the watch for me!
