Review of Call of the Hunter

Call of the Hunter is an independently made horror drama reminiscent of the later Hammer horror productions of the 1970s, featuring a team of documentary makers investigating the legend of Herne the hunter, who become stranded in a creepy old house set in dark woodland by no less than the spirit of Herne himself. Call of the Hunter is well made considering its cripplingly low budget, and is ably supported by a talented and enthusiastic cast and crew engaged with a simple yet sturdy plot that develops slowly at first and then accelerates onward exhibiting a malevolent force dotted with short blasts of blood and gore which continue to build right up until the final moments. The movie style exploits the fast twitch, sudden shock approach to horror that's associated with the Hammer style but goes somewhat further than this by adding greater depth to the characters and a story that has the luxury of warming up before the final sprint. The movie has some significant comedy moments and a distinctly self satirising feel with lines such as 'If this was a horror film I'd be dead by now!' and 'Why is it always the Brummie that gets it?' spoken by Dan, a deeply unfortunate Birmingham man who seems intent on rendering himself unconscious at every possible opportunity. There's a good class of monster, some absolutely classic turn around scenes in the final moments and, for those who like the heavy rock/metal genre of music,there's also some pretty decent action score thrown in. The cast of Call of the Hunter deserve a good deal of credit for the way in which they've become immersed in the story in a completely unselfconscious way that lends a great deal to the credibility of the tale. In particular my hat comes off to Sarah Paul (Tamsin), who demonstrates a significantly stalwart nature until just the right time whereupon she caves in and then comes back stronger, and to Michael Instone (Dan) for some great comedy. No-one can push a cadaver across a field in a wheelbarrow like him. The Hammer horror productions are now in the cult status department of most DVD stores and I've no doubt that Call of the Hunter will one day sit alongside them. I watched this movie once. Then I watched all the extra features, got to know the cast, saw the making of the movie and the humour and camaraderie that went into it, and then I watched the movie again and enjoyed it even more. There aren't many flicks that I'm prepared to say that about. If you can get it, get it.