All right, so this movie doesn't pretend to be anything more than another version of "The Most Dangerous Game"(although the premise has a fairly inventive twist to it (the entire town is in on the action, which brings in the feel of "Two Thousand Maniacs"), and the protagonist isn't especially sympathetic or even likable. I can live with that in light of the extremely well done camera work and set design and some very good set pieces and visuals that are completely justified by the nature of the story.
I thought I recognized an actor or two, but this seems to be a cast of relative unknowns. Everyone here does whatever it takes to get their character over, so that's a plus. No one stood out, but no one sucked either.
Adding severe alcohol addiction (bad enough that at points he has to filter ethanol out of hand soap and drink mouthwash straight from the bottle to avoid a withdrawal bad enough to kill him) to the "hero's" problem ups the ante even further, but amazingly this isn't overdone. Whatever the hunted man's character flaws, he isn't a quitter, and I found myself rooting for him more and more as he fought through drugs, wounds, injuries, withdrawal pains, overwhelming odds and nasty, nasty sociopaths trying to kill him without complaint or self-pity. He even tries to help his fellow "prey" survive, although they all fall victim to sniper fire etc.
There are some effective acting choices, and some intelligent and amusing character quirks on display. The desert landscape and eroded, poverty stricken town-scape are other characters in the story which both adds energy to the movie and keeps the nihilistic bent of the plot from becoming too oppressive.
The overly cynical and bitter denouement cost the movie a star, but I put that star back when I witnessed the "hero's" final reaction to his fate.
For what it is, "Happy Hunting" is very good. If you are in the mood for a variation on "The Most Dangerous Game" (or even "Two Thousand Maniacs"), you may well enjoy it.
I thought I recognized an actor or two, but this seems to be a cast of relative unknowns. Everyone here does whatever it takes to get their character over, so that's a plus. No one stood out, but no one sucked either.
Adding severe alcohol addiction (bad enough that at points he has to filter ethanol out of hand soap and drink mouthwash straight from the bottle to avoid a withdrawal bad enough to kill him) to the "hero's" problem ups the ante even further, but amazingly this isn't overdone. Whatever the hunted man's character flaws, he isn't a quitter, and I found myself rooting for him more and more as he fought through drugs, wounds, injuries, withdrawal pains, overwhelming odds and nasty, nasty sociopaths trying to kill him without complaint or self-pity. He even tries to help his fellow "prey" survive, although they all fall victim to sniper fire etc.
There are some effective acting choices, and some intelligent and amusing character quirks on display. The desert landscape and eroded, poverty stricken town-scape are other characters in the story which both adds energy to the movie and keeps the nihilistic bent of the plot from becoming too oppressive.
The overly cynical and bitter denouement cost the movie a star, but I put that star back when I witnessed the "hero's" final reaction to his fate.
For what it is, "Happy Hunting" is very good. If you are in the mood for a variation on "The Most Dangerous Game" (or even "Two Thousand Maniacs"), you may well enjoy it.