Writer/Director Shawn Linden's Hunter Hunter is a surprisingly good cross - generic thriller come horror, featuring new variants of those old fright night staples: the cabin in the woods and the marauding wolf. Take no notice of those low brow critics in this forum, who say nothing much happens. They were expecting a splatter - fest, which they were never going to get. Linden's script is way too clever and original to allow for the typical and the expected.
The beauty of the narrative is that so much of it rings true. Self - interested hunter Joseph, lives with his wife Anne and daughter Renee off the grid in the Canadian forest on land that he believes to be his, but may not be. They make a pretty ordinary living by selling the pelts he obtains from animals he hunts and traps. Anne's just about had enough of this life and quite understandably would like to move to the nearest regional town, where Renee could attend school and Joe, would still be free to live his hunter/gatherer life style. Then Joe becomes fixated on catching what he believes to be a dangerous lone wolf, feasting on the bounty caught in his traps and the story then proceeds to branch off into unanticipated, but still very logical directions.
The cast is uniformly strong, but special mention has to go to Camille Sullivan's Anne, who convincingly makes a realistic transformation from stoic den mother to avenging angel and even something beyond that. The locations are ruggedly handsome in a desolate sort of way and the soundtrack is entirely appropriate and thankfully never resorting to noisy jump shocks.
Hunter Hunter is a clever, good - looking, slow - burning horror piece, anchored by strong writing, accomplished performances and just generally smart film - making. It's been a while since I've felt the call of the wild be so compelling and attractively grim, as depicted here. Don't worry about keeping this wolf at bay.
The beauty of the narrative is that so much of it rings true. Self - interested hunter Joseph, lives with his wife Anne and daughter Renee off the grid in the Canadian forest on land that he believes to be his, but may not be. They make a pretty ordinary living by selling the pelts he obtains from animals he hunts and traps. Anne's just about had enough of this life and quite understandably would like to move to the nearest regional town, where Renee could attend school and Joe, would still be free to live his hunter/gatherer life style. Then Joe becomes fixated on catching what he believes to be a dangerous lone wolf, feasting on the bounty caught in his traps and the story then proceeds to branch off into unanticipated, but still very logical directions.
The cast is uniformly strong, but special mention has to go to Camille Sullivan's Anne, who convincingly makes a realistic transformation from stoic den mother to avenging angel and even something beyond that. The locations are ruggedly handsome in a desolate sort of way and the soundtrack is entirely appropriate and thankfully never resorting to noisy jump shocks.
Hunter Hunter is a clever, good - looking, slow - burning horror piece, anchored by strong writing, accomplished performances and just generally smart film - making. It's been a while since I've felt the call of the wild be so compelling and attractively grim, as depicted here. Don't worry about keeping this wolf at bay.