User Reviews

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.

This film was shot a few years ago and what with the updates in cameras like the Canon D5 etc. One can see that this was done on possibly a lower grade camera. It has moments when you can tell it's the magic word - VIDEO.

But that aside and having seen how much it was made for and am impressed - mainly with the story and the actors, all of whom are excellent with a couple of exceptions. But do not want to sound negative about this - It's good, it's entertaining, has it's horror moments with a smattering of good humour.

The cut is very sharp and there is little waste, which keeps it's pace up, this is often a big problem with very low budget as they tend to labour over things... this doesn't - it's lean and at 85 minutes zips by.

My favourite character is Dan - he's so affable, cheeky and has most of the best lines. Max is a smaller role but is played beautifully. Of the Ladies, Tamsin is the main lead role and is very much the holding role as a character - done really well. Also the crazy transformation of Natasha is very interesting.

Is it worth a watch - damn right. I enjoyed this movie... a lot!

Of all the things I can say of 'Call of the Hunter', the most important is that it certainly wasn't what I was expecting first off. But who doesn't like to be surprised by a film?

I went in with the preconception of an American slasher/splatter horror with a British twist, and whilst neither element disappointed, neither was the key thing I remember about the film.

Incredibly well-written and developed; a plot that on the surface is fairly simple manages to stay interesting and engaging for the duration. It has twists and turns, unexpected elements, and most importantly a cast that hold their own and make it all come alive. Katrin Reidel-Kelly (Natasha) develops beautifully and subtly throughout the film from an adorable young woman into a pixie-like, mentally disturbed killer, and Michael Instone (Dan) provides a much-appreciated sense of comic relief and unique British feel. Also, although he does not see quite as much screen time as some of the other leads, I found Jonathan Hansler's performance as Max thoroughly enjoyable and reminiscent of all my favourite misanthropes.

The humour is perhaps one of the things that delights the most about this film, as the last thing you see coming is the kind of laugh-out-loud comedy that is so simple and subtle, but in the context of a terse horror also so much more amusing, especially promoted by Michael Instone's 'Northerner'.

Verdict: A brilliant piece of independent British cinema, worth a watch for horror and humour buffs alike. £25k for this? It would have been a bargain at twice the price.