The Hunt Review — Staci Layne Wilson says while its brutality is extreme, it’s worth a look on the big screen if you’re a fan of the genre.

The Hunt begins when a small group of strangers wakes up from a drug-induced doze, finding themselves in a grassy meadow with a large wooden crate in its center. What’s in the box? How did they get there? Why are were they taken in the first place? There’s no time to ponder those questions before the bullets start flying and they’re all forced to fight for their lives.

Little do the hunted know, their online vitriol has come back to bite them in the form of a group of liberal elites who are out to punish them for their hastily-typed comments. The angry one-percenters, led by Athena (Hilary Swank, Trust) have gathered at a remote manor house to do their dirty work and they have planned their revenge out to the last detail.

But that strategy is derailed when would-be victim Crystal (Betty Gilpin, GLOW) turns the tables on the killers, picking them off one by one. Gilpin nails every scene she’s in, but it’s is fun to see Swank pause to chew some scenery even as she’s being busted in the chops.

Not to be confused with the excellent, thought-provoking 2012 Mads Mikkelsen movie of the same name, this The Hunt is an uber-sadistic, over-the-top horror flick. While there has been a lot of buzz about this film, it bears mentioning that the concept is nothing new—film buffs are sure to know the 1932 feature, The Most Dangerous Game (as well as countless takes on the trope throughout the years to follow). This movie is also strikingly similar to Hostel (2005), minus the prolonged torture—which is not to say bloodthirsty horror fans won’t get their money’s worth from The Hunt.

The Hunt was postponed from a 2019 release because of that very reason—gun violence in the news. But memories are short and the show must go on. The Hunt is quite extreme in its brutality but it is on the cartoony side. There are a lot of “wow!” moments. If the profession is added as a category in the Oscars next year, The Hunt’s stunt team is a shoo-in for the win.

While originality may not be its strong suit, The Hunt showcases top-notch acting and its elaborate set-pieces are quite inventive. It’s worth a look on the big screen if you’re a fan of the genre.

Rated R

1 Hour 55 Minutes

If this The Hunt review makes you want to run for your life to the cineplex, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

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