With a dark, ominous aura smeared all across its remote wilderness setting and a foreboding score that escalates the tension & suspense to nerve-rattling levels with ease, Hunter Hunter reeks of death and is a bone-chilling exercise in dread & paranoia that simply refuses to hold back its primal ferocity once it kicks into action and also features one of the most memorable endings in recent years.
Written & directed by Shawn Linden, the build-up is slow but effective and the first half of the story is effortlessly captivating, gripping the viewers with fear & uncertainty of the threat that lurks between the trees. On paper the plot doesn't amount to much but the tense atmosphere its surroundings invoke helps sustain its intensity. And also adding to the film's unnerving vibe is the stealth camerawork & grim score.
However, the film could've done without the subplot concerning the local police officer as it neither adds anything of value to the main plot nor enriches the viewing experience by much. The actors are committed to their roles and while they sure would've liked more flesh on their characters to build their act upon, their visceral rendition is nonetheless strong & fitting, with Camille Sullivan impressing the most amongst all.
Overall, Hunter Hunter takes a cold-blooded approach to bring its story to screen and packs some brutal, disturbing & harrowing imagery that will affect some viewers. Linden's direction stands out more than his writing here, for the script is thin on plot & characterisation and yet by drawing out the premise and setting up a sinister ambience, the director allows the horror to unfurl gradually & effectually and saves the best scene for the last. Definitely worth a shot.
