Hunting Grounds

This is about a woman and her kids on the run from her mob-connected husband, who sends his henchmen out to find her and get the kids. Or so we think. One of the mob's henchmen is a bit rough with her and seems he is going to kill her, when she is saved by this white knight in the woods with a rifle, who is not only a hero, but a badass, a good-looking man, and a nice guy. Or so we think. The cat-and-mouse game between the henchmen and this rambo-esque type character reaches a fever pitch, and the film is entertaining enough. As usual, with movies like these, I'm screaming at the tube "Kill him! Kill him! Why don't you shoot him??" and so of course nobody is really dead until you see their head lopped off. It's a decent actioner, but then ending is ridiculous. I won't give it away, but let's say that if the film ended 20 minutes early, it would have been better. I have a feeling the creators didn't just want to make a simple film of desperation and violence, but had to add some quirk to the end. It doesn't kill the entire film, but it's a groaner of an ending. Worth watching until that. 5 points.

What started out as a "B" movie with some unintentional B movie laughs turns into an over the top, violence beyond belief, Grimm Fairy Tale. It was a real turn off.

Film is about a mother named Chloe (Emily Alatalo who looks like an Anna Kendrick clone in this) fleeing her mob-connected husband named John (Nathaniel Wainman), who finds shelter with a drifter named Jake (Tim Rozon) who is a former special forces soldier who got a section 8, but as her husband's men close in, Jake proves more dangerous than anyone she's running from.

Like a cheapo horror film, the villains can be shot and beaten multiple times but always come back until the very end.

I gave it one star for Emily Alatalo and the fact she looks a lot like Anna Kendrick in this film. Other then that the film is a complete lemon.

I had the opportunity to watch the 2025 action thriller "Hunting Grounds" here in 2025, without ever having heard about it. But the fact that it was a movie that I hadn't already seen was more than sufficient to make me sit down and watch what director had to offer Derek Barnes.

Writers Derek Barnes, James McDougall and James Mark put together an enjoyable script. The narrative proved entertaining, and there was a surprising amount of violence in the movie. I don't mean over-the-top amount, but the movie definitely had its share of visceral violence. The storyline is nicely written and constructed, making the audience feel like they are right there in the forest alongside Chloe (played by Emily Alatalo) and struggling with her.

A bit of a surprise here, as I saw that the movie had Tim Rozon on the cast list, I do like him in movies. The only familiar faces on the cast list, for me, were Tim Rozon, Jon McLaren and Greg Bryk. The acting performances in the movie were good.

If you enjoy action thrillers, then "Hunting Grounds" is actually a movie that I would recommend. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the 89 minutes that the movie ran for.

My rating of director Derek Barnes's 2025 movie "Hunting Grounds" lands on a well-deserved six out of ten stars.

I didn't recognize any of the actors in HUNTING GROUNDS, nor the director. But the movie was really fun to watch - interesting plot, a woman seeking justice all alone in the woods, a rescue hero who becomes a problem, and finally revenge that is well overdue. Plenty of surprises here, as well as nice photography and music score.

I happen to enjoy kick-ass females who, against all odds, manage to exact revenge against evil men. That's this movie, and much more.

The feminine lead "Chloe" here carries the day, and "Jack" is equally good at playing a former green beret who has lost his way. Be sure and give this a look. I recommend it.

You won't enjoy watching this movie; it's truly a masterpiece of absurdity. Jake gets shot four times in the neck and chest, yet somehow he miraculously survives without a single drop of blood. 🤣🤣 By the end, when he's chasing Chloe by the river, he's completely unscathed. Director, we're not as gullible as you seem to think.