On face value what appears to be a fairly unassuming low-budget Canadian backed thriller/horror ends up becoming something else entirely in its latter stages thanks too a sharp pivot as Hunter Hunter escapes the doldrums of a slowly staged start and some el-cheapo production values to become a small-scale genre mash-up that is well worth tracking down.
Directed by Shawn Linden, who brings this film to life based off a script he had in the pipeline since 2007, Hunter Hunter starts out in a so-so fashion as he introduces us to Camille Sullivan and Devon Sawa's couple Anne and Joseph who alongside their young daughter Renee (played well by Summer H. Howell) live out a secluded life in the wilderness scraping out an existence as fur trappers only to have their simple lifestyle interrupted by a ravenous wolf that poses a significant threat to their lives and livelihoods.
There's certainly nothing overly new about this particular set-up, there have been numerous small budget and big-scale tales of man vs beast over the history of film and far before moving pictures ever existed but without going directly into heavy spoiler territory, Hunter Hunter doesn't end up becoming the exact type of film you would initially expect it too be and for a film with miniscule funds and options, it does well to morph into a genuinely unnerving tale that will linger long in the memory thanks to its insane finale.
At the heart of all of these happenings are some memorable little turns also with Sullivan doing good work as the determined yet frightened Hannah and the increasingly rugged looking Nick Stahl as the injured house guest of the couple Lou, a man who offers either a hindrance or a potential help to their survival against a animalistic threat that could strike at any moment.
As is the case with many films of this low-end ilk, Hunter Hunter is rough around the edges in many departments with Linden's direction mostly by the numbers and delivered without much flair and many production values lack a certain polish that could've otherwise elevated this grim and dreary affair but while never reaching grand heights, this is a little film that could and will be sure to please genre fans seeking an unpredictable bout of storytelling from a film many would've expected nothing from.
Final Say -
Doing well to overcome a slow start and a middling middle section, Hunter Hunter takes a dark and shocking turn in its latter stages and proves even the most unlikely of films have a chance to become something more even when the odds are stacked well and truly against them.
3 traps out of 5.
