Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Hunter Hunter Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 6, 2021

The call of the wild gets incredibly grim in “Hunter Hunter,” with writer/director Shawn Linden exploring the savage ways of man and beast in the feature. He doesn’t hold back on the hard stuff in the picture, offering a merciless understanding of violence, but not a sustained one. “Hunter Hunter” is slow-burn but effective, with Linden working to understand troubled characters and survival issues while carefully creating a gristly genre film out of the endeavor, and an effective one, sneaking up on viewers with strong writing and a deliberate choice to not take it easy on the participants in this suspenseful movie.

In rural Canada, Joseph (Devon Sawa) is survivalist hunting for animal skins, trying to keep up with the financial demands of life in the woods, joined by his wife, Anne (Camille Sullivan), and daughter, Renee (Summer H. Howell). Hunter is training Renee in the ways of self-preservation, keeping the specialized knowledge alive for another generation, but Anne is beginning to worry about their future, pushing to make a move to the nearest city. Adding pressure to the situation is the return of a determined wolf, inspiring Joseph to track the dangerous creature, leaving his wife and daughter alone in the family cabin as he sets out to eliminate the threat, only to find something far worse in the deep woods.

“Hunter Hunter” initially focuses on family challenges, with Joseph working to train Renee in the art of tracking and trapping, keeping this way of life going for his daughter, maintaining tradition. Anne is his dutiful wife, but she’s losing interest in the daily struggle. With less money coming in for furs and food running low, she’s looking to join society again, hoping for work and school for Renee. There’s an entire movie in this fascinating domestic dynamic, finding Joseph protective of all he knows while Anne grasps reality, though she remains committed to the marriage.

There’s a wolf in the mix, escalating suspense in “Hunter Hunter” as Joseph sets out to kill an invader ruining trapping efforts. However, Linden isn’t interested in a simple tracking tale, putting a seasoned man against a cunning opponent. The writing uses this conflict to explore a more horrific type of invasion from a perversion of nature, which inches “Hunter Hunter” into more familiar storytelling territory, but Linden is mindful of the details, maintaining attention on police interests, land claims, and Anne’s trials of self-sufficiency.

Hunter Hunter Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers a colder palette, with the autumnal setting of the movie captured with muted colors. Golden light carries power, along with small town hues, providing greens on uniforms and brighter decorative additions. Red is important to the production, finding offerings of blood defined. Skintones are natural. Detail secures distinct facial surfaces, surveying the wear and tear on Joseph and the youthful appearance of Renee. Cabin life is textured, along with outdoor visits, which retain dimensional distances. Fine hairs on animals are appreciable. Delineation is acceptable.

Hunter Hunter Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix does well with the outdoorsy nature of "Hunter Hunter," providing an immersive listening experience with strong atmospherics, keeping the surrounds busy with elements of forest life and crunchy movement. Dialogue exchanges are clear, securing dramatic emphasis without distortive extremes. Scoring supports as intended, with a crisp instrumentation and appreciable moods. Heavier suspense movements offer some low-end weight, along with harder acts of violence.

Hunter Hunter Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:59, HD) is included.

Hunter Hunter Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hunter Hunter" ends quite differently than it begins, changing the definition of predator as discoveries are made and violence erupts. Linden gets rough with the characters, making for a troubling sit at times, but he's never exploitative, sticking with his personalities as they're challenged in horrifying ways. "Hunter Hunter" doesn't provide a bright overview of the human experience, but it has dramatic grit and a steady level of uneasiness. A few surprises help the cause, giving the feature more to do than the average forest menace picture.