The Most Dangerous Game’s premise gets a twenty-first-century update with a socioeconomic twist. Hunted has a group of young art thieves targeted for sport by elitist aristocrats. The film swings between captivating and pertinent civil commentary to brainless horror tropes. The better bits address fundamental differences to poverty and inequality. The protagonists originally steal to pay for tuition. Greed lands them in a life-or-death situation. Conversely, their wealthy pursuers want severe justice when many criminals walk free. There was meat on the bone for thoughtful discourse, but Hunted falls prey to foolish and predictable plot turns.
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Leon (Nobuse Jnr) leads Vix (Hannah Traylen), Tod (Ross Coles), and his younger brother, Chaz (Malachi Pullar-Latchman), on a nighttime burglary. They secure their prize, a valuable painting, but almost get caught when the home’s residents return. Their art dealer fence, Gregory (Larry Lamb), pays handsomely. He’s got a much bigger score lined up. Leon refuses. They’ll walk away and leave criminality behind.
The crew chafes at Leon’s decision. He wanted money for Chaz’s education and that’s been secured. Chaz agrees with taking the next job. They could steal a fortune that transforms everyone’s lives. Leon reluctantly agrees. Gregory points them to a palatial estate deep in the English countryside. They’re searching for an ancient dagger. The break in goes too easily. Leon senses that something is wrong. His instincts prove correct when he’s knocked out by a cattle prod.
They wake bound and gagged in a truck, then are tossed violently into a field. Bottles of fox urine are poured over their bodies. Katherine Redwick (Samantha Bond) stands gleefully before them. They are unwilling participants in a treasured family tradition. The captives are stunned to be cut loose. They immediately race into the woods. Leon realizes that they’ve been set up. A trumpet blares in the distance. Followed by the sound of barking dogs and thundering horses. The hunt commences.
Does Leon and his gang deserve any sympathy for their predicament? They are thieves who accomplished their initial goal. Unbridled greed has them running for their lives. They wanted easy riches at the expense of others. Death is a harsh punishment, but no one forced them into Redwick clutches.
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Hunters and Hunted
Hunted portrays the hunters as proud enforcers of class divisions. They relish their birthright status atop society. Peasants have their place as servants and laborers. They become “lambs to the slaughter” when daring to steal from privileged superiors. Clad in red jackets, black hats, and astride mighty steeds, the murderous pursuit thrills. Their dialogue gets laughably excessive as Katherine and her repulsive family spout snooty doctrine.
Hunted falls apart completely during the second act. What had been a gripping chase devolves to sheer stupidity. Leon’s gang behaves illogically when presented with easy rescue. This is akin to bumbling teenagers running blindly in the dark from monsters. There’s a scene where they find a phone and inexplicably don’t use it. The excuse…why call the cops when they could be arrested. Jail seems a better choice than a funeral to me, or they could have literally contacted anyone else for help. Idiocy reigns as Hunted’s attempt to be insightful and provocative fizzles.
Hunted was previously titled Hounded in the United Kingdom. A production of Fiction Films, it is currently available on demand from Saban Films.
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