Death Hunt – Basic Survival Movie
Director: Neil Mackay
Writer: Neil Mackay, Sean McAulay (Screenplay)
Cast: Rick Amsbury, Michael Coughlan, Greg Johnston, Peter Lewis, Riley Lewis, Marlene Malcolm, Omar Tucci, Terry McDonald
Plot: A land developer and his girlfriend are hunted on a remote island for sport by three deranged locals.
Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Death Hunt starts as developer Ray (Tucci) and his girlfriend Brooke (Malcolm) arrive in a small town. This is the latest project for him, one that could make him richer than before. While leaving town, the couple are pulled over by Rick (Amsbury), Gary (Johnston) and TJ (McDonald).
The couple have been selected by the hunters for their latest hunt. Taken to a remote island, they are released so the men can get their twisted kicks from hunting humans.
Thoughts on Death Hunt
Characters & Performances
Brooke is Ray’s girlfriend, she is on the trip and taken into the game. Forced to being living prey for the psychotic hunters. Needing to learn how to adapt to the environment and elude being hunted. She must learn quick or face the same fate as many others on the island.
TJ is the leader of the hunters, being involved in this since he was a child. He has brought in other people to help him. Turning this into a twisted tradition when he finds disposable victims.
In the supporting roles, we get the other two hunters. Both aren’t ready for this world if anyone want every going to fight back. Ray is the developer that seems to have grab the attention of the locals. He will do what he can to make sure Brooke can get out alive.
The performances are solid enough for the film. Marlene Malcolm does well in the fight to survive mindset. Terry McDonald does bring a creepy villain to the party. Nothing will make you think that any of the performances are better than what they need to be.
Story
The story follows three twisted hunters that look to make a couple the latest victims in their game. Leading the couple to make a desperate escape through the woodland if they are ever going to escape.
Death Hunt falls short is by not having the magic ‘The Hunt’ had. Not putting the hunters in a twisted light, as they seem to make plenty of mistakes for ‘experts’. We often go around in the same lines, trying to complete the hunt. Leaving us with the expected outcome in the story, as the bumbling new hunters make mistake after mistake.
Themes
Death Hunt is an action horror thriller, using the concept of people hunting people. A style of horror we have seen a lot before. It needs something fresh to spice the concept up. This doesn’t do that, with random gun shooting, despite being hunters. Sneaking around woodland area. Hunters not knowing how to track people. It never gets to let loose of everything it wants to work with.
Final Thoughts – Death Hunt is a by the book action horror, that has been done better before.