Top 10 Reasons Why The Hunt is Dividing EVERYONE

Before even hitting theaters, “The Hunt” was already stirring up controversy. The plot revolves around a group of conservatives who are selected to be hunted by a group of wealthy liberals. A setup like that was destined to anger at least one side of the political spectrum, but Universal and Blumhouse faced some other unforeseen issues prior to the film’s release. “The Hunt” was originally supposed to hit theaters on September 27, 2019. Following tragedies in El Paso and Dalton during August that same year, the studio decided to push the release date back several months out of respect. This drew more attention to the film and its premise, causing some to make up their minds without giving it a fair chance.

In the wake of the postponed release and pulled ads, Fox News prematurely gave their two cents on “The Hunt.” The conservative news outlet quoted Media Research Center VP Dan Gainor, who said the film proved that Hollywood was “demented and evil.” Days later, Donald Trump tweeted, “The movie coming out is made in order to inflame and cause chaos,” presumably addressing “The Hunt.” Producer Jason Blum, however, noted that “The Hunt” was “probably the most judged movie that’s ever existed that everyone who judged it hadn’t seen.” The irony is that “The Hunt” is about people who jump to conclusions on social media without having all the facts. Of course, early critics would’ve picked up on this if they had really watched the film.

A day before pulling “The Hunt” from its release schedule, Universal held a second test screening for the film, which apparently didn’t go over much better than the first. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “audience members were again expressing discomfort with the politics.” The same day as the poor test screening, executives from Universal and the filmmakers reportedly had their lives threatened online. This allegedly hostile response eerily parallels the extremes that certain characters go to in the movie. A Universal spokesperson denied that the test screenings attracted negative feedback, however, saying, “the film was very well-received and tallied one of the highest test scores for an original Blumhouse film.” Honestly, we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s truth to both of these contrasting reports.

Rather than tiptoeing around the backlash, Universal decided to turn lemons into box office lemonade, as Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore put it. Along with a new trailer, a poster was released reading, “The most talked about movie of the year is one that no one’s actually seen.” To make the film look extra taboo, the poster also showcased unflattering quotes from outlets calling it “Sick,” “Gory,” and “A Disturbance to Our Country.” While some critics feel that the film didn’t quite live up to that edgy poster, others - like Donald Clarke of The Irish Times - found it “appalling” and “irresponsible” in the best way possible. Let’s just say that if the poster speaks to your inner rebel, you’ll get what you paid for.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the initial reactions, chances are you’ll go into “The Hunt” anticipating a straight-forward horror flick. Yet, this is a film that constantly toys with your expectations, pulling a Marion Crane more than once. Where some will see this as a welcome change of pace, others may grow frustrated that the film sets up certain plot elements only to then have them vanish out of thin air. Considering that toxic internet culture is a key theme, though, it’s actually quite fitting that “The Hunt” playfully trolls its audience on multiple occasions. Even if you have been following the controversy, the way that the film portrays both major political parties will still likely catch people off-guard, for better or for worse.

Given the polarizing political climate and ongoing gun control debate, some critics have deemed “The Hunt” dangerous. In the aforementioned Fox News article, DePauw University professor Jeffrey McCall was quoted calling the film “harmful to a culture that surely needs messages of unity and understanding.” In a Variety interview, though, director Craig Zobel disputed such claims, stating, “If I believed this film could incite violence, I wouldn’t have made it.” Variety’s Peter Debruge would go on to give “The Hunt” a positive review, arguing that the film was “too far-fetched” to “inspire copycat behavior.” While the film touches upon real-world issues, the gore is handled in a cartoony, over-the-top manner akin to “Evil Dead,” “Ready or Not,” and even the works of Quentin Tarantino.

Defending “The Hunt,” Jason Blum said that “It was read as a satire, no different from ‘The Joker’ or other movies that are violent.” The “Joker” comparison is pretty spot on. Leading up to their releases, the political subtext and graphic content in both films were heavily discussed. Like “Joker” before it, the critical reception towards “The Hunt” has been all over the map. Some hailed it as a bold, timely satire while others felt that it wasn’t nearly as smart as it makes it out to be. Even with mixed reviews, “Joker” went on to score a Best Picture Oscar nomination. While we don’t see “The Hunt” going that far, it does have cult following potential reminiscent of “The Cabin in the Woods” going for it.

The characters being hunted in the film are referred to as “deplorables,” a phrase coined by Hillary Clinton to describe Trump supporters. With a few exceptions, the quote-unquote “deplorables” depicted here are generally gung-ho, uneducated, and quick to shoot first, ask questions never. One man, in particular, is also overtly anti-immigration. While the far-right characters do conform to obvious stereotypes, A.O. Scott brought up an interesting point in this New York Times review. The words, “Make America Great Again,” are never said. The film manages to be on the nose without directly referencing the Trump administration or the president’s followers. In retrospect, it kind of feels like conservatives were getting upset over nothing, especially since “The Hunt” is an equal opportunist political satire.

If you want a film that goes after far-right ideals, keep in mind that “The Hunt” takes just as many shots at the far-left. The hunters in question are liberal elitists who argue if it’s okay to call African-Americans “black” and if it’s appropriate to say “guys” if a female is present. Oh, and don’t even think about saying that climate change is a myth. Like PC Principal from “South Park,” they see themselves as the good guys and their modern views aren’t necessarily without merit. They take things too far, however, by shaming and threatening those who don’t share their beliefs. While some may see this depiction as “problematic,” the truth is that every political party is capable of succumbing to extremes.

To quote Matt Donato of We Got This Covered, “If you get outraged by ‘The Hunt,’ you’re not paying attention.” Although it was originally titled “Red State Vs. Blue State,” this is ultimately a Purple State movie, which is inclined to irk those with narrow political views. Some have applauded the film for urging each political party to look in the mirror and acknowledge that both are part of the problem. Others see this as a cop-out that doesn’t provide any real incite. Whichever side you’re on, one thing’s for certain: Betty Gilpin steals the show as Crystal, who has no political agenda. She simply wants to get out of an insane situation alive and we can all identify with that in today’s divisive world.