First Look Review: The Hunt #LKFF 2016

1st November 2016

The Hunt is directed by Woo-cheol Lee and tells the story of a lone hunter who goes hunting every day to atone for his survival after a terrible tragedy. However on this fateful day rather than hunting for boar he becomes the hunted in a fraught cat and mouse game with gold hunters who will stop at nothing to obtain the gold including eradicating any witnesses.

The hunter’s name is Ki Sung(played by Ahn Sung-Ki). He is suffering PTSD after surviving a coal mining accident where he has to do the unimaginable to survive. After his miraculous survival after a week in the mine some 10 years before he goes hunting every day and also acts as a father figure to Kim Yang-Soon (played by Ye-ri Han), the daughter of a fellow miner who died in the cave in. However this day of hunting will not be usual – after he chances upon a group of mercenaries lead by Park Dong Geun (played by Jo Jin-woong ). Who will survive and live to tell the tale?

The Hunt not only tells the tale of a hunt in such a sophisticated manner that demands the viewer to engage all of their senses. As you watch the film everything you see and hear is a clue that will help you unpick the rather complicated sub-plots. You think you know what to expect and then Woo-cheol Lee surprises you with yet another twist. Whilst it is a taut thriller there are light moments and in one scene when the hunter appears like Rambo one of the other characters on screen says exactly that: “does he think he’s Rambo or what”. Whilst the film is neatly delivered in just over 1hr 30 mins running time and is engrossing the sub-plots are just a little convoluted and distract from the central narrative. This is a disappointing. If only, The Hunt had just kept its eye on the main prize it would be a far superior thriller. As is The Hunt is a good thriller. With unnecessary additions such as the Park character’s twin brother who serves little to no purpose than to confuse the viewer. By the end of the film you almost forget about the hunter and start to try and decipher the meaning of the various sub-plots. However, The Hunt is still worth watching before it is made there is a terrible Hollywood remake lacking tension and narrative.

The Hunt will be shown as part of the London Korean Film Festival 2016 which runs from 3 – 27 November 2016.

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