The Hunt (2020)
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A group of elites abduct working-class people to hunt them in a satirical take on political division.
The story
The film follows a group of elites who abduct working-class people to hunt them as a result of a social media controversy. The story begins with a group chat among the elites regarding the hunt of "deplorables." Meanwhile, several individuals are abducted and wake up in a forest, where they find themselves in a deadly game. The characters must navigate a series of traps and obstacles while trying to survive. The narrative explores the consequences of a leaked private joke that sparked a massive online controversy, leading the participants to take extreme actions against those they believe are responsible for the fallout.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a private group chat regarding a hunt for "deplorables" is leaked online and sparks a 'Manorgate' conspiracy, the participants decide to hunt those they believe are responsible. The film follows several captives, including Crystal and Gary, who are abducted and dropped into a dangerous environment. They encounter various traps, and several captives are killed in the process. Crystal eventually finds herself in a series of locations, including a service station and a train, where she encounters others and faces various threats. She eventually meets Don and later faces off against the elite hunters. In a final confrontation, Crystal and Athena fight and both are injured, but Crystal ultimately survives and escapes on a jet. The film's plot is revealed to be a satire on the political divide in America, with the 'deplorables' being the target of the elite's hunt.
- First release year
- 2020
- Runtime (minutes)
- 90
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Craig Zobel
- Writers
- Nick Cuse · writer; Damon Lindelof · writer
- Cast and characters
- Betty Gilpin; Hilary Swank; Ike Barinholtz; Ethan Suplee; Glenn Howerton; Amy Madigan; Wayne Duvall; Sturgill Simpson; Emma Roberts
- Genres
- action comedy; action thriller; horror thriller; political thriller; satire
- Themes
- political division; conspiracy theories; social media impact
- Tone and mood
- darkly humorous; action-packed
- Setting
- A variety of locations including a forest, a service station, a train, and a refugee camp, primarily set in the United States.
- Premise and plot tags
- death game; satire
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Most Dangerous Game
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and was noted for its controversial political themes.
- Reported review scores
- CinemaScore · score: C+ · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The original title of the script was reported as Red State Vs. Blue State.; The film's title 'The Hunt' is a reference to the 'deplorables' phrase used by Hillary Clinton.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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