: Betty Gilpin stars as Crystal, a combat-trained veteran who unexpectedly turns the tables on her pursuers.
★★★★☆ (4/5) The Hunt is loud, messy, and occasionally gratuitous. But it is also the sharpest political satire of the Trump era. Betty Gilpin gives a star-making performance, and the film’s refusal to coddle any political tribe makes it a refreshing, dangerous, and hilarious ride. Just don’t expect to feel good about yourself afterward. The Hunt 2020
The middle third drags as the film introduces then discards supporting characters (Emma Roberts, Justin Hartley, Ike Barinholtz) in service of plot mechanics. Some of the social commentary feels dated already — the “Manorgate” scandal at the center is a thin stand-in for a certain real-world conspiracy, but the film never commits to what it actually wants to say about disinformation or class resentment. : Betty Gilpin stars as Crystal, a combat-trained
Critics of The Hunt often argued that its violence was gratuitous or its political commentary too on-the-nose. However, the extremity of the gore serves a distinct purpose: it strips away the politeness of political discourse to reveal the brutality of the underlying conflict. The film’s climax, a brutal hand-to-hand fight between Crystal and the liberal ringleader Athena (Hilary Swank), is devoid of the glamour typical of Hollywood action. It is messy, desperate, and painful. When Crystal ultimately kills Athena, she leaves with Athena's luxury shoes and a private jet, a cynical conclusion that suggests victory in the culture war does not result in ideological triumph, but merely in the transfer of material power. Betty Gilpin gives a star-making performance, and the
The twist? The protagonist, Crystal (a career-defining performance by Betty Gilpin), refuses to play the victim. A veteran of Afghanistan, Crystal is taciturn, resourceful, and utterly unreadable. She doesn’t care about politics; she cares about survival. As the wealthy hunters pat themselves on the back for their wit and moral superiority, Crystal systematically dismantles them, one gruesome death at a time.