MovieChat Forums > The Hunted (2014) Discussion > Big let down

Big let down

posted 10 years ago by mobstar1967
8 replies | jump to latest

Possible spoilers...

I like Josh Stewert and that fact initially sucked me into this found footage film which I dont completely hate this sub genre.. They range from garbage to great just like any other film...
This film had potential.. The locations were great, it was well acted and he did a good job creating tension... but beyond that there was really nothing else... Like I said these found footage films can be hit or miss and they have evolved over the years and the days of "The Blair Witch Project" where you see 89 minutes of dialogue and one quick shot in the end which reveals nothing and leaves you scratching your head are long gone... I'm afraid a bunch of screaming with nothing on camera is just not enough, audiences are just not buying that anymore.. That novelty is gone and is just gonna piss people off at this point...
I really expected more from Josh..

[–] smakar 10 years ago

I just watched it last night, and I really liked it. Personally, I've always felt the less show the better - and felt those screams were unnerving. Far too often as soon as the antagonist is revealed clearly, the fear and dread is over. At least in this movie the background of the ghost was both explained and presented in a realistic manner (IMHO).

[–] mobstar1967 10 years ago

I agree that the tension in this film was terrific.. At times I felt like pulling my blanket over my head because I was afraid of what was coming... That's very good for a film to have that kind of effect on you..
But heres where it goes wrong in my opinion. Like I said I felt like pulling my blanket over my head because I was afraid of what was coming..My point is that nothing came.. Literally nothing.. And I get the less is more argument, sometimes showing less of a creature or in this case ghost can leave a more "horrific" atmosphere.. Yea maybe but in this case I dont think so...
They did everything else correct... The acting,the cinematography,the right amount of traditional shots to "cam" found footage style,the music and a great story...
But after going through all of the build up,all the wonderful tension, all the shrieking, everything that made you uncomfortable about this film they just opted to use "nothing" instead of anything visual that the viewer could see.. The tree bending and snapping back, effective at first but in my opinion in the final act of this film something should present itself.. I felt like We should of had something but we were not and as a horror enthusiast I can deal with it..
however..
Do you really think that the average Tom, Dick or Jane that watch this film are going to be pleased with the ending... I doubt it and you would be kidding yourself if you think otherwise..
Yeah there are certain people who love the genre that will be accepting of this film just the way it is.. But IMO most folks that watch this will end up feeling cheated and pissed off about the ending and focus more on that then the other 85 minutes of building tension... If it was Josh Stewerts intension to make a movie for a very small percentage of a horror sub genre than he might of succeeded.. But as far as being for everyone to enjoy or even every horror fan too enjoy I think he misjudged this one...

[–] Thrill_KillZ 10 years ago

So to be clear, you thought everything was done great but since you didn't get a glimpse of some cliche cgi monster/ghost at the very end you're giving it a crap rating(assuming since it was such a big letdown)? I guess it's a good thing your opinion is just that, or we would be sitting through long boring movies with fantastic endings.

[–] mobstar1967 10 years ago

I guess honest opinion or debate on this board will be greeted with ugliness and sarcasm... OK got it !!!
now onto debate..
Actually "Mr Killer Movie" I did not give it a crap rating ( i believe IMDB ratings are public for all to see)..Yes I did in fact say it was well made and there were some very positive aspects to "The Hunted".. And never once did i mention anything about CGI "monsters or ghosts".. This was just my honest assessment that the final act of this movie was lacking..And you are correct, its just my opinion, doesnt mean sh!t to anyone but me..And I'm not one too personally ridicule anyone for there feelings or opinion on any film because its all personal preference... But I will bet the farm that this movies 5.2 rating (which is actually lower than I rated it) will actually continue to drop further for the exact reasons I stated...

[–] Thrill_KillZ 10 years ago

It is a safe bet that the film will get a further beating for ending it the way they did, I myself had that "and that's it, really?" when the water became still. I know a lot of people will see this film and rate it poorly just because of it, completely disregarding the prior 90 minutes, which I rather enjoyed despite the fact that it's probably at least the 50th F.F horror/thriller I've taken in.

As far as the cgi monsters and ghosts go, no you didn't mention them, but come on man, can you think of anything or any other way to explain the "antagonistic element" in the film?
Or even further, can you think of a way to end it that wouldn't seem cliche or identical to a slew of other flicks?

IDk, for all the horror films that I've seen, I think I'm wired differently than the average viewer. To me if a film manages to draw me in and creates a tense, creepy atmosphere for a decent amount of time, then it's good in my book, rarely do I find an ending(seen or unseen) that I'm really shocked or intrigued by so I tend not to expect to see any serious revelations before the credits roll and this film fit that expectation perfectly.

Plus I've been dropped off 5 miles from nowhere, alone in the pitch black forest while archery hunting and if I heard that scream I woulda probably sh!t myself and or fell outta the tree stand.

[–] mobstar1967 10 years ago

Maybe since I knew absolutely nothing other than the fact it was a Josh Stewert film about a hunter who has the tables turned on him and he becomes the hunted..
Thats all I knew..The teaser trailer gave nothing else away as far as the antagonist... I did catch a glimpse of some static or radio interference which put "Alien" in my head.. Then while I was watching and the shrieking started for some reason I was thinking "Pagan Cult" ala "Kill List" , but once they introduced the ghost story I think I had to readjust mentally to what I was seeing or not seeing.. Its a ghost story and yes I agree sh!tty CGI would of been awful.. Maybe I was just expecting something all together different...
I'm just gonna have to watch it again and see how I feel again...

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] divisionbell-2 9 years ago

With a found footage movie you really need some kind of payoff at the end. Otherwise it's just a bunch of people screaming in front of a shaky camera that has already gotten so old it's not even funny.