The Hunt (2016) (DVD) (Taiwan Version) DVD Region 3

The film opens with an old woman discovering what appears to be gold near an abandoned mine in the remote mountains, the scene of a tragic accident years previously, which claimed the life of her son and others. She turns to local villager Dong-geun (Jo Jin-woong) for help, though he deceives her, claiming that the treasure is only fool's gold, before returning with an armed gang of hunters, including the rich and villainous Joon-ho (Kwon Yool). The thugs kill the old woman, an act witnessed by veteran hunter and woodsman Ki-sung (Ahn Sung-ki), who flees the scene along with Yang-soon (Han Ye-ri), her young granddaughter, with Dong-geun and his desperate men in pursuit.

Forests and mountains are always a good setting for thrillers, and with The Hunt Lee Woo-chul makes great use of the wild, beautiful scenery, underlining the theme of man's brutal and animal nature coming to the fore either for greed or self-protection. Though its premise is a simple and familiar one, the film benefits from a stripped down and reasonably muscular approach, escalating the tension as Ki-sung's clashes with Dong-geun and his men become increasingly violent and bloody. Lee works in a number of effective set pieces and shoot-outs, and the film moves along at a fast pace throughout its impressively short hour and a half running time, making it stand out from other more bloated genre productions. Keeping things grounded also helps to make the film exciting, and though there are references to Rambo and other survivalist action thrillers, there's nothing over the top or needlessly flashy, something which gives it a pleasing hard edge.

It's a generally accepted fact that the presence of Ahn Sung-ki gives any film a lift and a touch of class, and that's certainly the case here. While the character of Ki-sung could in lesser hands have ended up as either a kindly grandfather or a Taken-style killing machine, Ahn makes him believable and sympathetic, and the fact that he's vulnerable and often ends up on the wrong end of a beating furthers the sense of danger. The rest of the cast also acquit themselves well, and Jo Jin-woong and Kwon Yool deserve credit for adding a touch of humanity to their murderous gold hunters, which in turn makes them seem all the more threatening. Han Ye-ri is perfectly acceptable in a fairly stereotypical child in distress part, and while most thriller fans could likely have done without her role, she does at least make the mentally-challenged Yang-soon feel not too superfluous.

Much like Cello from more than a decade ago, The Hunt is an enjoyable genre piece, which manages to tick all the right boxes, offering a we-crafted, if perhaps not particularly ambitious or original ninety minutes of entertainment. Boosted by Ahn Sung-ki and some impressive scenery, the film does suggest that Lee Woo-chul should be venturing behind the camera more often, and it has plenty to offer fans of the form.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com