Review: Happy Hunting

(imdb.com)

In horror, hunting season often means something entirely different from the daily grind of deer meat-seeking outdoorsmen. Over the years, a multitude of releases have featured prey that is disturbingly human. Movies like Carnage Park and the classic short story, The Most Dangerous Game, all see hunters becoming the hunted as crazed maniacs stalk our victims down. Happy Hunting is in a similar vein.

Following a recovering alcoholic who gets stranded in a rural town, Happy Hunting is an aggressive thriller that finds our protagonist struggling for his life against the townspeople who kidnap drifters and hunt them for sport. While shaky at times, this movie is a bloody heap of crazed fun. Happy Hunting stars Martin Dingle Wall (Gun Shy) as Warren Novak, our struggling alcoholic. Ken Lally (Heroes) and Sherry Leigh (Poseidon) as the Pattersons, an unhinged couple that seems completely rosy until the hunt begins, Connor Williams (The UnMiracle) as the youngest prey, Robbie, and Gary Sturm (Sasquatch Hunting) as the games spokesperson, Sheriff Burnside.


Pairing camp and grit, Happy Hunting finds comedy in its vicious premise. There's moments reminiscent of The Purge, stylized kills that bend into grindhouse and overall, plenty of chase scenes to make audiences' hearts race. Wall and Lally are definitely the film's biggest standouts. Wall gravelly voice works well as he struggles to cope with his sobering brain and Lally gives off major creep vibes until he becomes the intense killer seeking revenge.


Visually, Happy Hunting is a perfect end-of-summer bash. Set in a desert, there's an almost monochromatic tone to the film. The harsh, sunbaked lighting of the treeless land makes for an experience that'll leave viewers thirsty for water. This works in favor perfectly with Warren's struggle with sobriety as his thirst and delusions are exasperated by the harsh landscape around him.


Audiences have seen this kind of movie done better, but there's no denying the entertaining gut punch resulting from the graphic imagery, stark desert landscape and deeply unsettling villains. Happy Hunting could stand to polish up, but for all it is, it’s satisfying. The acting of the leads, at least is worthy, the violence is visceral and gory and for fans of similar films, Happy Hunting should quench their thirst. 6 out of 10.