HUNTER’S MOON *** USA 2019 Dir: Matt Campagna. 80 mins
As far as werewolf movies go, and there are years upon years of them, this is an enjoyable addition to an age old tradition.
Personally speaking, I’m more of a vampire lover but Hunter’s Moon stands up very well in it’s own right and does an excellent job of not copying a well trodden horror movie genre. There are some necessary cliches in there of course like the werewolf silver allergy, but they are not overdone and fit well into what is both a darkly comical, sensual, tragic and blood riddled movie that addresses some of the basest of human unnatural desires as heroes August, Stan and Cheyenne go to the launch of the eccentric business philanthropist Brian Fenris’ enterprise (played well by Art Hindle) who is assisted by his suave publisher Remy Lisel who is also skilfully portrayed by Ari Millen.
The clear narrative from the beginning and the thumping musical score throughout from Safakish helps to draw you into a well interwoven and suspenseful film that starts like a soap opera and ends up becoming so much more as your expectation levels are set at the highest level always waiting for the next thrill. A large and well managed cast helps an unnerving if sometimes unbelievable script deliver what is an enjoyable film that is well worth a watch if you like to see people picked off at random by a crazed demonic hound of hell.
Werewolf fans will love this.
The self-narrative style by August (Steven Morana) sets up the movie well and lets us get personal with most of the main characters so that this becomes a monster film with great feeling and some depth that you will have fun following as your mind constantly finds itself searching for the answers that are hidden within a movie that has many fun overtones with decent amounts of ferocious evil and bloodlust bubbling just beneath its surface. The good costumes and bloody effects are not over portrayed which adds to the overall enjoyment of the story and the daunting bass rhythm helps to bring the werewolf and the moon vividly to life.
Suspicion falls on everyone as victims are hunted down at random in Brian’s secluded fortress in the woods, but is it really all just a virtual reality online game or something else more sinister? Doubt is sown skilfully throughout by some clever writing and twists that will keep you entertained and wanting to know more in what is a capable werewolf outing which I am sure you will have fun watching.
Enjoy the hunt as the movie careers from something of a warped whodunnit into a horrific and tragic game of dog and rabbit. Big dog. There are some good transitional effects from human to animal too as the pressure rises nicely towards the end of a film that delivers a very original piece with some great artwork credits in what is a commendable effort to tackle the very old and well worn horror groove of dark lycanthropy.
When the hunt begins, are you up for the chase?
Or are you scared to believe?
Review by Nathan Sandiford
