(2007,US)
[review by Joseph Henson]
You'll have to forgive me if I am a little sketchy on the details of DEAD HUNT, as my viewing was skewed by a few beers and a group of friendly chucklers, and even one crew member from the film (there's your shout out, Robert). That being said, DEAD HUNT was a fun if flawed low-budget slasher film that, if nothing else, captured a fairly realistic view of horror forum hangers-on.
A group of horror film reviewers/forum-dwellers gather together in a warehouse setting to partake in the usual slasher film shenanigans: booze, the yakkity yak, and a few even make time to get a little frisky with one another! Having been online friends for a spell, this is a majority of the group's first time meeting in real life, but lo and behold, someone aims to make it their last, too - a nutter in black garb with a really sharp knife ends up barricading the exits and cutting the majority of the power, save for a computer terminal, where he leaves cryptic threats via instant messages. As their numbers begin to dwindle, a few of the remaining survivors have to piece together clues to the killer's identity, before he makes short work of their flesh.
DEAD HUNT's strongest aspect is a no-nonsense view into the atypical horror forum member, showcasing personalities we've all seen at one point or another: the know it all, the bitch, the sensitive guy, and of course, the know it all who actually does know all, but is typically the quiet, background guy. What I liked about this aspect is that it reminded me of my life as a forum owner, except I've never been locked in a warehouse with a murderer - but there's still time!
DEAD HUNT also has a nice sheen to it; for such a miniscule budget, it looks very professional, and you can sense that a lot of heart was put into the production, from how the murders are framed, to the dark, brooding atmosphere of the warehouse setting. And speaking of the murders, they are quite brutal at times, a saving aspect for even the poorest of slashers. Luckily, DEAD HUNT is far from poor.
If it has a failing, it may be with some of the questionable acting and the fact that a few characters look similar to one another, making it difficult in remembering which character the killer was before he/she was unmasked. It took me a few blinks before I pieced together the actor after he/she was unmasked, but c'est la vie.
I saw the film for the first time in Baltimore with a few horror forum members from The Bodycount Continues, so watching a film about horror forum members WITH horror forum members was a neat experience, and one of them just so happened to be a crew member who has relentlessly touted the film since it was completed. Did it live up to his hype? Yes. I didn't expect a miracle of slasher film theatrics, so I was pleasantly surprised that my low expectations (no offense, Robert - I had to keep them low after your apparent love of FEAR OF CLOWNS 2, wink wink) were not only met, but surpassed.
Many direct-to-video slashers fail to make the cut these days, but if you can grab a copy of DEAD HUNT, well, I give it my stamp of approval. Now, to all of my fellow forum members at The Bodycount Continues, I know of this warehouse, and...
BODYCOUNT 13
female:5 / male:8
1) male: gutted
2) male: eye torn out
3) female: electrocuted
4) male: throat slit
5) male: throat slit
6) male: stabbed
7) female: burned alive
8) male: stabbed
9) female: Machete to the head
10) female: stabbed
11) female: shot
12) male: shot
13) male: shot
