Vincent Parannaud’s Hunted begins with a campfire story about the Wolf Girl and the Song of the Forest. It’s a dark and disturbing tale from the dark ages that tells of a young woman who is saved by the wolves of the forest from some evil men. The story is told from mother to son; after it has ended, the boy enquires if the wolves still remain to which his mother replies no, before remarking that men though, are very present. It’s an important strand of the story to remember as it will play an important part to understanding where Hunted is headed. Told via the medium of animation, this myth’s telling is striking and instantly hooks you in for what will follow.
The story moves to join Eve (Lucie Debay), a woman at odds with her job and boyfriend, and whose decision to go for a night on the town has disastrous results. While out clubbing, she meets a rather charismatic man and decides to leave with him. She quickly discovers his ill intentions and manages to escape, but he’s not going to give up that easily; Eve finds herself in the fight of her life. Hunted is, on many levels, simply a modern day reworking of Little Red Riding Hood. As Eve, Lucie Debay is even clad with both a bright red coat and hoodie. She’s a slightly feistier version of Red Riding Hood than in the traditional tale however, as she most definitely does not need a huntsman to help her take down the Big Bad Wolf.
Credited simply as ‘the guy’, we have Arieh Worthalter who is sensational as the wolf personified. His performance, even when he’s playing innocent, has an undercurrent of threat to him. The best villains are the unpredictable ones, and this guy has this quality in abundance; his performance truly is terrifying. He has that potent mixture of charm, violence, and spontaneity that makes for thrilling viewing. Debay is also brilliant as Eve as she transitions from lonely woman to brutal, almost entirely feral, woodland nymph. It’s a very demanding role, both physically and emotionally, but Debay certainly rises to the challenge.
Visually, the film is luscious, Parannaud bumps up the natural colour palette to get peak opulence from the forest setting. The green and browns of the setting also contrast beautifully on film against the stark red of Eve’s clothing. It’s so extreme at times that it’s akin to seeing fresh blood on snow. Whilst the live-action portion of the film is never quite as striking as that opening animation, it still makes for pleasant viewing. As good as the performances are, Hunted loses it’s way slightly towards the end. The climax of the film sees a return to the city and you can’t help but miss those wonderful tree-scape vistas. It’s also here that the tone slips a little, and things start to feel a little silly.
Genuinely stunning performances and an exciting modern take on an old tale, Hunted doesn’t quite stick the landing, but is worth watching for the journey.
Hunted was reviewed at Fantasia.
Hunted
Summary
A thrilling and modern version of the Little Red Riding Hood tale that proves that there’s still life in fairy stories yet.
