PopHorror Let's Get Scared
One-location horror is often the gateway to tension. When we see a beloved protagonist stranded in an enclosed space, it’s easy for us as an audience to relate to them. Even more so, it’s easy to feel like we’re in that space with them, claustrophobically immersed in every sound, corner, and major moment. Night of the Hunted is the latest release to try something so encompassing, so let’s see how this movie stacks up against others of its kind.
Night of the Hunted is written by Rubén Ávila Calvo (Night of the Rat 2015), Glen Freyer (Suicide, the Comedy 1998), and Franck Khalfoun (P2 2007), It’s directed by Khalfoun as well (read our interview with Khalfoun here). It stars Camilla Rowe (The Deep House 2021) and Stasa Stanic (in his acting debut).
The movie follows Alice, a woman who’s having an affair, while at the same time trying to have a baby with her husband. She winds up in an all-night convenience store, without realizing that she’s trapped with a man who’s going to make her answer for all of her life choices. Night of the Hunted gets right down to the point, in a tight-knit standoff between two characters in one small space. The idea of having characters trapped in a grocery store has been seen before in Intruder and The Mist, but the convenience store aspect gives Alice less room to maneuver.
We find out early that the shooter is sniping down on the store from above, on a billboard that reads “GODISNOWHERE“. That double meaning is seen many times in Night of the Hunted. The religious and political stances of the characters are called into question a lot, as this film boils down to a morality tale between two sides of the political coin. This movie is dialogue-heavy and was clearly meant to raise a discussion about the current divide between the ideologies of our country. Because we don’t know the clear identity of the sniper early on, we are left to be untrusting of any character that crosses the viewers’ path, thus adding to the tension.
The acting in Night of the Hunted is pretty solid overall, and they really use their only set to create chaos. As the two main characters become more developed over a walkie-talkie conversation, we see Alice weaving around the open store, trying to create space and shields to survive. The timely subject matter may appeal to fans of political debate and those currently discontented with the direction of the country.
For those just looking for a tight, simple thriller, Night of the Hunted delivers that as well.
It’s currently available to watch on Shudder.
