An exceedingly dark and violent survival horror film, Hunted will make sure you never again go out alone at night. The storyline follows Eve (Lucie Debay), an ordinary woman who works in construction planning. When she visits a bar to unwind after work, Eve meets a seemingly nice man (Arieh Worthalter) who she decides to go home with. However, what starts out as a pleasant evening turns into a horrific kidnapping and a brutal fight-or-flight situation where Eve struggles against all odds to survive. 

Hunted starts out with a fable about a woman being targeted by men and saved by wolves, and there are wolf toys in a shop that Eve takes shelter in. Given all the canine references, it’s clear that director Vincent Paronnaud and his co-writer Léa Pernollet are making a narrative connection to the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The man who hunts Eve is clearly the Big Bad Wolf in this analogy, but the story of a horrifically violent man preying on women is so well-tread (in fiction and in reality) that the analogy feels unnecessary. 

Despite this being a familiar story, the actors are so good in their roles that it’s hard to look away. This especially applies to Worthalter, who is terrifying as the utterly unhinged Handsome Guy. Immediately, the actor creates the sense that there is nothing his character wouldn’t do for his own sick gratification. Handsome Guy could severely wound someone without even batting an eyelid, and hunt his prey down for days without needing sleep. 

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Worthalter’s performance is the most compelling of the film. He shows incredible range as his character’s demeanor changes throughout the narrative. When Handsome Guy is first introduced, his deliberately silly dancing is both funny and disarming. Worthalter’s lack of self-consciousness may put viewers at ease, which makes his violent turn even more shocking.

Unfortunately, Worthalter’s character and astounding performance overshadows Eve, and this exposes the most disappointing aspect of Hunted — a thinly-written female lead. Eve’s resolve is impressive, and the moments where she turns the tables on her hunter are extremely satisfying. However, she is not a fully-realized character and this severely hampers the film. Debay impressively portrays Eve as being fiercely independent, and with a fiery and determined personality. Sadly, Debay is let down by the writing, as the lack of her character’s backstory means that audiences don’t get to know Eve that well, which makes it slightly more difficult to connect with her on an emotional level.

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The introduction to Eve’s life is brief in Hunted, and while it’s clear that people care about her, such individuals are not present. And even though one can feel for Eve simply because of her horrifying circumstances, Paronnaud’s film provides little information about the past or what may happen in the future. For a horror movie that focuses on the awful violence that women can face at the hands of men, it certainly would have benefitted from a properly fleshed-out female lead.

Hunted is indeed an uncomfortable watch, as it depicts things that women are brought up to fear most deeply. We are told not to go out alone at night, or talk to strangers, or go home with men we don’t know. Hunted shows everything that could go wrong in these scenarios in a way that is at once creepy and full of primal fear. 

Lauren Miles (@Lauren_M1les) is a freelance film journalist who loves all things gothic, fantasy and film noir. She is also a recent university graduate, Halloween enthusiast and cat lady. Her writing can be found at outlets such as Digital Spy, Film Stories and more.