Before the public had the chance to watch the satirical film “The Hunt” in theaters last September, the movie was delayed because of controversy issues. 

The movie was under scrutiny with the public after mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, had occurred. The movie was too similar to the events, which forced Universal Pictures  to delay its release to spring 2020. 

The film follows 12 strangers who wake up in a forest with no clue on how and why they got there. A group of elites gather together for the first time in a secluded Manor House where they will hunt the  strangers for sport . One of the The Hunted, Crystal (Betty Gilpin) knows how the game works and changes the course of the game by killing off the Hunters to finish the game for good. 

Even though the thriller’s cast included well- known actors such as Emma Roberts and Hilary Swank, it doesn’t change the fact that the movie falls well short of being interesting. Roberts plays the role of Yoga Pants and one of the Hunted. I was  intrigued by the movie because one of its producers, Jason Blum, who also produced one of my favorite thrillers, “Get Out.” 

One creative aspect of the film was when the twelve strangers were introduced, the camera leads audiences to believe that a character is the lead actor until they get killed off by grenades and arrows. I was fooled not once but twice throughout the movie because I had no idea who the main character was until the majority were  killed off. 

The film vaguely reminded me of other movies such as “The Purge,” “Ready or Not” and “The Hunger Games.” In addition,  Gilpin’s Crystal reminded me of Grace (Samara Weaving) in “Ready or Not,” as both the characters turned the table around for both of the games by completing the game. 

I knew what I was walking into after seeing the trailer, but the gore in this film was very intense, with one of the Hunted being blown up to pieces after stepping on a mine just ten minutes into the film. 

Although the fast pace of the movie kept me on my toes for the majority of the movie, the buildup to the conclusion was a huge disappointment as it did not address any of the social commentary such as the competition left wing and right wing nor the violence happening in the real world. Director Craig Zobel has made a film that captures the essence of a thriller action movie with violence and gore, but lacks the plot needed to tie in the movie together.