The Huntsman review
A suspected serial killer in need of medical care is surrounded by people just as untrustworthy as he is.
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The Huntsman
Directed by Kyle Kauwika Harris
Screenplay by Steven Jon Whritner
Starring Shawn Ashmore, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jessy Schram, Garret Dillahunt, Brent Bailey and Maddison Bullock
The Huntsman Review
The Huntsman sports an intriguing premise. A suspected serial killer ends up in a coma…and his ICU nurse is hired to care for him after he wakes up. The question of whether the man is guilty or not hangs over the entire picture…as does the motivations of everyone from the cops investigating the murders to the man’s wife to the nurse himself. And it has a not-so-secret weapon at its disposal. We’ll get to that in a second.
Shawn Ashmore plays Max, the nurse who ends up entangled in a web of deception and danger. Like most people in the story…there’s more to him than that quick description. Elizabeth Mitchell plays Jolene, the wife of the suspected killer…and new mother, apparently. Jessy Schram plays the cop investigating the series of grizzly murders. The victims are poisoned…and then have their hearts removed. There is another suspect on the loose and she’s desperate to find the truth before another body turns up. She isn’t interested with going along with the supported theory pushed by the people around her.
Everyone is doing strong work here. Ashmore gives an intense performance. Max returns from active duty in Afghanistan and gets himself assigned to this patient’s care for a reason. The Huntsman doesn’t waste your time hiding that Max isn’t just a helpful nurse. Mitchell gives Jolene the depth of a frustrated woman who is struggling to connect with her husband…while seemingly seducing Max deeper into her thrall. Schram plays the determined cop well. She faces doubt at every turn but can’t let go of the belief that there is more to this case than there appears to be.
That not-so-secret weapon I mentioned is Garrett Dillahunt. He plays Lincoln, the suspect who is shot and falls into a coma. A lot of the intrigue in The Huntsman revolves around what kind of person Lincoln is. Dillahunt is pitch perfect walking the line between potential murderer and broken man. He can make you think one thing with a look…and the opposite with what he says and how he says it. He’s dealing with lost memory…and a profound sadness that seems to predate the shooting. He doesn’t even remember Jolene being pregnant.
The Huntsman gives each of the actors the space to explore their characters. It doesn’t rush anything…instead letting the performances carry the pace. That can lead to a few slow spots…but we’re only ever a scene away from someone pulling it right back up again. Almost everyone has a second card to play…and the shifting questions work well for the most part. It even throws in a good abduction scene to keep things lively.
The only problem is that you’re probably going to see where it’s heading before it gets there. I think there was at least a full half hour of recognizing what was going to be revealed before the penny drops for a character on screen. And that’s just when you’re 100% sure about it. You suspect the truth a while before that. Still, The Huntsman manages to throw in a nice little twist on expectations after completing its expected reveal. Everything that happens feels in line with who we come to understand these characters really are. It just misses the moment to catch everyone up on what the viewer has already figured out.
The Huntsman is a slow burn thriller full of strong performances. Dillahunt’s endlessly interesting portrayal of Lincoln is a true standout. The police investigation provides some action for an otherwise surprisingly quiet telling of the story. You’ll probably guess the ending before it gets there…but you’ll get some quality work along the way. It’s also a very good-looking movie. It takes full advantage of a location that we spend a lot of time in…and has some style when it comes to that abduction scene.
Scare Value
Though it mistimes its reveal, The Huntsman otherwise provides an engaging thriller full of intriguing characters and strong performances. Garrett Dillahunt turns in a top notch turn as the suspected killer who wakes up to a world that has already broken him. It has a few slow spots…but it knows how to pick itself back up. Worth a look for fans of mystery crime thrillers. Especially if you appreciate good acting.
3/5
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