SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Tacticalin An absolute waste of money

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

tony-walsworth Call of the Hunter is an independently made horror drama reminiscent of the later Hammer horror productions of the 1970s, featuring a team of documentary makers investigating the legend of Herne the hunter, who become stranded in a creepy old house set in dark woodland by no less than the spirit of Herne himself. Call of the Hunter is well made considering its cripplingly low budget, and is ably supported by a talented and enthusiastic cast and crew engaged with a simple yet sturdy plot that develops slowly at first and then accelerates onward exhibiting a malevolent force dotted with short blasts of blood and gore which continue to build right up until the final moments. The movie style exploits the fast twitch, sudden shock approach to horror that's associated with the Hammer style but goes somewhat further than this by adding greater depth to the characters and a story that has the luxury of warming up before the final sprint. The movie has some significant comedy moments and a distinctly self satirising feel with lines such as 'If this was a horror film I'd be dead by now!' and 'Why is it always the Brummie that gets it?' spoken by Dan, a deeply unfortunate Birmingham man who seems intent on rendering himself unconscious at every possible opportunity. There's a good class of monster, some absolutely classic turn around scenes in the final moments and, for those who like the heavy rock/metal genre of music,there's also some pretty decent action score thrown in. The cast of Call of the Hunter deserve a good deal of credit for the way in which they've become immersed in the story in a completely unselfconscious way that lends a great deal to the credibility of the tale. In particular my hat comes off to Sarah Paul (Tamsin), who demonstrates a significantly stalwart nature until just the right time whereupon she caves in and then comes back stronger, and to Michael Instone (Dan) for some great comedy. No-one can push a cadaver across a field in a wheelbarrow like him. The Hammer horror productions are now in the cult status department of most DVD stores and I've no doubt that Call of the Hunter will one day sit alongside them. I watched this movie once. Then I watched all the extra features, got to know the cast, saw the making of the movie and the humour and camaraderie that went into it, and then I watched the movie again and enjoyed it even more. There aren't many flicks that I'm prepared to say that about. If you can get it, get it.

dantheman696969 This is a really good film - It has lots of content and in that I mean, plot, story etc. The premise is set around the Legend of Herne the Hunter (Who was also featured in the Robin of Sherwood series - and badly!) The protector of the forest and heroic Game Keeper of Richard 11. It's a film that packs a lot of information about the legend of Herne and covers the aspects a little Shakespeare to boot from the Merry Wives of Windsor - The monologue performed by Ralph (Don McCorkindale) What a great actor and what a fabulous voice.There are flaws in this film but for such a small amount of money, I don't know how they achieved this. I saw the short that came on the DVD and like the humour that Anthony Straeger, the director injects into his pacey and action packed production.There are a few other performances I'd like to mention, Dan (Michael Instone) Holds the humour card and plays it to great effect, Tamsin (Sarah Paul) is a first rate actress how holds the production in check all the way through. Max (Jonathan Hansler) A cameo role but his delivery is fabulous.What can I say - I really enjoyed this and don't begrudge a cent of it. This will stay in my collection - unlike some.

Larry Brangwyn Of all the things I can say of 'Call of the Hunter', the most important is that it certainly wasn't what I was expecting first off. But who doesn't like to be surprised by a film? I went in with the preconception of an American slasher/splatter horror with a British twist, and whilst neither element disappointed, neither was the key thing I remember about the film. Incredibly well-written and developed; a plot that on the surface is fairly simple manages to stay interesting and engaging for the duration. It has twists and turns, unexpected elements, and most importantly a cast that hold their own and make it all come alive. Katrin Reidel-Kelly (Natasha) develops beautifully and subtly throughout the film from an adorable young woman into a pixie-like, mentally disturbed killer, and Michael Instone (Dan) provides a much-appreciated sense of comic relief and unique British feel. Also, although he does not see quite as much screen time as some of the other leads, I found Jonathan Hansler's performance as Max thoroughly enjoyable and reminiscent of all my favourite misanthropes.The humour is perhaps one of the things that delights the most about this film, as the last thing you see coming is the kind of laugh-out-loud comedy that is so simple and subtle, but in the context of a terse horror also so much more amusing, especially promoted by Michael Instone's 'Northerner'.Verdict: A brilliant piece of independent British cinema, worth a watch for horror and humour buffs alike. £25k for this? It would have been a bargain at twice the price.

jokenny1 Upon entering the cinema expecting to be grossed out by a slasher/gore movie I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Call of the Hunter does not rely on over blown horror effects to grab my attention. I was drawn into a ghostly tale following the fate of a group of film-makers on location to shoot a documentary who find themselves stranded in a spooky house. The story unfolds with a liberal smattering of slapstick horror and tension as one by one the characters each meet a mysterious and grizzly end. Performances by all of the cast are engaging.Personal favourites include scenes with the gorgeous Tamsin(played by Sarah Paul)or scenes watching the demure character of Natasha(Katrin Reidel-Kelly)develop into a raving maniac.Although I must confess I probably enjoyed the cheeky shower scene featuring Dan(Mike Instone) a little more than is decent. Over all the movie is a ripping yarn which romps along beautifully, driven by a blistering rock sound track,a solid cast of entertaining characters and a director with his tongue firmly in his cheek.