Directors Greg Swinson and Ryan Thiessen once again collaborate on the horror-thriller Hunt Her, Kill Her. Written by Swinson, the film is about Karen (Natalie Terrazzino), who recently left an abusive relationship. She’s refusing to let her ex, Danny (JC Oakley III), see their daughter, Lily (Olivia Graves). As Karen is starting a new job, the babysitter is constantly calling or texting updates about Lily; it does not help that the young girl has the flu.
Karen is now the overnight janitor at a warehouse. After being given the rundown of what to do and how to lock up properly by the day shift janitor, Glenn (Larry Bunton), she is the only employee left in the building. But Karen is not alone for long, as four people in masks have broken into the facility. She runs and hides, hoping, praying that the intruders will not find her. The problem is that they are there specifically to hunt down and kill Karen. Can she find the fortitude and strength to fight back for her daughter’s sake?
Hunt Her, Kill Her is brutal and intense. As soon as the break-in happens, Swinson and Thiessen never give the audience a chance to breathe. The gang is relentless in their pursuit, though Karen is clever. After the first major chase, she intentionally pushes a cart into a shelf to make a ruckus. She then hides in a barrel. The sheer intensity of whether or not Karen will be found in the barrel is breathtaking. The filmmakers never let the dread or brutality ease up at any point.
“…they are there specifically to hunt down and kill Karen.”
And make no mistake, the film is brutal. Of course, Karen starts fighting back, and each punch, kick, stab, or clubbing is felt. The filmmakers wisely keep things grounded, so buckets of blood are not being spilled about. Due to the nature of the story and its themes, having every action be as realistic as possible is the right call. Otherwise, there’d be a massive tone problem. Thankfully, that is not the case here.
Admittedly though, it is a bit goofy just how often the baddies in Hunt Her, Kill Her let Karen escape their grasp. It would make more sense if she knew the warehouse better, meaning it was not her first night there. But, then, the crucial aspect of first-day jitters that keep the lead jumpy even before the four men break-in would be lost. However, this is really only a problem when stopping and thinking about the picture. The directing and editing are so strong that in the moment viewers are caught up in the situation just as Karen is.
Just as impressive is Terrazzino. The actor makes Karen’s resolve felt from the beginning. Glenn asks Karen her name when showing her where the uniforms are, and her retort suggests that he should definitely know and remember it. Her frustrations are clear when dealing with the babysitter, as are her love and devotion to Lily. Terrazzino makes the emotions authentic and palpable. She’s no slouch when it comes to the action beats either. The actor is just as believable as the concerned mom as she is the badass destroying those out to harm her. Her performance is why the film moves from above average to must-see.
Hunter Her, Kill Her is an intense thrill ride that will leave everyone watching on the edge of their seat. Terrazzino’s performance is stunning, as the actor easily handles every emotional beat and punch. While aspects of the story don’t hold up to scrutiny, that is a minor problem considering everything Swinson and Thiessen offer the audience.
