In the vast, unforgiving wilderness of Montana, Savage Hunt promises a primal showdown between man and beast. Directed by Roel Reiné, this 2025 survival thriller follows Joe Regan, a brooding tracker haunted by his past, as he’s pulled back into the wild to confront a massive grizzly bear that’s turned from elusive shadow to relentless killer. With construction crews making their way onto the bear’s territory, the attacks escalate, and you watch as the horror unfolds.
The opening act sets the tone, and we meet Joe, played by James Oliver Wheatley, as he reluctantly agrees to lead the hunt. The script weaves in threads of environmental tension, and hints at Joe’s fractured family life, adding layers that could elevate the story beyond mere maulings. Wheatley’s performance anchors the film, his steely gaze conveying a man who’s seen too much blood under the moon. He’s got that everyman appeal, reminiscent of a young Liam Neeson in his grizzled phase.
Roel Reiné’s direction shines in the action sequences, where he leans into practical effects with a real grizzly bear sourced from a wildlife sanctuary. No shoddy CGI here; the beast’s lumbering mass and piercing eyes deliver authentic terror, especially in a mid-film ambush that had me flinching a little. The handheld camerawork during chases captures the disorientation of the hunt, with mud-slicked trails and echoing roars building a claustrophobic dread.
Savage Hunt has some hits and some misses; But fans of B-grade movie beasts might forgive the flaws for those raw, real-animal roars, earning it their growl of approval.
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