After its recent theatrical debut, Hunted is now available on VOD platforms courtesy of Saban Films, and we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers!
"A gang of young thieves in the midst of a home robbery get more than they bargained for when they are captured by the property owners. Attacked and bound by their captors, they are spirited away from the home and released in the middle of nowhere tracked, hunted and to be killed like animals. Pursued by bloodhounds and a heavily armed family, the resourceful thieves will not die without a fight. Hunted is a seriously suspenseful action-thriller."
Directed by Tommy Boulding, Hunted stars Malachi Pullar-Lachtman, Samantha Bond, James Lance and Hannah Traylen. Here's what director Tommy Boulding had to say about the making of this film:
"Hounded was an exciting prospect from the moment I first read the script. I immediately had a vision for how this film should look, feel and sound. The combination of frenetic action sequences mixed with grounded, heartfelt dialogue scenes and harrowing drama was very appealing. It was a chance to create something visceral, darkly comic and fun for my debut film - an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
What was equally important to me was to make a film that had something to say. Here was a chance to pass comment about the ever growing class divide in Britain. To shine a torch on the aristocracy and their sense of entitlement. The politics of Hounded are timely, and, unfortunately, don’t feel all that absurd. I wanted the film to question the elites long held traditions, self-preservation, nepotism, and ultimately how people's hatred can be their downfall.
In preparation for the shoot I spoke with the actors about how the postcode or bloodline you are born into often has a pre-determining effect for the rest of your life - austerity is inherited just as much as wealth. So the contrast was immediately apparent, but where we had real joy with the performances was discovering and portraying the traits the characters from each side of the divide shared.
The other thing that really appealed to me was filming entirely on location as I felt it would only heighten the sense of drama and realism. I wanted the backdrop to this film to feel quintessentially British, with its mixture of rolling glades, rugged farmlands and dense woods. It was important to show this variety so we got a sense of how isolated our protagonists were and how far they’d have to trek to get back to civilisation. The landscapes take on an omnipresence in the film that shape our characters fate to create an immersive experience where we really feel for our protagonists in their fight for survival. The scenery we used was incredibly inspiring, certainly in terms of informing the cinematography, but also for the actors as they really responded to their surroundings to craft their performances. Ultimately with Hounded, I set out to create a film that strikes a balance between something that makes you think, something that makes you feel and something that entertains you. Hopefully I got somewhere close."