There have been a spate of older, lesser-known movies climbing the streaming ranks lately. Sometimes, it’s because they truly deserve a second chance, like Giancarlo Esposito’s short-lived crime series. Other times, it’s because parents need something to throw on to distract the kids, which may be the case with Timothée Chalamet’s “Wonka.” Going by the reviews of a recent Andrew Garfield flick, we think the cast might be buoying its popularity, or it may be because it’s a gripping psychological thriller for the modern times that’s a fairly new release — you be the judge.
“After the Hunt” recently climbed into Amazon Prime’s top ten streaming movies for the second week of November. The movie bombed at the box office when it released in October, garnering under $10 million on a budget of $70 to $80 million. It stars some big names besides Garfield, including Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear” fame, Chloë Sevigny, and Michael Stuhlbarg.
The current reviews per Rotten Tomatoes rest at 37% from critics and 38% from users. Though, some of the positive reviewers have shared that it’s an “engaging thriller,” has a solid cast, and has an interesting approach to “relationships,” like marital, workplace, teacher-student dynamics, and beyond. Many of the top critics are none too kind, however. One interesting thing to note is that the music is by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross — Reznor, of course, being the founder of Nine Inch Nails.
What is After the Hunt about?
Without delving into the nuanced dynamics of each character and their motivations, the movie centers on Alma, played by Julia Roberts, who deals with a rather tumultuous situation between a colleague, a fellow professor played by Andrew Garfield, and one of her students — the effervescent Ayo Edebiri. After a sexual abuse allegation, it follows those involved to give a deeper look into how these situations impact so many people.
What makes it rather unique is the psychological thriller aspects. You never quite know the truth behind what happened, and you are largely left to form your own opinions. That said, it does raise some interesting questions about how modern society operates, particularly when these events occur in the real world and how rash judgment sometimes plays a role.
At the very least, it’s worth a watch if you have access to the streaming platform where it’s available, which would be Amazon Prime as of now. If you have the time, a couple similar thrillers worth watching, albeit with different subject matter, include the must-watch Christopher Walken sci-fi based on a Stephen King book, “The Dead Zone,” or the Michael Douglas and Brittany Murphy-led “Don’t Say a Word” on Netflix.
