Manhunt (2008)

'F#*?ing city people'Syversen's debut follows in a long tradition of horror movies where a group of unsuspecting travellers stray into the unfamiliar territory of a band of murderous natives. Accordingly shot in homage to seventies slasher movies, this Norwegian equivalent to 'Wrong Turn' is set in 1974, and with its use of hand-held cameras and close-ups, together with the haunting notes of a hunting horn, occasionally offers a far more chilling tale of a fight for survival in the backwoods. This more realistic sense of threat is accentuated by the depiction of the hunters as everyday rustic types, much in the vein of 'Deliverance'. The feel of the period is not only provided by the musical score, with the opening track taken from David Hess' soundtrack for Wes Craven's 1972 budget slasher, 'the Last House on the Left', but also by the tone of colour in which the film is shot. At the outset, the four characters, en route to their final break prior to starting their academic studies, offer potential for development which the story- line lets slip. This is especially true of the abusive boyfriend of the lead character, though the audience should still relish when he gets his just desserts. Aside from a genuine early shock at the roadside execution of one of the main protagonists, played incidentally by Syversen's co-writer and assistant director, Nini Bull Robsahm, the story- line's reliance on the common plot devices of this genre eventually detract from the overall impact of the movie. Furthermore, it requires a bit of a leap of the imagination to accept that the main female protagonist can so easily transform herself from a screaming and shivering wreck to a female 'Robin Hood' in terms of her sudden found skills with a bow and arrows. Having passively endured the abuse of her boyfriend, this becomes even harder to accept as credible. In addition, the director in attempting to put their own spin on the commonplace final ploy of whether the final survivor has reached safety or not, offers an inconclusive and tentative ending.

I'm all for films paying homage to other 'genre-defining' movies, however 'Manhunt' doesn't so much as pay homage to its predecessors like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Wrong Turn, as completely rip them off.It's about a foursome of young students who go into the mountains, only to be picked off by various redneck hunters. There's nothing wrong with that as a premise, but only if it's done in an original or slightly different way. However, it's just not. Manhunt is basically every other film of that genre, just set in a different country (oh, and there's subtitles for those of you who don't like non-English speaking films).Unfortunately, some of the teens being stalked are completely unlikeable, one man even going as far as to practically terrorise his girlfriend and physically abuse her BEFORE the rednecks even get them. With characters like that, you can hardly work up much sympathy when they're murdered by the (real) baddies. And those we are supposed to like are just too stupid to relate to. When being hunted they never stop giving away their position by screaming for their separated friends.Also, the film adheres to every slasher cliché in the book: chased through woods. Check. Rednecks. Check. Camper van and hitchhiker. Check. And so on.We're never told anything about the redneck hunters and their motives. They don't even speak, leaving us to wonder why they're doing what they do.Apart from the gore (which is very good/brutal, depending on what you like) and the cinematography (which is also nicely shot, creating a bleak and brooding atmosphere with the use of colour pallet), Manhunt will never be a classic. Just a rip-off that offers nothing new. I know I've slated it here, but actually it's not that bad. It's only real flaw is how totally unoriginal it is. Pity.

This has got to be one of the most rudimentary plotted and primitively accomplished horror movies of the (still relatively young) new Millennium, but personally I appreciated it a lot more than the vast majority of hi-tech computerized and wannabe trendy & intellectual flicks nowadays. And yes, I do realize I sound like an embittered old man! "Manhunt" is a prototypic so-called backwoods survival thriller and, moreover, a straightforwardly obvious ode to the pioneer and granddaddy of ALL backwoods survival thrillers "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". The resembling plot is the most apparent tribute, of course, but director/co-writer Patrik Syversen expresses his respect and admirations for Tobe Hooper's horror landmark through a handful of minor details in particular, like for example the characters' similar minivan and the year in which the events supposedly take place, 1974, the release year of TCM. Setting the film in the early 70's has another great advantage, by the way, namely the elimination of some horrible clichés like the adolescent characters talking about their Facebook account the entire time and – most importantly – the elimination of the phrase: "I can't get a signal on my mobile phone!". Back then, girls also weren't as stupid as to go on a camping trip wearing make-up and stiletto heels, which makes it a lot easier for them to run from their assailants later on in the film. Anyways, so the year is 1974 and this quartet of youngsters – I deliberately refrain from calling them friends – are heading out to the middle of Norwegian nowhere to go camping. They pick up an extremely nervous female hitch-hiker at a roadside diner and this quickly turns out to be a very bad idea. Shortly after, they find themselves relentlessly pursued by a trio of seemingly motiveless but ultimately savage huntsmen. The biggest trump of "Manhunt" is undeniably the tense and ominous atmosphere. The film isn't just set in the year 1974; it often actually feels like you're watching a 70's flick, what with its raw cinematography and nihilistic tone. Another big trump here is the characterization of the villains. I usually prefer to know a bit about the bad guys' background and/or motivations, but the fact that they remain mysterious, vague and silent throughout the entire film here actually contributes to the gritty overall tone and disturbance level. We only know that they hunt down and set booby traps for human beings instead of animals and that they're unbelievably cruel. For example, they use barb wire to tie up their victims instead of regular rope and stab women in the back of their necks without hesitating. Needless to say "Manhunt" can be considered quite shocking and sick. I assume that the majority of the available budget went to the make-up department to buy blood and fake intestines. Money well spent, as the killing sequences are truly a horror fanatic's delight! The filming locations, acting performances and rough editing are also very suitable to the type of film the makers wanted to deliver.

Four young people travel by van through the forest grown inland of Norway in 1974.During their stay at a gas station frightened girl asks them for a lift.The driver agrees without hesitation.Bad choice!Soon the entire group is hunted and systematically murdered in the deep Norwegian woods by three crazed rednecks.I'm a big fan of backwoods survival horror and "Rovdyr" doesn't disappoint.The violence comes thick and fast and is brutal.The film is surely influenced by "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre","Rituals" and "Deliverance",but the pace is fast and the acting is strong.The look of "Rovdyr" captures well the backwoods terror cinema of 70's.So if you want your horror fast and furious then "Backwoods" delivers the gore in spades.9 out of 10.