Speaking of thrillers that play at the edge of horror– Hunting Daze stands out as a peculiar, yet captivating piece. Directed by the Canadian filmmaker Annick Blanc, who also co-produced and wrote the screenplay, this film is a testament to the blurry lines between genres, offering an experience that is as haunting as it is elusive.
At the heart of Hunting Daze is Nina (Nahéma Ricci), a young and spirited stripper who finds herself marooned in a northern Quebec forest town. Luckily, she’s able to convince a group of five men on a bachelor party/hunting trip to put her up for a few days while she waits for a bus back to the city. Within this exclusively male domain- filled with dumb jokes, silly games, lots of partying, and wolf pack philosophy- Nina discovers a surprising sense of acceptance. However, the arrival of a mysterious stranger threatens to upend the group dynamic, weaving raw and surreal threads into the narrative fabric.
“Hunting Daze traffics in that brand of Horror you can only feel in the real world…”
What sets Hunting Daze apart is its adept handling of atmosphere. The film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Vincent Gonneville, whose lens captures the ethereal quality of the dreamlike, drugged-out setting. The dynamic between Nina and the men, particularly highlighted in her interactions with the group’s leader (played by Bruno Marcil), is a dance of danger and intrigue. This complicated, unpredictable relationship injects a persistent sense of foreboding into the festivities, underscoring the precariousness of Nina’s comfort within the wilderness of these boys.
However, for all its cinematic beauty and tension, Hunting Daze teeters on the brink of fulfillment without quite plunging into the depths of horror it hints at. The film’s most unsettling moments, primarily dream sequences or subtle hallucinatory visions, underscore the build-up of tension without leading to what I had hoped would be a more explosive climax. Especially after such painstaking setup. It’s as if the movie, mirroring a dark reinterpretation of Alice in Wonderland, is more invested in capturing the eerie ambiance of its scenario than in delivering substantial moments of action or excitement. The result is a visually stunning yet somewhat unsatisfying narrative that holds its breath without ever finding time to let out a deep, satisfying exhale.
“…dances on the edge, offering glimpses into an abyss it never quite dares leap into…”
In essence, Hunting Daze is a film that dances on the edge, offering glimpses into an abyss it never quite dares leap into, making it a beautifully frustrating watch. Its reluctance to fully embrace the darker, more thrilling possibilities of its premise is frustrating but it is an undeniably well-crafted story. For me, Hunting Daze doesn’t quite land the punch it spends an hour and a half winding up, but it’s poisoned with a paranoia that you feel in your bones. That uncomfortable feeling, like a lingering fog in the dark forest of your own mind, is what Hunting Daze is all about. It traffics in that brand of Horror you can only feel in the real world, where danger, whether or not it ever truly comes for you, is always just seconds away.
Annick Blanc’s Hunting Daze celebrated its World Premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival as an official selection in the Midnighters section. Stay tuned for more release info and let us know if you’re excited to check out this atmospheric trip of bad vibes and dangerous men in the Nightmare on Film Street discord!
