I’ve written this before, but I’ve always loved watching a filmmaker work with a shoestring budget yet still tell their story and capture their vision. “The Head Hunter” from director, co-producer, co-writer, and editor Jordan Downey stands as a shining example. Said to be made for $30,000 with the tiniest of cast and crew, his film is a brilliant accomplishment.
Set in medieval times, “The Head Hunter” stars Christopher Rygh who quite literally carries the load on his shoulders. He plays a character known only as Father, a warrior tormented by the death of his daughter by an unseen monster. “I always thought I could protect her” he painfully mutters in a brief memory flashback. It’s literally one of the few lines of dialogue in the entire picture. We never see his tragic loss, only the painful aftereffects.
He spends his days as a creature of habit, piddling around his remote cabin awaiting the sound of a distant horn that summons him to kill a beast. Afterwards he mounts the heads of the slain on his wall, not as a trophy but as a reminder that the monster who killed his daughter is still out there. It fills the emptiness inside of him with the only thing that can – a deep-seeded hunger for revenge. And neither he or his daughter can rest in peace until the beast is put down.
During the film’s first half we watch this grief-stricken father grimly go about his day. But within his routine are nuggets of information. We learn he gets paid for his work but has no interest in the money, only vengeance. We watch him concoct grotesque healing potions. We see him make poignant visits to his daughter’s grave. It all leads to the second half where his blood-thirst flirts with madness.
“The Head Hunter” can be best described as pure visual storytelling. Downey and cinematographer Kevin Stewart (who also serves as co-writer and co-producer) put a heavy emphasis on atmosphere. Their fantastic use of lighting, shadows, and camera perspectives feed into the film’s dark and sometimes macabre vibe. Portugal provides most of the location shots, some of which are nothing short of stunning.
Without question “The Head Hunter” is a bleak and at times gruesome movie. Yet within this rich slice of fantasy horror is a subtle meditation on grief. The story is a tragedy of sorts placed within a relentlessly harsh and despairing world. And the filmmakers stick with this vision. Clocking in at a lean 72 minutes, they avoid the temptation to pad the run time with pointless and frivolous filler. This keeps the film tight, focused, and utterly enthralling.
VERDICT – 4.5 STARS
Keith & the Movies 
That kinda sounds good, without me wanting to see it 😊
Ha! I understand. It really is cool. Dark, bleak, moody. Definitely not an uplifting tale.
This was on my radar for a while. After reading your review, Im looking forward to it. These type of movies that look at the hardness of life intrigue me. Often within fantasy, using monsters or orcs or demons, one can look at death and grief in an even more profound way than an actual depiction. I like this type of brooding, dark take on the human condition in this hard world because as a Christian, I see a fallen world and stories like this really make me think. Fantasy and horror can do that .
YES! Everything you said leads me to believe you will really appreciate this movie. So much of what you said resonates throughout the film.
When I saw the headline I thought you were going to be talking about the Danish movie until I saw the year behind it. lol. I’ve never heard of this.I’m intrigued now and will probably check it out.
That’s why I tagged it with the year LOL! Also, wasn’t that one called Headhunters? It was interesting that this one had a very specific way of spelling it.
Adding it to my never-ending watchlist.
Awesome. I doubt it has found a very big audience but I would really love for more people to see it.
Wow! I haven’t heard of this one, but you definitely made me want to see it.
Oh man, I really loved it. I’ve watched it twice now and it really sucks you win.
This sounds great – where can I watch it?
It’s really good! I was able to stream it through Vudu. I’m not sure if it ever got a proper theater release. Would love to hear your thoughts.
I will try and find it – thanks. I’m hoping it will end up on Sky or the Horror channel.
I watched this recently and it’s well made. am not too enthusiastic about the story and the climax. but he’s a filmmaker to encourage.
let me correct that to: wasnt too enthusiastic about the approach to the story. we hardly see any action.
For sure. The action definitely happens off camera.
In glad to hear from someone else who has seen it. I was really immersed in the story especially with how it’s told visually more so that through dialogue. My wife’s one-line review – “It was weird”…LOL