With a title like The Head Hunter, you initially wonder what kind of metaphor a feature film might be getting at, but in this case there’s no need to think too deeply about it. Which is to say: The Head Hunter, which hits theaters and VOD in limited release on April 5, 2019, is quite literally about a guy hunting heads. Monster heads, to be precise. In fact, to watch the trailer, The Head Hunter actually looks rather like some kind of mashup between the “lost in the woods” element of Predator and the open-world (and unforgiving) gameplay of Skyrim or Dark Souls.
Here’s the full synopsis for The Head Hunter:
On the outskirts of a kingdom, a quiet but fierce medieval warrior protects the realm from monsters and the occult. His gruesome collection of heads is missing only one – the monster that killed his daughter years ago. Driven by a thirst for revenge, he travels wild expanses on horseback, using sorcery to aid in his quest. When his second chance arrives, it’s in a way far more horrifying than he ever imagined. A heartbreaking fairytale with a black soul, the film is constructed with very few elements, minimalistic and epic at the same time, where fantasy and horror find their more physical and gory incarnations.”
Watching the trailer, the film’s low-budget sensibilities are pretty clear, but it seems to be making due quite well with its limited resources, evoking a sense of austerity and despair in its snowy outdoor sets. Who knows? We could have the makings of a cult classic on our hands.
The Head Hunter is directed by Jordan Downey of Thankskilling infamy, and has already picked up awards at the Stiges Film Festival in Spain and the Nightmares Film Festival in Ohio. Look for it in VOD and presumably very limited theatrical release, starting April 5, 2019, and check out the trailer (and pretty sweet poster) below.
