THE HEAD HUNTER / CERT: UNRATED / DIRECTOR: JORDAN DOWNEY / SCREENPLAY: KEVIN STEWART, JORDAN DOWNEY / STARRING: CHRISTOPHER RYGH ,CORA KAUFMAN / RELEASE DATE: 7TH MAY
Shouldering a heavy burden, a warrior lives an isolated existence in a stone cottage. Tasked with ridding the land of all manner of monsters in the service of a local lord, the titular head hunter fulfils his macabre calling desperate to avenge the death of his young daughter at the hands of the one creature that so far eludes him.
Jordan Downey’s film about a medieval mercenary is a layered, mysterious and atmospheric epic-like horror embedded with genre references while retaining originality at its centre. Christopher Rygh is impressive in what is essentially a single-hander, and conveys the weight of emotion troubling the character with barely more than a few lines of dialogue throughout. No small feat when you consider that for the most part he is wearing heavy armour and a helmet over scraggly long hair and beard. The body language tells you all you need to know as this one-man exterminator carries out his duty upon receiving arrow-borne orders from his master.
That duty initially appears a straightforward one, with any encroachment into the kingdom by monsters to be dealt with. That he adorns his home with the heads of those he has defeated is a dark choice in décor, but when you realise he seeks the one to cleanse his apparent guilt it becomes more of a terrible trophy wall. Often wounded for the cause, the warrior brews a strange, miraculous concoction to treat his injuries, adding a slight sci-fi element to the narrative, and regular visits to his daughter’s grave hint at a once happier life.
But there is clearly more going on in The Head Hunter, evident as the plot progresses. Questions emerge over who the real monster is. What really happened to the daughter and what makes up the strange balm blended for treating wounds? There is intrigue in the wider world, and how the warrior’s isolation come about. All questions that remain largely unanswered, but instead of frustrating the viewer this all adds depth to the film, drawing you into this world of Downey’s creation.
There are flaws – some creature effects don’t quite work, and the final act perhaps doesn’t quite satisfactorily live up to what has gone before – but they don’t detract from the strength of the film as a whole. Downey has built a film that belies its lowly budget and hands-on style of filmmaking. What should have resulted in something akin to a film student’s rough attempt is instead a work of impressive skill. Deft camerawork, creative set design and a strong central performance render The Head Hunter a success, and one built on talent and commitment.
