“It Hunts” follows Casey, a lazy nightcrawler who races to unravel the mystery that haunts him while being plagued by recurring nightmares, visions and life-altering paranoia.
“It Hunts” may have a microbudget, but Gabriel Black makes up for it with style. This is done through a variety of different techniques: foreground framing, rack focusing, crash zooming and more. Alongside static shots and drone footage, there’s a handheld approach to the majority of the filmmaking that places you in the shoes of the central character as he snaps in and out of reality. The lighting also adds depth, with vibrant hues reflecting off surfaces and people at all times.
This is both fast-paced and slow-moving. As for the imagery itself, scenes transition at breakneck speed. This gives the movie a disorienting effect at times, but it’s largely by design. While watching Casey spiral into madness, this approach almost makes the audience fall into the cycle as well. Nonetheless, the narrative itself has a gradual buildup. The film does pack an unexpected amount of twists — some even coming before the midway point. Rather than lingering on them, it immediately moves forward with minimal clarification. Eventually, it begins to feel like the story isn’t heading toward any concrete resolution.
Dreamlike sequences are at the center of it all. Much of this comes from Casey visualizing seemingly out-of-place scenarios, but also hallucinations of shadows beside him, artwork moving or even entire figures forming. Rather than acting as intrusions, the scenarios are interactive, with Casey mentally and physically navigating them. These illusions aren’t anchored to one location, either, happening to him at home and in public. This maintains a sense of surprise that keeps you on your toes.
Flashbacks are also woven in for additional context. It’s in these moments that the film’s thematic resonance becomes clear, with Black tackling subjects like grief and guilt. The more that is shown from Casey’s past, however, the more over-explanation that occurs. Exposition takes over the final act, with characters spewing out lines of complex dialogue that is sure to lose those invested in the horror. In the process, it evolves from psychological thriller to a supernatural drama.
It’s not an overly emotive performance from Izzy Martinez (Casey), but he does enough to sell his character’s paranoid state. Outside of incessant fear, he also delivers angry outbursts that emphasize just how taxing the events are on Casey as an individual.
“Of course I’m not f–king OK. I almost got my head blown off like a f–king piñata.”
Kaitlin Svadbik (Alex) brings emotion to “It Hunts.” She acts as the source of reason next to Casey, likely being a relatable character for many. We all know people going through something — maybe just not seeing entities — that need support. Svadbik conveys those emotions well with a sense of desperation. Joyci Lucia (Pale Eyes) is a memorable part of the horror despite only appearing in brief spurts. It’s both a physical and verbal performance, delivering blank stares and creepy lines of dialogue for a threatening presence. Also appearing are J.J. Crowne (Fred), Red Devigne (Lisa), Jack Stone (Frat Boy) and Gabriel Lopez (Dr. Milan).
Gabriel Black takes many risks in “It Hunts.” Despite a convoluted screenplay, the versatile direction and genre-bending approach make this a worthy indie entry.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
