The Huntsman (2026) Movie Review: A Slow-Burn Thriller With Strong Performances Undermined by Predictable Plotting

Kyle Kauwika Harris's The Huntsman arrives on VOD on February 10, 2026, following a limited theatrical release on February 6, distributed by Epic Pictures Group. Based on Judith Sanders' award-winning novel and adapted by Harris, Steven Jon Whritner, and Sanders herself, this 105-minute mystery thriller tackles a serial killer case through an unusual lens. Produced by Plymouth Rock Entertainment and SafeHouse Films, the film centers on Max, a repressed ICU nurse played by Shawn Ashmore, who volunteers to care for Lincoln, a coma patient and prime suspect in six brutal murders. When Lincoln awakens, his wife Jolene, portrayed by Elizabeth Mitchell, hires Max as home caregiver, pulling him deeper into a web of deception. The ensemble includes Garret Dillahunt as the mysterious Lincoln, Jessy Schram as Detective Darby investigating the case, and supporting performances from Brent Bailey, Maddison Bullock, and Jobie James.

The premise offers intriguing possibilities: a suspected killer whose guilt or innocence remains uncertain, the moral complexities of caring for someone society has condemned, and the question of whether justice can ever truly be served when facts remain elusive. The film matters as an attempt to explore grey morality and the limits of the legal system, examining how personal biases shape perception and how quickly public opinion can turn against an individual. As a directorial feature debut for Harris, The Huntsman demonstrates technical competence and secures strong performances from its cast. However, the execution struggles to match its ambitious setup, with a screenplay that telegraphs its twists far too early and pacing that mistakes slowness for sustained tension, ultimately delivering a viewing experience that feels closer to standard television procedural than the psychological thriller it aspires to be.

Story and Screenplay: Promising Setup Sabotaged by Transparent Plotting

The screenplay establishes its central mystery efficiently: a serial killer dubbed "The Huntsman" poisons victims and removes their hearts, placing them in decorative boxes as grim homage to the fairy tale character. When Lincoln, the primary suspect, is shot outside the courthouse after being released due to insufficient evidence, he falls into a coma. Max volunteers for his care, apparently motivated by compassion but clearly harboring deeper reasons the film doesn't bother hiding. When Lincoln awakens without memory of recent events, including his wife's pregnancy, Jolene hires Max to continue treatment at their country home. A new murder occurs while Lincoln remains incapacitated, raising questions about whether authorities arrested the wrong man.

The screenplay's most significant strength lies in its willingness to complicate simple hero-villain dynamics. Multiple characters carry secrets, and the script explores how assumption shapes perception before facts emerge. The investigation thread involving Darby provides external perspective on Max's increasingly entangled situation, while Jolene's unwavering loyalty to Lincoln creates interesting tension about whether she's deluded or justified. The writers include effective moments, particularly a well-staged abduction scene and Lincoln's gradual physical recovery that Dillahunt transforms into compelling character work. The dialogue occasionally succeeds in creating measured, cautious exchanges that enhance suspicion about each speaker's true motives.

However, the screenplay's fatal flaw involves its transparent foreshadowing. The script lays hints and clues so obviously early in the narrative that patient viewers will deduce major revelations long before characters catch up. Multiple observers noted recognizing the ending at least thirty minutes before the film acknowledges what audiences already understand, creating frustrating redundancy rather than satisfying revelation. The problem isn't that the twists themselves are inherently poor, but rather that the screenplay lacks confidence in its material, over-telegraphing every turn. The pacing compounds this issue, with conversations that feel wooden and characters divulging information primarily to advance plot rather than through organic interaction. Relationships are established through clumsy exposition rather than developed through behavior. The 105-minute runtime feels stretched, particularly during the middle section where the film seems to mark time before catching up to audience deductions. When the climax arrives, it does include a small twist on expectations, but by that point, viewer investment has dissipated through prolonged waiting for confirmation of what became obvious much earlier.

Acting and Characters: Exceptional Cast Elevating Underwritten Material

Shawn Ashmore anchors The Huntsman with intensity and commitment, making Max's internal conflict palpable even when the script doesn't fully support his characterization. Ashmore plays Max as determined yet troubled, clearly carrying baggage from his military service in Afghanistan. His performance creates sympathy for a character the screenplay never quite develops beyond functional requirements. The direction attempts to frame Max with sinister overtones through awkward visual choices that contradict Ashmore's grounded work, creating confusion about how audiences should perceive him. Despite being trapped in a role that requires him to make questionable decisions purely for plot advancement, Ashmore maintains believability through sheer professional skill.

Elizabeth Mitchell delivers the film's standout performance as Jolene, bringing complexity and fascination to a character who could have been one-dimensional. Mitchell expands beyond her typical roles to create someone seductive, mysterious, and layered, breathing life into material that doesn't always deserve her effort. She makes Jolene's unwavering loyalty to Lincoln feel simultaneously admirable and potentially delusional, keeping viewers uncertain about her true understanding of events. Mitchell's work supersedes the screenplay's limitations, finding nuance in scenes that on paper read as straightforward. Her chemistry with Ashmore creates believable tension, though her interactions with Dillahunt feel less organic. Jessy Schram delivers solid work as Detective Darby, playing determined professionalism convincingly, though the script relegates her to smaller presence than the setup suggests, making her feel like missed opportunity.

Garret Dillahunt provides the film's secret weapon through his portrayal of Lincoln. Dillahunt walks the delicate line between potential murderer and broken man with remarkable precision, making Lincoln endlessly intriguing through subtle choices. He conveys profound sadness that seems to predate his current crisis while creating ambiguity about his true nature through looks and body language. His physical work depicting gradual recovery from coma demonstrates transformation from helpless patient to something more unsettling. Dillahunt never overplays his hand, keeping Lincoln's guilt or innocence genuinely unclear through controlled, mysterious performance. The supporting cast functions adequately, with Brent Bailey noteworthy as Reynolds, though most remain underdeveloped. The ensemble proves this production secured far better actors than the script fully utilizes, making The Huntsman frustrating in demonstrating what might have been achieved with stronger material.

Direction and Technical Aspects: Polished Craftsmanship Without Distinctive Vision

Kyle Kauwika Harris demonstrates solid technical command in his feature directorial debut, creating a visually competent thriller that never quite develops distinctive style. His direction favors restraint over flashiness, allowing performances to carry scenes while maintaining clean visual storytelling. Harris stages conversations clearly and handles the procedural investigation elements with workmanlike efficiency. He shows particular skill during the single abduction scene, which stands out for its tension and visual creativity compared to the film's generally subdued aesthetic. The crime scene staging reveals thoughtfulness, with victims' bodies displayed in ways that communicate the killer's theatrical impulses without excessive graphic detail.

The cinematography creates effective atmosphere through dark, moody lighting that emphasizes shadows and creates appropriate unease. The visual approach evokes late 1990s and early 2000s thrillers, which provides nostalgic appeal for some viewers while potentially feeling dated to others. The country home where much of the action occurs receives strong visual treatment, with Harris taking full advantage of the location's inherent eeriness. Night sequences maintain proper darkness without becoming illegible, and daytime scenes provide needed contrast without sacrificing tone. The editing maintains basic competence without creating particular momentum or building tension through cutting rhythm. Transitions feel standard rather than imaginative, and the pacing issues stem at least partially from editorial choices that don't compensate for screenplay problems.

Production design establishes period and location credibly without drawing excessive attention to itself. The film looks significantly more expensive than its actual budget suggests, with professional polish throughout technical execution. However, Harris's direction never transcends competent craftsmanship to develop a distinctive visual signature. The film resembles countless television procedurals in aesthetic approach, which works against its theatrical ambitions. Certain visual choices undermine rather than enhance the material, particularly attempts to frame Max with ominous overtones that feel heavy-handed. Harris demonstrates he understands fundamental filmmaking mechanics and can work effectively with actors, suggesting future projects might benefit from stronger screenplays that allow his technical skills to shine without being undermined by narrative shortcomings.

Trailer The Huntsman (2026)

Music and Atmosphere: Haunting Score Supporting Measured Tension

The musical score creates effectively eerie atmosphere, capturing the unsettling mood through haunting compositions that enhance rather than overwhelm scenes. The music understands when to recede and let silence create discomfort, a crucial quality for thriller scoring. During investigation sequences, the score maintains appropriate urgency without becoming melodramatic, while more intimate character moments receive subtle musical support that doesn't telegraph emotional beats. The soundtrack evokes classic thriller scores without feeling derivative, finding its own identity through specific instrumental choices and melodic themes.

The overall atmosphere aims for slow-burn psychological tension rather than jump-scare horror, and The Huntsman largely succeeds in establishing unease through measured pacing and subdued performances. The sound design supports this approach through careful attention to ambient detail and judicious use of more aggressive audio during key moments. The tone remains consistently somber and serious, treating its subject matter with appropriate gravity. However, the atmosphere can only carry so much weight when the screenplay telegraphs its revelations so obviously. The film creates effective environment for mystery, but mystery requires uncertainty, and once audiences solve the puzzle, atmosphere alone cannot sustain engagement. The production demonstrates understanding that restraint can be more effective than excess, though in practice, the restrained approach sometimes registers as simply slow rather than deliberately building toward satisfying payoff.

Strengths and Weaknesses

What Works Well:

• Exceptional performances across the board, particularly from Garret Dillahunt, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Shawn Ashmore.
• Dillahunt's portrayal of Lincoln walks the line between sympathetic victim and potential killer with remarkable subtlety.
• Mitchell brings unexpected depth and complexity to Jolene that supersedes the screenplay's limitations.
• The premise offers interesting exploration of grey morality and the limits of the justice system.
• Haunting musical score effectively establishes and maintains eerie atmosphere throughout.
• Technical execution demonstrates professional polish that makes the film look more expensive than its budget.

What Doesn't Work:

• The screenplay telegraphs major revelations far too early, allowing viewers to solve mysteries long before characters catch up.
• Wooden dialogue that prioritizes plot advancement over organic character interaction.
• The 105-minute runtime feels stretched, with significant middle section pacing issues.
• Darby's investigation thread receives less development than the setup promises, making her feel underutilized.
• Max's character forces him into questionable decisions purely for plot requirements rather than believable motivation.
• Direction lacks distinctive visual signature, resembling television procedural more than theatrical thriller.
• The slow-burn approach mistakes sluggishness for sustained tension once the audience solves the mystery.

Final Verdict: Wasted Potential Despite Strong Performances

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

The Huntsman earns 2.5 out of 5 stars for being a technically proficient thriller elevated by exceptional performances while being fundamentally undermined by predictable screenplay. The rating reflects a film that contains all necessary ingredients for success but fails to combine them effectively. This represents one of cinema's most frustrating experiences: watching talented people work hard on material that doesn't serve their capabilities. Dillahunt, Mitchell, and Ashmore all deserve better than what the script provides, making the viewing experience bittersweet as their work reminds you constantly of the superior film this could have been. Harris demonstrates competence as director without developing strong enough vision to overcome screenplay limitations. The result feels professionally made but ultimately mediocre, almost excellent but settling for merely adequate.

This film will appeal most to audiences who appreciate strong acting regardless of surrounding material's quality. Fans of Garret Dillahunt, Elizabeth Mitchell, or Shawn Ashmore will find their work worth watching even when the narrative disappoints. Viewers drawn to slow-burn psychological thrillers with restrained approach to violence may connect with the measured pacing and subdued atmosphere. Those interested in adaptations of literary properties will want to seek out Sanders' novel to experience what likely translates better on the page. The film also works for audiences seeking late 1990s/early 2000s thriller nostalgia, as the aesthetic deliberately evokes that era. Fans of serial killer mysteries who don't mind solving puzzles well before characters reach the same conclusions may still find entertainment value in watching performances and technical craft.

Conversely, viewers seeking genuinely surprising thrillers with unpredictable twists should look elsewhere, as The Huntsman makes its reveals far too obvious far too early. Anyone expecting taut, edge-of-seat tension will be frustrated by sluggish pacing that doesn't justify its slow-burn approach. Those seeking distinctive directorial vision or innovative storytelling won't find either here, as the film settles for competence over creativity. Audiences wanting substantial detective work or procedural investigation will be disappointed by how limited that element remains. Anyone hoping for complex, well-developed characters beyond the central three will find supporting roles underdeveloped. The film ultimately feels like missed opportunity, containing bones for something genuinely compelling but lacking execution to fulfill that promise. It's easier to respect what the cast achieves than to recommend the overall experience, making The Huntsman a case study in how strong performances cannot entirely compensate for fundamental screenplay problems. Worth watching for the acting, but don't expect the story to match that level of quality.