Night of the Hunted (2023)

This is one of those relatively low-budget thrillers that Shudder does so well - their bread and butter, perhaps. It’s not going to win any awards, but it’s entertaining, well-produced, well-shot and capably acted by the leads, The 90 minutes fly by nicely.

We join the film in an American motel bedroom as Alice, a marketing executive for a major pharmaceutical company away from home on business, is clearly sleeping with a colleague. They get up very early in the morning to head home after their conference the day before. Unknown to them at this stage, there is a leak in their petrol tank. Confused, they pull into a petrol station to fill up. While her colleague is doing so, she heads into the shop for a few bits and pieces.

The petrol station is deserted, however - not even a cashier is present - so Alice leaves her money on the counter and prepares to leave. As she turns away, a sniper takes a shot from somewhere outside with a long-range rifle and hits her in the arm. Shocked, she takes cover behind various shelves as the sniper continues to take pot-shots at her, resulting in several near-misses.

Her colleague finishes filling the car and, wondering where Alice has got to, goes inside to investigate. As he does so, the sniper shoots him dead. Alice then discovers the body of the assistant behind the till. That is essentially the bones of the setup - we spend the rest of the film with Alice as she tries to work out how to survive and escape. The sniper has placed a two-way radio unit on the counter and invites Alice to enter into a conversation with him, which she sees as an opportunity to negotiate her way out of the mess.

As the conversation progresses, it becomes clear that the sniper has a catalogue of grievances against society. He rambles on about anti-vax theories, moral compromises and anti-corporate sentiments - holding Alice, because of her job, responsible for the 'evil' done to people. It is not entirely clear if this was a targeted setup - whether he deliberately punctured the petrol tank so it would run dry at that exact spot - or if it was a random situation and Alice’s profession simply became a convenient excuse for his rage. So don't overthink it!

As the night goes on, various other people pull up for fuel and a few more characters are drawn into the siege. One of them is a young child, which tests the actions of both the sniper and Alice, adding plenty of suspense and tension. I won’t spoil the ending, but the film does leave the sniper’s identity somewhat ambiguous. There is a hint that Alice’s husband might be involved (though the sniper is not him) and that he had found out about her affair.

Ultimately, there is plenty of atmosphere and creepiness in this claustrophobic scenario. Camille Rowe, as Alice, is in almost every scene and her decent performance carries the film. She portrays a character who is flawed and morally compromised, yet gritty and fiercely determined to survive. There is a bit of gore from injuries here and there, but nothing truly horrific. Well worth a look if you can find it on streaming.