After The Hunt: Moody, Messy, and Morally Loaded

I went into this with zero expectations, and it ended up being a surprisingly solid watch. After the Hunt has all the trademarks of a Luca Guadagnino film—moody, atmospheric, and quietly unsettling. It works as both a psychological thriller and a bleak character drama, exploring power, guilt, and moral ambiguity through an intentionally drab and oppressive tone.

The performances are muted across the board, which fits the film’s atmosphere but also feels slightly restrictive. You can tell actors like Julia Roberts and Ayo Edebiri have more to give, yet the direction reins them in to emphasize how deeply unlikable and morally messy these characters are. You’re constantly reevaluating everyone’s integrity, and every choice they make shifts your perspective.

The pacing, however, is where the movie stumbles. There’s a natural emotional peak where the story could have ended perfectly, but instead it pushes on for nearly 30 extra minutes that feel unnecessary.

Still, After the Hunt delivers a compelling story that’s tense, unsettling, and quietly haunting—one that lingers long after the credits roll.