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Why Do They Always Anger the Locals? Hunter's Blood (1986) Review

I am definitely one of the very few that didn't like Deliverance. For me, it was too slow and very boring. The acting in it was all really good, but there wasn't enough action and I will never be entertained by the "squeal like a pig" scene. One awful thing that happened as a result of Deliverance is that all of a sudden, every film that features men going on a hunting/fishing/camping trip in the woods and being stalked by murderous hillbillies is now deemed a "rip-off of Deliverance." In fact, in almost every review of the great 1970s flick Rituals always makes sure to state it is a rip-off of Deliverance. While this may or may not be true, it's just an unfair tag to label a film. Hunter's Blood is another one of these films that has earned an unfair title as a "cheap knock-off of Deliverance", when it's so much more so. Protect yourself, because we're about to shed some...

Hunters Blood 1986 Review David (Samuel Bottoms), Mason (Clu Gulager), Al (Ken Swofford), Marty (Joey Travolta), and Ralph (Mayf Nutter) decide to head up to Al's new property to do a little hunting. While there, they stop at Tobe's Gas Stop (most likely a nod to Tobe Hooper) and mingle with the locals. However, a group of the locals pick a fight and Mason ends up beating them up. They drive away, but some of them give chase in their yellow pick-up truck. They escape, and make it to the woods.

However, when there, they stumble across a gang of inbred poachers, illegally killing all the deer in the forest. Luckily, the forest rangers catch them and while on their way back to civilization, Red Beard, their leader, shoots one of the rangers and they skin alive the other. They shoot Mason and kill Ralph, so now the remaining people have to get Mason to a hospital. Al and Marty put him on a stretcher as David fights the savages off, and does a really good job at it. Will Mason make it to the hospital? Will David defeat the hillbillies? Hunter's Blood is one of the better so-called "knock-offs" of Deliverance out there and it is also one of the more overlooked. The killers are actually realistic, and I really like the decion to make them poachers. This shows they aren't just stalking the woods just waiting for someone to kill; they actually have other things to do. The acting was all really good, and I really can't think of a film like this where the acting isn't any good. Bedes Sam Bottoms, Bruce Glover, and Clu Gulager, I don't think anyone in the cast as gone on to do anything truly noteworthy. The make-up effects are great, including one of the greatest head-shots I have ever seen in my life. ?w=450&h=342 This is a pretty darn good film, if I do say so myself. The acting is great, the plot flows smoothly with no rough edges, and it's just really entertaining. Hunter's Blood has enough bloody bits to satisfy the average gorehound, and enough suspense to satisfy the average horror fan. If you like both Deliverance and slasher films, this is perfect for you. Or, if you just like slasher films, you'll be entertained. Another cool part is that the art on the poster is an actual scene in the movie and not just some artist trying to sell copies by putting some cool image on the poster that isn't in the film itself. When you get right down to it, Hunter's Blood truly deserves a Rating System:

The best of the best.

A really good film.

It's OK; has its flaws

The power of Christ compels you to stay away from this film!

Death is preferable to this garbage.