After the Hunt Review: Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri Explore Sexual Politics
Director Luca Guadagnino continues to delve into the complex ways desire and love influence perception in his recent works Challengers, Queer, and now After The Hunt.
In Challengers, Guadagnino crafted a twisted love triangle so intricate that Zendaya, the lead actress, suggested audiences watch the film twice to fully grasp the character dynamics. In Queer, Daniel Craig portrayed a frantic and sometimes pathetic obsessive, deeply infatuated with a younger man who couldn't match his intensity or devotion.
After The Hunt shifts focus from the urgency of a tennis championship or the intensity of an ayahuasca experience to a central group less like a love triangle and more like a pyramid of longing, layered with resentment.
"After The Hunt was met with mixed to negative reviews at its world premiere during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in August."
The movie currently holds a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, marking it as the lowest score among Guadagnino's directorial projects.
Despite mixed reception, Guadagnino's exploration of desire and interpersonal tension remains a defining feature of his work.
Author's summary: Luca Guadagnino's After The Hunt examines desire and complex relationships but received mixed reviews, holding his lowest Rotten Tomatoes score to date.