Hounded (2022) A Successful Social Horror Of The Class Divide (VOD Review)

It can be argued that now more than ever, there is an intense divide between the upper and working class. As the world continues to run on a system where the former is treated far better than the latter, it stands to reason that a lot of anger and frustration comes with this unbalanced treatment. As the upper class continues their long-standing traditions and the working class are forced to adapt to new environments created by those above, it’s easy to say that we’re in a powder keg moment in modern society. In Tommy Boulding’s Hounded, we see a tale of working-class desperation coming face to face with the set-in-stone nature of upper-class tradition

Hounded follows Leon (Nobuse Jnr) and a group of young thieves who collect valuable assets for buyers willing to go through illegal methods to get what they want. When offered one final job, the group find themselves in a beautiful and lavish house that is seemingly ripe to be picked out as the inhabitants are supposedly away on holiday. However, what begins as an easy job turns very wrong when the group is caught by the house’s sinister inhabitants who unleash them out into the woods for a deadly hunting game.

From the outset and going by the premise alone, it’s safe to say that Hounded isn’t exactly the most original idea out there. However, in all the small budget woes that a film of this nature can potentially face, the film gets by with this nuanced sense of character and playfulness that makes the film both charming and gleefully sadistic when the blood and guts begin to show themselves. The central group of young thieves are all given minimal backstory but throughout the film, we’re given clues as to how or why they are in this criminal position whether it be out of desperation or some deep-rooted trauma in their lives. The character of Leon is committed to ensuring that his brother, Chaz (Malachi Pullar-Latchman) can go to university to study without the fear of crippling debt. The relationship between the two brothers is the heart and soul of Hounded and lends itself well to the care that the viewer can place on them as the film ramps up its nail-biting tension.

When Hounded begins, a certain sense of dread is placed on all of the characters thanks to the excellent score from Abi Wade and Joel Wells. From the outset, the film operates on this anxiety-fueled rhythm that is excellently added to by Tommy Boulding’s direction who utilises static long shots that Hounded cleverly uses to find ways to breathe these shallow breaths in all the violent chaos and fast pacing that it uses.

The strengths of Hounded mostly lie in the strong character building and performances but sadly, the screenplay of the film is where the problems begin to show themselves. With a runtime of around 94 minutes, there are times when the film meanders in the second act when the villains of the film become the central focus. While there’s admittedly a lot of fun to be had in the silly performances that these characters bring forward as these over-the-top stereotypes of higher-class people, the one-note nature of the characters ends with them ultimately feeling one note and lacking the intrigue and investment that the film delicately gives to their heroes. While this isn’t an inherently bad thing, it does lead to them ultimately feeling less threatening than what the film intends for them to be.

The thematic ideas of Hounded are very much on the nose as it takes the idea of a class war into its most literal and bloody form. However, what Hounded may lack in strong villains and despite the weak script, it makes up for by behaving as a deeply passionate and fun thriller that comes out on the other side as a fun time anchored by a strong sense of character in its protagonists and an overall dedicated commitment to making a film that feels far bigger than it may seem. In a sea of independent thrillers, it’s tough to say whether or not you’ve come across a winner. Luckily, Hounded is one of them.

HOUNDED

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