‘After the Hunt’ Review: A Tiresome, Pseudo-Intellectual Waste of Time

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The film After the Hunt, directed by Luca Guadagnino, opens with the question “What determines the moral worth of an action?” written on a chalkboard. While this question might not be as prominent as the repeated sound of a ticking clock (echoing the #MeToo slogan “Time’s Up!”) or the stylistic choice of using Woody Allen’s favorite typeface (Windsor Light), it clearly defines the film’s central theme: the serious consequences of an accusation.

Guadagnino (Challengers, Queer) sets the stage by introducing the characters at a gathering of academics. They’re seen drinking, discussing their work and ideas, and subtly flirting. The opening credits, reminiscent of Woody Allen, hint at what’s to come: a dispute where accusations are made. Specifically, a student, Maggie (Ayo Edibiri), claims that Hank (Andrew Garfield), a professor she admires, assaulted her at her apartment. Julia Roberts plays Alma, another professor who is connected to both Hank and Maggie and finds herself caught in the resulting conflict.

What’s interesting about After the Hunt is that the initial event isn’t the main focus. The story quickly pivots to explore the moral questions it raises, along with several mystery-like plotlines that don’t really lead anywhere. Instead of delving deeply into the complex relationships and attractions between the characters – like Alma’s husband Frederick (Michael Stuhlbarg), Maggie’s apparent romantic feelings for Alma, and Hank’s history with Alma – writer Nora Garrett consistently returns to the idea of how different generations deal with, and ultimately take advantage of, difficult experiences.

The film feels like a stage play, with actors delivering unnatural dialogue as if they need to project to the very back of the theater, emphasizing the idea that anyone is capable of wrongdoing. The visuals are also inconsistent. They’re a departure from the style of cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed’s music videos and the beautiful imagery of Belly, constantly shifting between uncomfortable close-ups of eyes and hands and wide shots of people simply talking in crowded spaces.

Roberts is the only performer who truly succeeds; her cool, calculating look reminds you of the complex villains played by Glenn Close or Sharon Stone, more so than a more obvious comparison to Cate Blanchett’s Lydia Tar – even down to her character’s clothing. While the film occasionally asks her to do things that don’t quite work, like dramatically cry out in pain from an unexplained sickness or deliver a lengthy speech about right and wrong by shouting at her students, it’s still a significant improvement over Garfield and Edebiri, who seem to think loud, angry performances equal depth, and Stuhlbarg, whose acting style shifts wildly between calm and aggressive, often within a single scene.

Both Guadagnino and Garrett appear to lack a clear understanding of the message After the Hunt is attempting to convey, resulting in a frustratingly unclear film. It feels aimless, existing only to shock, much like someone who challenges others to a debate only to immediately start arguing that everyone is capable of wrongdoing. The dialogue is filled with lines that seem to dismiss efforts to improve society, with characters casually stating things like “not everything is supposed to make you feel comfortable” as if it’s a profound statement instead of something a Twitter bot might say after using offensive language. While its “everyone is flawed” perspective occasionally produces a funny moment-such as Chloë Sevigny’s Kim, a likable but minor character, enjoying The Smiths at a bar and pointing out Morrissey’s cancellation-it mostly stays stuck in predictable territory, with characters uttering lines like, “I’ve found myself in the business of optics, not substance,” without any sense of self-awareness.

Everything in this film feels familiar, even the attempt by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to recreate the dark, intense mood of Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. The soundtrack simply gathers good songs, which occasionally clashes with the film’s overall feeling. Notice how Guadagnino uses John Adams’ existing music: in I Am Love, it powerfully amplified the emotions, but here, a piece like Adams’ “City Noir III. Boulevard Night” feels like an easy way to emphasize the film’s superficial thriller aspects. Even using music from Adams’ The Death of Klinghoffer, a piece that’s already caused controversy, seems to highlight the film’s unwillingness to take a strong stance.

As a film buff, I found that every single detail in After the Hunt felt deliberately noticeable. It’s a movie that repeatedly shows Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks – a novel dealing with middle-class morality – as its characters, who *are* middle-class, wake up and start debating ethics. Maybe the film is poking fun at viewers like me, who pick up on all these obscure references surrounding these intellectual types. But honestly, those little details are what I ended up fixating on, because my eyes started to glaze over watching people just subtly bicker with each other. Whenever I tried to follow a storyline, it was either dropped completely or pushed aside so the characters could rehash the same ethical debates – which basically boil down to doing whatever it takes to win, even if it means stepping on others.

The central, somewhat bleak, idea is really all After the Hunt has to offer. The movie feels stuck, repeating itself for nearly two and a half hours, and deliberately avoids addressing any of the small problems it brings up. Guadagnino and Garrett seem to want the film to be both intriguing and straightforward, challenging yet not upsetting, which ultimately leaves it feeling aimless. It wouldn’t be so bad if the thriller aspects of the movie were at least well-crafted, even if it never explored issues of race, sexuality, or social class. However, it seems no one involved was interested in those topics. The film feels as hollow as the overly complicated discussion at the beginning, and by the time Luca Guadagnino calls “cut” at the end – a moment he intentionally included, perhaps to get an eye-roll from the audience – you’re left wondering, “who cares?”

From Amazon MGM Studios, After the Hunt opens in theaters on October 10.

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2025-10-03 03:35