The Huntsman – Movie Review (2/5)

THE HUNTSMAN is a Serial Killer Thriller that begins well and has intriguing elements. Sadly, it soon becomes extremely predictable. Bonus points for the casting of Elizabeth Mitchell in a key role. Honestly, this movie could have been seriously good, which is probably why I’m annoyed with the outcome. Read our full The Huntsman movie review here!

THE HUNTSMAN is a new thriller with a serial killer mystery plot. The runtime is 1 hour and 45 minutes, which is definitely too long. Overall, the core concept and story could (and should) have made for a much stronger result. This is not a bad movie, but it isn’t particularly good either.

Having said that, it is extremely predictable. And I say that in the sense that I had guessed every major plot twist way before it was revealed. You simply cannot give hints and foreshadowing that early on, and then leave it to linger for so long before you get back to it. The audience hasn’t forgotten your clues, but it has grown tired of waiting so long for you to get to the point.

Continue reading our The Huntsman movie review below. Find it On Demand from February 10, 2026.

A serial killer is targeted

The title of The Huntsman refers to a serial killer at the center of the story. The public has long felt certain of the serial killer’s true identity, but when the man, Lincoln (Garret Dillahunt), isn’t convicted, someone decides to take fate into their own hands. They attack him outside, when he leaves as a free man, and shoot him in the head.

As a result, his loving and loyal wife, Jolene (Elizabeth Mitchell), is left holding him in her arms on the steps leading up to the court building. Lincoln doesn’t die, but he does end up in a long-term coma. When a new murder happens, which appears to yet again be by The Huntsman, everyone must recognize that maybe they got it wrong.

Could Lincoln be an innocent man fighting for his own life in a hospital bed?

Well, some people certainly believe this to be the case. That’s why it isn’t entirely strange that the ICU nurse, Max (Shawn Ashmore), volunteers to take care of the coma patients. Yes, even though most people still believe that Lincoln was involved with the murders of six women.

Does Max understand what he has gotten himself into? And will his sister, Darby (Jessy Schram), the police detective working the Huntsman serial killer case, be able to accept that her brother is involved with the main suspect?!

Elizabeth Mitchell always shines

While Elizabeth Mitchell doesn’t exactly play the lead role in The Huntsman, she is the most interesting character. A woman staying loyal to her husband, even when he is accused of having killed six women. Also, a woman who appears to have many other people around her, who are loyal to her and trust her judgment.

Jolene is not a simple or easy character to portray, but Elizabeth Mitchell (First Kill) breathes life into her. In fact, she does so in a way that supersedes the actual screenplay, which is not particularly strong.

Or maybe it’s the editing, I’m not sure.

What I do know is that this movie is way too long. Elizabeth Mitchell‘s “Jolene” is interesting, which can also be said for Garret Dillahunt‘s “Lincoln”.

Shawn Ashmore, who plays the actual lead as Max, is trapped in a character who really doesn’t seem too bright. He is constantly forced to place himself in situations that make no real sense. Also, it’s a character like so many others he has played before.

Watch The Huntsman on VOD

The Huntsman is a mystery thriller based on the award-winning novel by Judith Sanders. The director of this movie is Kyle Kauwika Harris, who also co-wrote the script with Steven Jon Whritner. The movie was executive-produced by Frank J. Malinoski, who only has one short film (based on the same story) to his name before this feature film. Well, according to IMDb, anyway.

For me, Elizabeth Mitchell is the reason to watch The Huntsman, which is interesting if you miss the clues given along the way. Also, Garret Dillahunt and Jessy Schram deliver good performances, while Shawn Ashmore is given a lead role with very little meat on it. His character is the least interesting in the story, which is a real shame, when it’s the lead character.

This is a serial killer mystery thriller, but when the mystery part is no longer much of a mystery, the thriller part also suffers. For the record, I have not read the book this is based on, so I can’t speak to whether it follows the novel closely or not.

THE HUNTSMAN was out in select theaters from February 6, 2026, and will be on VOD on February 10, 2026.

Details

Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris
Script: Kyle Kauwika Harris, Steven Jon Whritner
Cast: Shawn Ashmore, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jessy Schram, Garret Dillahunt