“A harrowing glimpse into the inner psychology of a generation struggling to find a place in the modern world.”

Growing up is never easy, but the vast majority of us manage to get through it without resorting to anything too drastic. This is not always the case, as periodic stories emerge about young people who are drawn to violence, and in some instances even find themselves engaging in those acts. One of the most shocking stories of the past decade involved a series of murders in Northern British Columbia in 2019, where two young men went on a killing spree, ending the lives of three people over the span of a few days. Their motives were unclear, and the recordings they left behind just before committing suicide expressed no remorse for their actions. Wayne Wapeemukwa takes inspiration from this story when crafting Manhunt, his ambitious sophomore directorial outing, in which we are introduced to Joey, a lonely young man who has just reached adulthood, spending his days playing video games and existing in an online space that is far more appealing than the outside world. He decides to go on a road trip with his friend Kit, and what starts as a short break from their ordinary lives eventually leads to their transition from angst-filled young men to cold-blooded killers, on the run from the authorities. Defined by a bold directorial vision that makes for extremely uncomfortable but unforgettable viewing, Manhunt proves to be one of the year’s most provocative works, and a harrowing glimpse into the inner psychology of a generation struggling to find a place in the modern world.

Several directors have tried to make films that accurately capture the spirit of Gen Z and the existential malaise which seemingly defines that group. Most were unsuccessful, but Wapeemukwa has managed to find an intriguing entry point into the subject, albeit a concerning one in terms of the subject matter. The real world events just serve as inspiration for the story, while the focus of Manhunt is not specifically on the murders, but rather the circumstances that surrounded them. As demonstrated by this generation, society is more detached than it has ever been, with many people finding themselves isolated to the point where the boundaries between reality and fantasy begin to blur, which can be dangerous for those who don’t have the psychological conditioning to know precisely where to draw the line. The film revolves around two young men who are the definitive examples of this problem, since they have allowed their impulses to fester to the point where they act out in increasingly erratic ways, losing their grasp on reality and viewing the world as a place where they have free rein to do whatever they feel like doing. Their efforts to live freely and have fun are starkly contrasted with the gradual realization that they are running away from themselves, trying to somehow both escape the past and evade the uncomfortable nature of reality, manufacturing new identities that act as social masks, and eventually become the tools of what they consider to be liberation. Through these intersecting ideas, the director makes some fascinating observations on themes such as masculinity, social decay and the fickle boundary between placid aggression and unhinged violence.

Based on the subject matter, the director had quite a challenge ahead of him in bringing this story (or rather a version of it) to life on screen. However, rather than veering towards the common, obvious tropes usually associated with this kind of narrative, Wapeemukwa chooses to take a more unusual approach. The result is a genre-blending existential odyssey that combines road movie with elements of coming-of-age drama, crime thriller and even brief touches of psychological horror, which interweave to create this deeply unsettling glimpse into the minds of a pair of truly deranged young men. It’s not surprising that Manhunt is bookended by scenes from within a video game, since this is exactly how these young men view themselves, characters in an expansive, alternate version of reality. It is one of the many fascinating directorial flourishes presented throughout this film, which often takes on the form of a strange tonal collage that is difficult to pin down exactly. The tone is constantly shifting, becoming increasingly bleaker and more provocative as it progresses, reflecting the gradual psychological decline of these disturbed characters as they succumb to their obsession. It’s a cold, clinical film that manages to be genuinely disturbing in the haunting socio-cultural commentary underneath – even the use of violence is interesting, since while most of the heinous acts occur outside of the frame, the implications of what they represent are far more harrowing than any tangible depiction of the crimes. It’s a classic example of the most terrifying ideas being those that we don’t see but feel resonating in the foundation of a film, which only becomes more disconcerting when we consider the layers of existential despair that Wapeemukwa introduces throughout this film.

At first, we aren’t entirely sure of what we are about to witness when stepping into Manhunt, a film that takes its cue from a very dark event to create a daunting psychological thriller which is primarily interested in exploring what it takes to create a killer, intent on penetrating the circumstances that can drive someone to commit acts of murder. It becomes a chilling portrait of psychopathy in the age of the internet, where isolation and the appeal of anonymous online identities can distort reality to the point that it becomes almost unrecognizable, and where violence becomes a refuge and form of escape. Joey and Kit (portrayed brilliantly by Harris Lowe and Landon Tunold) embrace a feral existence free from societal rules, transforming themselves in an effort to outrun the past and evade the inevitable consequences. These consequences ultimately become the catalyst for their psychological and physical downfall. The film manages to be an insightful and meaningful character study that seeks to understand these young characters without ever coming across as sympathetic towards them, which is not an easy approach, both narratively and tonally. Whether through the deliberately measured pace (which reflects the stream-of-consciousness approach to the story) or in the use of language, particularly slang and jargon that takes on an entirely different meaning when it is delivered from behind the barrel of a real shotgun, Manhunt is a film comprised of many complex layers, all of which work towards crafting a haunting portrait of the loss of innocence as a result of alienation and festering resentment. It is a profoundly disturbing film, not for what it depicts (the restraint shown by the director is truly fascinating), but for what it suggests about humanity’s capacity for harm. Ultimately, the film uses allegory and implication to make some bold assertions and ask deeply provocative questions, but none stronger than the argument that, regardless of how much one believes that they can retreat from reality, they simply cannot run forever, neither from society nor from themselves.