There’s a market for marine slashers, and we all know it. I’m one of many who get invested in aquatic bullshit, even though it’s rarely good. We’re running out of real estate- sharks have been up in space (Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!) and swimming through the pipes of hot spring tourist attractions (Onsen Shark). You’d usually have to throw every ounce of logic out the window to believe this and keep your attention, but writer/director James Nunn just impressed the hell out of me with Hungry, exceeding viewers’ expectations on what a Hippopotamus on a killing spree might actually look like without having to send her to a ridiculous location- just an unexpected one.
Hippos in the Bayou
No, there aren’t any hippos in the bayous of Louisiana where this film takes place, but I do remember a confirmed report of a bull shark sighting in the Hudson River back in 2020, so hey, why not stretch the truth a little without having to bend science and biology completely off the deep end? Sharks are arguably the cooler, scarier apex predators, but those cute baby hippos on the “for you” page have the power to erase the fact that their species murders around 50x more humans per year just because they feel like it. The only cute hippo is a dead one. Does anyone have eyes on Moo Deng?
Based in reality this time, Hungry follows the pair of besties, Sistine (Madison Davenport) and Hannah (Olivia Bernstone), on vacation. When in the bayou state, you take a gator tour, which brings our group of bait together. Rodrigo (Michel Curiel), the most conventionally handsome gator guide in the area, leads the group by boat to what would be a viewing point of “Big Ben”- the largest gator in the vicinity. They find it on a nearby shore, suspiciously ripped in half. The sight raises valid concern, because what predator could possibly pose a threat to a gator at the top of its food chain? The unseen animal capsizes the tour boat, leaving the group stranded and panic-stricken by whatever could be picking them off in the murky waters.
Hungry Hippo
During the 93-minute showdown, the characters engage in hysterical dialogue as they try a handful of different ways to survive and escape the swamp. Character identifiers are what make up the human group- “business woman”, “nurse”, “grandpa”, “bratty son”; not necessarily dimensional people. I’ll argue that character depth and development are not the most important thing on the checklist in an aquatic slasher situation. What’s important is the source and expression of the danger, obviously, and the ensemble ain’t half bad at serving up believable fear.
We nearly reach the halfway point before the “hungry hippo” becomes truly angry. For several scenes, the predator hides beneath the surface, masking her violence. The first few attacks are illustrated in a way that might be accurate (fact-check me on that if you must), with drone top shots of deep red blood seeping through the bayou roots, which look pretty haunting! There’s a good chance the average horror fan could be disappointed by the lack of gore, but I won’t deny the decent pull of suspense that it cultivates, even while taking itself seriously (a common death sentence for killer animal flicks).
Final Girl Versus Hippo
What almost annoyed me to death in Jo-anne Brechin’s Killer Whale, only a few months ago, isn’t a problem for Hungry– the final third is a surprisingly badass visual circus of final girl versus hippo by way of both practical and computer-generated effects. It’s here where the tell-all foreshadowing drop quote wraps around- no natural predators, and no ethical conscience. Just the simple things that make a killing machine great in practice: spite and dedication to juicy revenge. I love that this film brings awareness to the fact that hippos are vegetarians. The only reason for the 500-ish hippo deaths per year is that humans are annoying and should stay out of hippo business. I’d give it a shot for the spectacle alone!
