The Hunted: Encore [SERIES REVIEW]

Director: Crystal Arnette
Production Company: Charging Moose Media
Genre: Musical/Comedy/Horror
One Sentence Synopsis: A vampire hunters musical
Series: Web Series
Release Date: 9-22-16
Running Time: Between 5 and 10 min
Website: Click Here
Trailer: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 4.5 Moons (Out of 5)

Megan is a vampire hunter, and teamed up with the bumbling Ned, the half-breed Andrew and a few others, they look to take down the bloodsuckers, but not before busting a move or breaking into song!

Story

Not being a huge fan of musicals, I began watching this with a lot of reserve.  But you know what?  It hooked me by the end of the first episode!  Megan (Megan Dorn) is a great leading character, not to mention singer.  John (John Steven Gardner) is the leading vampire who has an amazing ability and causes a lot of problems for her and her sidekicks Ned (Ned Donavon) and Andrew (Andrew Mayer).  Next thing you know more vampires come onto the scene, meaning more choruses, breakdowns and choreography as the vampires and slayers battle it out.

The character of Ned is really one of my favorites.  I literally laughed out loud at many different parts in the episodes where he just makes an ass of himself.  He’s very conflicted come season 2 because his previous best friend Adam (Adam Caster) has been turned, and they sing to one another as they try to understand they’re now enemies.

Presentation

Brilliant Moon Award

The series is shot in a style very similar to The Office.  I really like how the characters are aware they’re being filmed and they sometimes interact with the cameraman.  The special effects used are really quite impressive for a web series.  All of the actors are phenomenal, and the chemistry between the leads is very good.  I kind of wished the episodes were a little longer though, like maybe 15 minutes?  Sometimes an episode is just as long as the song that’s sung.

Musically, they did a really good job fitting the mood and expressions of each character.  They’ve got some pretty good choreography, and the score that’s used when the characters aren’t singing is really enjoyable.  There are so many different sounding songs and moods in each episode.  Sometimes I’m reminded of Grease and Rocky Horror Picture Show

Gothic Fit

Tongue-in-cheek humor involving vampire lore is very enjoyable in the Goth community.  There are certain characters in the series that have a very Gothic feel to them, especially the half-breeds.  And while Goths may not be fans of the musical aspect, I know the wardrobe definitely caught my attention at times.

Closing Thoughts

If Buffy the Vampire Slayer and West Side Story had sexual intercourse, The Hunted: Encore would be their baby.  Check out this baby!

      Story: 4.5 Moons (Out of 5)
      Presentation: 5.0 Moons (Out of 5)
      Gothic Fit: 4.0 Moons (Out of 5)
      Final Score (not an average): 4.5 Moons

Score: Four point five moons

Author: Reverend Leviathan

Reverend Leviathan is the Music & Media Editor at DarkestGoth Magazine. He has been part of the Gothic community since his high school years. He released an album in 2008 entitled "Eden's Graveyard," and in 2022 released "Vampire Friar." He has also self-published a book, Gothlic: The Testimony of a Catholic Goth. He specializes in music (Goth, ambient, industrial, horror punk and doom metal) and independent films. You can follow him at Facebook.com/revleviathan7. If you have questions about having your music or media reviewed or featured at DarkestGoth, you can email Reverend Leviathan directly. (Not all music or media will be eligible for coverage by DGM, due to its style or the current knowledge base of DGM staff. If your media is accepted, we are currently estimating a 90-120 day turnaround for reviews and/or other coverage, so please plan requests accordingly.)

Share This Post On

1 Comment

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.