Badland Hunters Parent Guide

After a devastating earthquake, Seoul has descended into post-apocalyptic chaos. Without law and order, Korean society has collapsed, and roving bands of gangs terrorize small encampments of people bartering for necessities. Worse still, droughts have plagued the country, making clean water the most valuable resource. Amidst this anarchy, Nam-san (Ma Dong-seok) has managed to eke out a life for himself as a hunter, providing meat for his community in exchange for other goods.

Even with his gruff exterior and distrust of most people, Nam-san is not alone. He has taken a young orphan Ji-wan (Lee Jun-young), under his wing and trained him to hunt, and has a soft spot for Su-na (Roh Jeong-eui), a young woman whose life he saved years before. Their bond is tested when a group of people arrive, claiming to be from a school providing resources for young people and offering Su-na a chance at a new life. Su-na leaves with them, only to learn that they are not what they appear. Only the best hunter in the country can save her, and Nam-san won’t stop until he does.

Some online sources assert that this film is a sequel to 2023’s Concrete Utopia, while others claim it’s just set in the same universe. I’m going to choose to believe the latter because, according to Wikipedia’s plot summary, the movies don’t share characters or a narrative line. So, if you, like me, haven’t seen Concrete Utopia, it won’t affect your viewing of Badland Hunters in any way.

What will affect your viewing is your sensitivity to violence, gore, and swearing. Are you squeamish about watching a person get decapitated by having their neck pushed through a broken window? Then I’m going to advise you sit this one out. If you’re not grossed out by that, may I suggest therapy?

Content concerns aside, there are some original ideas and impressive production elements to be found in this movie. There’s some great fight choreography and the special effects make up is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, the tone can be uneven, as some of the actors lean into camp, while others play it straight. I also found that the writers focused too much on one side of the story, neglecting the other, which is arguably way more fun and interesting. My criticisms aside, for people who enjoy this genre of R-rated action, there’s a lot to like here for turn-your-brain-off fun. Just don’t go hunting for anything more than that.