Critical Commentary on Sayoc Combat Choreography for the HUNTED:

Harry Knowles, AICN.

“…It is far more intense than I think you may be expecting,though not so much in a gory fashion, but in a kinetic way brought on by brutal editing and sound mixing. And yes, a knife is shown to be as brutal as a knife could ever be. “

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

“They both know the techniques of hand-to-hand combat, but in real life, it isn’t scripted, and you know what? It isn’t so easy. We are involved in the immediate, exhausting, draining physical work of fighting… physical action of a high order.“

Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

The strength of the picture is in the rude, blunt physicality of its fight sequences (particularly its final
showdown that should endure as one of the bloodiest onscreen knife fights in history)

Tom Long, Detroit News

“… beyond the usual Hollywood fare. Ignoring the old-school John Wayne roundhouse punch approach
as well as the new high-kicking martial arts dances, Del Toro and Jones attack each other with a cascade of fast slaps and jabs that look frighteningly real.”

Vic Vogler, Denver Post

“… quick, balletic, authentic. There is nothing celebratory or gratuitous in the men’s violence. It is, in fact, an homage to the animals each reveres and protects in his own way.”

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle

“…masterfully choreographed if excruciating close-quarter bouts”

David Edelstein, MSN

I’ve seen a lot of fighting in movies in the last few years, but this seemed like the first real fighting in ages.”

Chuck Rudolph, Slant Magazine

“… achieve an incendiary artlessness of movement and ferocity that is infrequently seen in over-the-top, patently stagy movie combat.”

Sean O’Connell, Eclipse Magazine

“In an era of wire battles and CGI combat, it’s strangely refreshing to see two dudes bare-knuckle their way through the back-alley bar brawls that “Hunted” features.”

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

“Choreographed in the distinctive Sayoc Kali style, the up-close-and-personal combat scenes are much more convincing than anything in Steven Seagal’s entire oeuvre.”