The Prey

It's easy to root for one of the "bad guys" in this smart thriller from Eric Valette.

Franck (Albert Dupontel) is serving time for a bank robbery when he finds himself rescuing a fellow prisoner from a brutal attack. He believes the man, Jean-Louis (Stéphane Debac), is innocent of the crimes for which he's accused. When Jean-Louis is released from prison, he offers to pay back Frank's kindness by helping him protect his family on the outside.

Fearing he may have made a terrible mistake in trusting Jean-Louis, Franck escapes from prison and lives on the run, desperately searching for his wife and child while at the same time hiding from law enforcement who believe he's a serial killer.

Each layer of discovery in this film represents a thrill ride for the audience—from the cops in pursuit of Franck to the sadistic nature of the real serial killer. There are foot chases, shoot-outs,  stake-outs, setups and an abundance of bloody results.

Thankfully, the lead actors do a brilliant job of convincing the audience that each act is feasible, which is enough to keep us hanging on through the twists and turns of the story to the very end.

Though there are undeniably formulaic elements to the script, the results are perfectly satisfying.

SIFF Sighting: THE HUNT (drama; Denmark)

Lucas (Madds Mikkelsen) is a likeable kindergarten teacher about to win custody of his teenage son, starting a relationship with a new girlfriend.

Klara (Annika Wedderkopp) is the daughter of his best friend, who lives next door. She attends his school, confuses her words and unknowingly accuses him of sexual abuse.

With Oscar-worthy performances, the film is a heart-wrenching exploration of what can happen when one is wrongly accused.

THE HUNT screens June 6 at the 39th Annual Seattle International Film Festival. For tickets, click here.