After becoming lost in the Louisiana swamplands, a group of holidaymakers must fight for their lives against a rampaging hippo on the loose.
While hippos look cute because of their chubby, potato-shaped bodies, short stubby legs, small wiggling ears, and wide smiling muzzles, they are anything but. Adult hippos are actually among the most aggressive and dangerous mammals on Earth. In “Hungry,” writer-director James Nunn makes that clear from the beginning. This isn’t a cutesy movie; it’s a straight-up horror film that shows you just how powerful these creatures really are.
While their appearance isn’t scary, what they are capable of is. They are responsible for the deaths of over 500 people in Africa annually, can use their razor-sharp, 20-inch canine teeth to pierce flesh and bone, and because they weigh up to 4,000 pounds, they can easily crush victims to death. It is important to grasp this context before delving into the heart of my review.
The narrative follows a group of tourists who opt for a budget-friendly alligator-watching riverboat tour through the Louisiana swamplands. The tour guide, Rodrigo (Michel Curiel), informs them that there is a GPS tracking device on a massive, famous alligator nicknamed Big Ben, and that they will be going off the approved route so they can photograph the large reptile. When they reach the intended destination, they discover Ben’s savagely mutilated carcass. Rodrigo, stunned by the carnage, is unable to fathom what could have decimated such a creature and elects to return to base. On their way back, however, they are attacked by a massive hippopotamus and their boat overturns, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere. Half of the group manages to find safety on large nearby tree branches, while the rest of the group scramble atop the capsized hull. With little to no supplies, Rodrigo tries to formulate a plan to escape the swamp, but he is attacked by the hippo and left in critical condition. Now, the group must unite and improvise a means of survival before time runs out.
James Nunn deserves kudos for crafting a creature feature that places a hippopotamus at center stage. While there was a 2025 film called “Hippo’s Revenge,” it was hardly seen by anybody because it was so bad. Here, though, Nunn has a considerable budget, as is evident from the impressive construction of a custom 50×50 meter swamp set in Malta, which served as the primary filming location for 98% of the movie. Only a small fraction—mainly aerial shots—were captured on location in New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou. The hippo itself, much like the T-Rex in “Jurassic Park,” is brought to life through a combination of animatronics for close-ups and computer-generated imagery for full shots.
The cast is all believable in their respective roles. Texas native Madison Davenport, who plays Sistine, reluctantly rises to lead the group as their numbers dwindle. Her transformation into a decisive, resilient figure unfolds organically, enhancing both the character and the film. Nunn keeps the tension afloat within a confined setting, and, much like Spielberg did in “Jaws,” minimizes the creature’s screen time to heighten suspense.
While the film works overall, the hippo’s appearance is just not scary. In real life, crocodiles, lions, leopards, and hyenas all stay away from adult hippos because of their massive size, extreme aggression, and powerful bite. We’ve all seen movies about killer crocidiles or alligators, lions, snakes, sharks and whales, so this really is a first for hippos but while I would personally not like to come face to face with an adult hippo, as far as this film goes, due to the animal’s inherently unthreatening appearance, the film struggles to elicit the same visceral dread evoked by classics like “Anaconda,” “Crawl,” or “Jaws.” Those creatures are terrifying to look at, with menacing appearances that inspire fear. This hippo, despite how incredibly dangerous it is, simply doesn’t have the same effect.
As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the hippo’s ferocity is driven by a maternal instinct to protect its nearby offspring—territorial hippos are famously the most dangerous. In the end, “Hungry” works as a creature feature, utilizing mostly practical effects over CGI, and supported by a credible ensemble cast. I look forward with anticipation to James Nunn’s future projects.
Available on DVD August 11th
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