David Weil and Jordan Peele’s ‘The Hunt’ Recruits Al Pacino to Fight Nazis

Al Pacino is one of the few actors who is able to represent an entire era of filmmaking. Known predominantly for his roles in the Godfather films, Pacino’s career has been full of success and iconic appearances in the thriller and gangster movie genres. From his voice to general presence on-screen, he comes off as strong, intense, and mysterious.

….And he’s only getting started.

With a career that expands across five decades and many projects currently in the works, such as Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Scorsese’s The Irishman, Pacino is not slowing down. Adding Amazon’s new series, The Hunt, to his list, the infamous actor is now thrown in a scenario that the world has never seen before.

You would think that fighting Nazis is something left in World War II, but Jordan Peele’s The Hunt shows that their influence has expanded beyond the 1940s. The director of Get Out and Us is the executive producer of the show, but this doesn’t take away from his constant action to reveal stories that might be relevant today. The United States is currently a victim to a lot of political turmoil, with new problems arising every day. The largest elephant in the American room is the discussion on racism. 

Although people blame the POTUS for the rise in White supremacy, studies have actually shown that the increasing numbers in White nationalism began with the election of Barack Obama. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact correlation, but most conclusions discuss a sense of paranoia by the White working and lower classes. Obama’s election was a sign of progression and change, symbolizing a huge push in racial equity. However, to those who cultivate a false sense of loss in power, believe that his election was the beginning of an end. These sentiments only got stronger in 2016 when Trump became a candidate who fueled their voices and caused an unjustified hysteria around minorities.

One of the largest White nationalist groups are the Neo-Nazis— and yes, they’re still around.

Instead of commenting directly on the issues of today, Peele is part of a project that creatively reminds audiences about the cruelty and dangers of these hate groups. In 1970, New York City was a busy place with a population that only grew. When a metropolis becomes overpopulated, it’s ironically easier for secrets to remain hidden. People are distracted and blasé, which ultimately allows for parasites to infiltrate the everyday lives of people and hide their malicious intentions behind-the-scenes of city residents.

The Hunt follows the lives of a group of ‘Nazi Hunters’ who try to uncover the mysteries of a proposed Fourth Reich. With hundred of high-ranking Nazi officials residing in the Big Apple, the hunters must come together to bring the murderers to justice and stop another attempt at a genocide. Al Pacino will play a Nazi Hunter who is a mentor to the protagonist, Jonah Heidelbaum, who is played by Logan Lerman. Motivated by the assassination of his grandmother, Logan Lerman’s character sets out to track the killer, while crossing paths with the hunters. With full potential twists, turns, and betrayals, The Hunt sounds promising.

Amazon originals, like The Man in the High Castle that is a series that asks what if the Nazis won the war, have proven to be very successful. This show brings a dystopia to modern America, which makes the viewers relax and feel safe. The Hunt will be different because it hopefully relies more on history than questions and possibilities.

For all we know, the Nazis could be stronger than ever… and in our cities.

-Franco Machado-Pesce