Exists (2014) Horror Bigfoot

Exists (2014) -  A weird mix of stupidity and contrivance works to make this poorly shot Bigfoot movie less than enjoyable at times. Okay that is a bit harsh but this viewer is tired of the shitty camera work as a way save money, pretending it is a do it yourself  film while disregarding the contrivance whenever convenient. GoPro cameras,  a camera centric fifth wheel make for the filming all the time and shaky views of the monster. Structurally the script is so well worn that most of the beats can be predicted with ease.starting with the stupid opening fact that "Since 1967, there have been over 3,000 Bigfoot encounters in the U.S. alone." which is ridiculous since Bigfoot has never and will never exist. Still tell yourself to suspend disbelief and the fact still seems completely wacko. It was nice to here when listening to the commentary by Director Eduardo Sanchez and screenwriter Jamie Nash that this was completely made up. So silly but this is what you get from a monster movie like this. Like Nash I grew up in the 70's and I did spend my share of time as a junior High student reading about the urban legends of the United States. Bigfoot was a big part of that but critical thinking and education can make anyone acknowledge the poor basis for the myth. Suspend disbelief...This is going to be a weird review because although I was not thrilled with the well trod story or the filming technique, I do like a monster movie so I was left with mixed feelings.
  Five friends head to uncle Bob's hunting cabin in east Texas, off the grid and without anyone knowing they are going.  The slow motion opening scenes with the friends on a road trip works to establish them as out to have some fun. Little do they know the hunting is not done by the people visiting the cabin but instead by the Bigfoot that lives in the area. The two brothers Camera guy Brian (Chris Osborn) and Matt (Samuel Davis) know the stories of the cabin but being dangerous but just don't believe the stories. So Matt with his brother and girlfriend Dora (Dora Madison Burge) as well as couple Todd (Roger Edwards) and Elizabeth (Denise Williamson) drive out to the remote place for a weekend of fun. Recording it all is Brian with his multiple cameras which we have to guess is the footage the film is put together from.
  After hitting a creature on the drive in, they are terrorized by one throughout the movie. The normal setup of playing with toys, swimming and being amorous set up the spotting of the monster and then the couple nights of terror when Bigfoot decides a house won't stop it from getting the group. Escape plans are tried and in the end we have watch as the members make a desperate attempt to flee the area. The film feels inevitable throughout with the group seemingly over matched by the creature. The poor decision making alone almost dooms the group as they fumble through the nights with the Monster hot on their heels. Then there is the fact that an over 6 foot creature is a borrowing animal with a dug out lair? That does not really make a lot of sense. Still this film is about a monster coming after people and creating a body count. It accomplishes that and there is some taught thrilling scenes.
  Not an enjoyable viewing experience there is way too much night vision shaky cam. The viewing is just not very good. Directed by Eduardo Sanchez who also is responsible for the Blair Witch Project is improved in the quality of camera and the editing of the handhelds and mounted units but fifteen years and still using a really tired technique that is past its time. In the commentary he says that it was not going to be so but they felt because how people have reported sighting of Bigfoot it made sense. Not a lot of the film is actual GoPro footage but the impression that it is is used throughout the film. So they could have made a good looking well filmed film with the equipment they had but chose to make it look cheap and unprofessional. That is even more disappointing to know.  So it is a movie shot by the characters but it is not a Blair Witch, the classic found footage. There is a score that actually adds some depth to the film.
  On the positive side if you can get past the film making you do have a Monster movie where the monster is seen and active throughout the film. My prediction early on in the viewing was correct and that was a bit disappointing. Brian's filming his friends death instead of helping was particularly tired. How many times since Sanchez's first hit have we seen this? As well as the surrender scene fuck that bullshit. The film somewhat passable in it ridiculousness will probably be cool to some youngsters. This jaded viewer is left feeling like this kind of movie is really no longer something I enjoy viewing.
The film as a whole is not bad it builds nicely from the car strike, to finding footprints, to the monster closing in on the characters. It goes somewhat quickly to action which saves it and gets it a recommendation from this blog.

Assault of the Sasquatch (2009) Horror Bigfoot

Assault of the Sasquatch (2009) - When a heartless, callous bear poacher captures a Sasquatch with plans to sell it to a big game collector he is sidetracked by two things; Getting arrested for poaching and the beasts desire to get revenge on him. Terry Drake, played with piss and vinegar by Kevin Shea, can't believe his luck when poaching in the state park for bear, he tranquilizes a real life Bigfoot. Hopes of a big score are interrupted by game officers Krystle Morin (Christina Santiago) and Ryan Walker (Greg Nutcher). Arrested and his truck containing the sleeping creature confiscated all is brought to the run down police station in a even more run down part of the city. When the creature wakes and starts hunting for Drake no one in the police station or the city is safe.
   This low budget effort from the production company Synthetic Cinema International of Hartford CT. A small company that looks to be expanding beyond the horror markets from the look of their website. Written by John Doolan whose other films take a bit of a beating in the imdb ratings attempts to write a complete compelling story of a captured Sasquatch with a score to settle. This film, his second credit as writer fills in the characters and plot giving back story and depth but with some happenstance that is hard to believe. Still working and producing is what it is all about and although  a bit clunky the script gives the Director Andrew Gernhard something to start with. Both appear to be part of the Synthetic group and although the film we are discussing is not the best it is part of a growth process for the company.
  The cast of characters are attempted to be drawn with depth but some of the interconnected back stories are too clunky and amazing coincidences. Ryan who left the police force ten years earlier after he had a personal encounter with crime. His wife is killed in a robbery by one of the thugs, Talan Colletti (Alex Exum) but Ryan arrives in time to see Talans's brother holding the knife and shoots him dead. Ryan's daughter Jessica witnesses the events and both she and her father are damaged by the trauma. Giving up his life as a cop Ryan spend the next ten years hiding as a park ranger not wanting to ever expose his daughter to the horrors of police work again. Now this back story is all good as it is but unfortunately the fantastic coincidence of Talan being arrested the same night that Drake is makes for an unlikely opportunity for Ryan and talon to finish some business ten years in the making. For Talan its the opportunity to get revenge on the killer of his brother and for  Ryan a chance to get past the trauma that has racked his life for a decade also get some revenge.
  The film played more as a horror action film than straight up horror also takes a bit from its effectiveness. The creature suit filled by Jason Crisoulo is not very impressive and by showing it too much lessened the scary factor considerable. Often times it just seemed like a man in a guerrilla suit. It could have been a much more effective if the director had used less full shots of the creature, more shadow and tense build ups. When he did it was very effective but when the monster is not great looking the full shots did not work as well. In general it is probably a good idea, that when the Monster in a monster movie is not a kick ass example that the film maker should probably use less light and leave it to the audiences imagination to fill in the blanks.
  In some ways it seemed that the film was not sure what it wanted to be. Set up in some ways as a horror film in its lighting and some of the music it had the gore effects and a few scares. It was also though an action film, an "Assault on Precinct 13" with a Bigfoot. The characters are put in the position of having to fight off the creature and survive the night.  Then there was a comedy aspect particularly with the characters of Don (Shawn C. Phillips) and George (Hank Torrance) two Bigfoot hunters who happen upon the creature and capture some video. So the whole film seemed to lack a solid direction. Normally the character stories would drive the film forward but since the main one of Ryan and Talan has absolutely nothing to do with the Sasquatch somehow it is not that driving force.
So left with the Monster looking for Drake with a desire to kill him we have a film without a great main plot.
  The viewing experience of this film is that it lacks congruency. Whether the themes are not put together well enough or the transitions between scenes are too harsh, there is something not quite letting the film flow well. A discussion could be had about whether the dialog flows or are the actors failing. It is hard to say with this film, some of the acting is believable but there are many characters that are just caricatures, the silly Bigfoot hunters Don and Jameson are clowns, the salty poacher Drake, and the bad girl reformed by the cop Amy Steel (Andrea Sáenz) as well as the bad to the bone antagonist Talan. They serve their purposes but none are totally filled out and each has scenes that are not realistic. Amy has a great scene well played with a spark in her eye where she faces down Sasquatch with a riot shield and a switch blade. Although Amy through acting of Sáenz, displays a strong embrace of the scene it makes her more a super hero thus belittling her later emotional scene with the cop who adopted her.  It is a shame because some of these smaller characters seem to be the better actors. Although this writer is no expert these characters were easier to connect to than the main ones. It is still hard to say exactly why the connection is not there but it is not.
Watched in two parts, the first with my 22 year old daughter, she asked me to turn it off saying it was "terrible". Raised in a generation of glossy big budget features she seldom can get into low budget films. A different experience for this writer who grew up in the VHS revolution where DIY horror was readily available and appreciated. This movie does not get a recommendation from this blog. Not horror enough, not big budget enough to be a true action film, and not totally embracing the humor it payed at. Still  Soreport Movies does like to view these low budget films and although not recommended for you we do not mind this fair.

Abominable (2006) Horror Bigfoot

Abominable (2006) - Looking at the IMDB its hard to believe that this wonderful little film is only rated 5.1 stars of 10. This film although not perfect but a great example of how to do a small budget BBB (Blood, Breasts and Beasts, as Joe Bob Briggs says) film. One part Rear Window, one part monster movie it is a great little adventure with cool creature and a couple really great death scenes.  It is a story of Preston Rogers (Matt McCoy) broken both physically and emotionally by a climbing accident. Forced by a unhelpful therapist back to the scene of the trauma to reconcile his feelings. Traveling with a drunkard male nurse, Otis (Christien Tinsley) Preston confined to a wheel chair is pretty sure it is a bad idea to return to the place his wife died. Otis not supportive or even nice is more of a hindrance to recovery than a help. When an outside unexpected danger arrives he finds the courage to overcome his limitations and survive. Writer/director Ryan Schifrin does a good job creating a claustrophobic and scary film where the hero fights the powerless feelings, to fight back and ultimately reconcile his past as well as his physical limitations to survive.
  The setup as in Rear Window is a handicapped man sees danger from his window and has to figure out a way to intervene. Preston soon after arriving is left alone and while checking out the five newly arrived women next door spies what seems like a creature in the woods. Too far away to easily interact with the bachelorette party Preston find creative ways to get their attention. Too many stairs to get down to them he is stuck watching from afar while the danger closes in. The women Amanda (Haley Joel), C.J.(Karin Anna Cheung), Michelle (Natalie Compagno), Karen (Ashley Hartman) and Tracy (Tiffany Shepis) are soon to be the focus of what is described as larger than a Bigfoot, more like a abominable snowman but more fierce. Certainly looking like a Bigfoot the man in the suit, Michael Deak is a towering six foot six with animatronic head was well over seven feet. Preston is somewhat but not completely helpless saving them.
Early in the film Karen while outside trying to make a phone call is taken by the beast and Preston tries to find a way to tell the police in a way they will believe. Preston trapped in his chair sees through his binoculars the events and threat next door and must figure out a way to intervene. Otis a selfish and unhelpful man acts as a obstacle to Preston adding more conflict and issues to deal with.

 Film maker Schifrin recognized the limitations of the rear window approach and made the decision to expand from the one site to include a couple other scenes that add depth to the film. First is farmer Hoss (Rex Linn) and his wife Ethel (Dee Wallace) having a frightening experience with the creature when it kills an animal on their farm. A good opening to the film that could have been a body count enhancer but surprisingly it isn't. Later there is talking to store owner Clerk (Jeffrey Combs) who adds context to the accident Preston and his wife experienced. The purposefully quirky performance adds one of those small town characters needed round out the location.  The final a wonderfully scary attack scene where Clerk, Hoss and hunter friend Zeigler (Lance Henriksen) is really fun and we get not one but two people dragged off into darkness. Some other scenes at the local police station with Sheriff  Halderman (Paul Gleason) and Deputy McBride (Phil Morris) round  out a fine crew of character actors in this film.  Hiring these great horror icons and solid small part actors makes the film have a gravitas that it would otherwise be lacking.
  The music is excellent by renowned Lalo Schifrin it is great from beginning to end. A couple of excellent kills make this film worth the watching all by themselves. The first an amazing bathroom scene as seen from Preston's POV is wonderful and surprising. The second in the climax of the film is a gruesome practical effect, amazing in its bloody sloppiness. There are some things though that are draw backs stopping this film from hitting real highs and instead just making it a solid horror film. The sound is sometimes a bit off with dialog that seems unattached to the person saying it. It could be this is a dvd issue. It could be that it was added later but either way it was at time distracting. Some work arounds that allow Preston to be less passive are silly like the mobile phone white pages he uses on the internet to get Karen's phone number was lame as well as the gimmick of having the internet on the satellite while the phones are hard wired. Somehow too the wireless service is shitty, a way to get Karen off away from the house and in sights of the monster.
Odds and Ends
 -  Christien Tinsley who plays Otis is an Academy Award Nominated makeup artist earning that nomination for his work on The Passion of the Christ (2004).
  - Director Ryan Schifrin was thrilled with the opportunity to have two crane shots in the film, one at the beginining and one at the end. He felt it was important that such a small budget film get a bit of scope to make it seem larger.
  - Thinking of Rear Window Schifrin has a Hitchcock moment in the film appearing as the outside gas station attendant for a couple seconds.
  - Lead Matt McCoy is shown in photos on the mantle with his real life wife Mary McCoy.
  Overall this film is recommended by this blog, even with its flaws it is a decent well plotted monster movie. Not glossy and expensive the filmmaker makes due with what he has. The addition of the supporting cast brings it from a more pedestrian to a fun and fulfilling experience. The crazy ending shouts for a part two that should pick up right where the first ends. So if you are in the mood for a smaller budget well done Bigfoot film try this one out.