Shadows of Bigfoot

Ignore all of the 17 reviews, so far posted for this film.

This is awful. Amateur beyond belief, and almost 'cartoonish' in the way characters keep 'bumping' into these main characters.

It's all shot in the dark, clearly to hide the fact they're filming in a small copse of trees in the middle of a field.

The 'guide' character who sneaked up on them when they decided to take a stroll, even though it was 'late', was perhaps the most 'cartoonish' character in the whole film, which is quite impressive, as they're all straight out of the world of animation.

His sneering at camera, his slow, deliberate movements, the amateur manner in which he delivered his lines, was comical.

There were so many idiotic attempts at jump scares, which didn't work.

Overall, an absolute disaster of a film. Decent for a high school production, embarrassing for anything above that.

I bumped into this efficient little film on Tubi. It's a found footage horror in which a young filmmaking couple, with the woman's brother acting as cameraman, illegally explore a trail in the woods, ostensibly to interview a hermit accused of killing his family. The hermit says bigfoot did it. Is the hermit a killer? Or was it bigfoot? Or both?

The crux of the film is the two solid performances by Tatum Bates and Andrew Thomas as the couple. They sell their non-actorly performances and hit all the right found footage notes at different moments. They are real as a couple, as researchers, as filmmakers, as people having minor disagreements. Supporting players are definitely not as good, or not directed as well. A menacing guy who sort of threatens to help them is considerably overshooting. And I didn't think the hermit character was able to pull off the fake documentary type of performance.

The story has a good red herring with the hermit. You know bigfoot's real, you glimpse him in the gee-you-up opening scenes, but the hermit may or may not also be a killer. Little Blair-Witch-like developments keep the story evolving. Can we make this hike? Can we find this guy? Do we trust this stranger?

There are a few weak points. The scenery rarely changes; I guess it's all filmed in one area, and this subtracts from a visual sense that we're getting deeper and wilder in the woods. The characters always look too well-scrubbed, even after twelve mile hikes or with blood on them. And while non-diegetic music is used (kind of controversial in this genre) it's mixed so low it might as well not be.

However, with strong core performances, good story development and excellent late escalation, including some discreet gore, this is ultimately a satisfying film. There are a few killer jump scares, too.

This indie film is a refreshing reminder that big budgets aren't everything. With a focus on strong characters and a compelling story, it proves that even with limited resources, filmmakers can create a truly memorable experience. The film's characters are relatable and their motivations are believable, making it easy to connect with them on a personal level. Despite its low budget, the film's special effects are impressive and add to the overall atmosphere. If you're looking for a film that's grounded in character and storytelling, rather than flashy effects, then this indie gem is worth checking out.

I rated the movie 3/10 because it wasn't all bad, but wasn't good, beyond making me laugh. I don't know if the filmmakers meant for it to be a Comedy, but it made me laugh many times throughout the movie. The acting is just about as bad as it gets, which added to the hilariousness of many scenes in the film. They really should have sold it as a Comedy Horror, it probably would do better.

Now for the negative part of the review.

The effects were so awful that I laughed even harder. The wardrobe was very unfitting for the characters. Brand new clothes on characters who supposedly lived in the forest. And the costume meant to look real looked about as good as one meant to look fake. There are times that having a low budget means it is better not to show anything at all and just allude to it- this was a time that would have been better.

Given the obstacles and restrains that come with a low budget indie film, I believe this film achieves what it set out to do, which was provide relatable characters, believable motivations and special effects that pack a visceral punch. The story is linear that focuses more on the dynamics between the leads rather than shoving the "creature" in your face. This film doesn't try to make you believe it's a Hollywood blockbuster. It's a passion project made by people making the best with what they have and in that regard, it's succeeds. If you can set aside the expectations you may have for high budget mainstream projects, I think there's a ton to appreciate and admire here.