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The Bone Snatcher

  • 2003
  • R
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
4.4/10
3K
YOUR RATING
The Bone Snatcher (2003)
Home Video Trailer from First Look
Play trailer1:09
1 Video
6 Photos
Body HorrorHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

After miners disappear in the Namib Desert, scientists find their remains and seek to find what killed them.After miners disappear in the Namib Desert, scientists find their remains and seek to find what killed them.After miners disappear in the Namib Desert, scientists find their remains and seek to find what killed them.

  • Director
    • Jason Wulfsohn
  • Writers
    • Malcolm Kohll
    • Gordon Render
  • Stars
    • Scott Bairstow
    • Rachel Shelley
    • Warrick Grier
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.4/10
    3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jason Wulfsohn
    • Writers
      • Malcolm Kohll
      • Gordon Render
    • Stars
      • Scott Bairstow
      • Rachel Shelley
      • Warrick Grier
    • 79User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Bone Snatcher
    Trailer 1:09
    Bone Snatcher

    Photos5

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    Top cast19

    Edit
    Scott Bairstow
    Scott Bairstow
    • Dr. Zack Straker
    Rachel Shelley
    Rachel Shelley
    • Mikki
    Warrick Grier
    • Karl
    Patrick Shai
    Patrick Shai
    • Titus
    Andre Weideman
    • Kurt
    Adrienne Pearce
    • Magda
    Patrick Lyster
    Patrick Lyster
    • Johan
    Brian Claxton Payne
    • The Creature
    • (as Brian Claxton-Payne)
    Sean Higgs
    Sean Higgs
    • Clive
    Jan Ellis
    • Harvey
    Langley Kirkwood
    Langley Kirkwood
    • Paul
    Lulama J. Nombiba
    • Old Man
    Yusuf Hendrics
    • Taxi Driver
    Andre Jacobs
    Andre Jacobs
    • Dr. Muller
    Nicola Jackman
    • Mel
    • (as Nikki Jackman)
    Chris April
    Chris April
    • Muti Man
    Bo Petersen
    Bo Petersen
    • Arctic Scientist 1
    Wayne Harrison
    • Arctic Scientist 2
    • Director
      • Jason Wulfsohn
    • Writers
      • Malcolm Kohll
      • Gordon Render
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews79

    4.42.9K
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    Featured reviews

    6claudio_carvalho

    Sometimes Pray Isn't Enough!

    Dr. Zack Straker (Scott Bairstow) is a laboratory scientist sent to a work in the field, more precisely in a diamond mining company in the Namid Desert, in Africa. His first assignment is to participate of a rescue mission of three missing prospectors, who are lost in the desert. The rescue team finds the bones separated from the completely destroyed bodies of the prospectors. The African Titus (Andre Weidman) explains that the slaughter was carried out by the Sandmother, a sort of evil being that was part of the African belief. His colleagues do not pay much attention on his faith. Meanwhile, their truck has an electrical problem and they have to spend the night in the desert, when they face the horrible monster that snatches the bones of its victims. Zach and the other survivors conclude that sometimes pray isn't enough, and decide to fight against the destructive creature. "The Bone Snatcher" is another variation of the storyline of "Alien". However, this story takes place in great locations in the desert and the special effects are reasonably good, and this horror movie is above the average of this genre. There are the usual clichés, but it is not a bad movie. My vote is six.

    Title (Brazil): "Caçador de Ossos" ("Bones Hunter")
    Tamothy

    This movie snatched my dignity.

    I was very excited to watch this movie for two reasons. 1) I read multiple positive reviews. And 2) It was never in at the video store (which obviously means it's a good movie!). Well I'll start off being nice. This movie was too slow... far too slow to sustain any sort of viewer interest for more than 4.9 minutes at a time. But I am a patient man, and I figured that in this case, my patience would pay off. Oh how I was wrong my friends. The "suspense" lead to absolutely nothing in the end, and the creatures were not scary at all. This movie raped my intelligence from all angles, and left me to rot. It simply had no remorse fort the damage it did to its viewers both mentally and physically. Why Bone Snatcher, why??? What I did enjoy about the movie was the scenery, however this was not a redeeming factor. In conclusion, this movie was terrible. If you would like to see horror at it's best, check out The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra!
    4Aaron1375

    Another almost good horror movie with to many faults...

    This horror movie starts out promisingly enough and there is a moment where I thought to myself "this is going to be really good". However, it gets rather boring rather quick at the end. The acting is fairly good, as is the location and the story starts out rather well too. The problem, not enough kills on screen and an ending where you have the monster basically turning tail and running. I wanted to see more, especially after a very good sleeping bag scene where I thought the movie was picking up and going to be a winner. Unfortunately after that the movie showed the monster very little and the back of the DVD lied as it told me that the desert beneath the people literally came alive and was capable of devouring their flesh...now that would have been some movie, a nearly inescapable situation. Granted that would have made viewers uncomfortable and it might of ramped up the tension, but that is what horror movies are supposed to do! Instead we have very few shots of the creature or creatures as it were and when we do see it, it is mainly on the defensive. Still it wasn't all bad, it just needed more horror less hunting and more chomping.
    acm120

    Not as bad as all that.

    What looks like an Australian movie starring non-stars keeps you in suspense to find out what the bone snatcher really is. The desert locale helps to bring that other-worldly scene missing in so many of today's horror movies. Fairly well done cinematography; acting could have been better, and the script. Still, I think it's worth watching. (Unfortunately I saw it on the SCIFI channel so it was cut to shreds.) The "creature" may seem too fantastic to some, but its actually a play on the creatures in Michael Crichton's book PREY (nano-monsters!). I've wasted time on far worse!
    4michaelRokeefe

    You'll be scared out of your skull!

    This horror tale takes place in the Namib Desert of Africa. A Canadian systems analyst, Zach Straker(Scott Bairstow)is sent on an assignment for a diamond mining company. Although he hates field work, he finds himself in a truck with a rescue unit in the open desert fighting sand flies and whipping, blowing sand. Four diamond prospectors are found...well whats left of their scattered bones are discovered. During a long cold desert night a shape-shifting monster makes its appearance. Zach and his colleagues are terrified when their truck is stranded and members of the unit are dying horribly one by one. There is no character development; let alone dialogue to speak of. The desert set in its own way is beautiful and without giving anything away... the creature is as old as the desert sands. Also in the cast are: Rachel Shelley, Warrick Grier and Patrick Shai.

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    Related interests

    Jeff Goldblum in The Fly (1986)
    Body Horror
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The trucks used in the film are Bedford MKs.
    • Goofs
      Mikki leans on a desk before the office fight, then she has mysteriously moved.

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 18, 2004 (Bahrain)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Canada
      • South Africa
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Depredadores del desierto
    • Filming locations
      • Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
    • Production companies
      • The Imaginarium
      • Focus Films
      • Persistence Pictures Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 29m(89 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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