
As the filmmakers seek to unravel the myth of the Bigfoot in the eerie terrains of the Blackwood forest, an atrocious creature resurrects their most horrifying nightmare and their app attempts at solving the legend turn into a gruesome fight for survival”2. This is how the synopsis of the movie “Shadows of Bigfoot” appears allowing us to take one more step into the collage of cryptid horror.
And yes, it is quite clear when examining this synopsis that this is probably a found footage movie, a filming technique that has gained popularity over the years and while set out to accomplish so much has also had its fair share of disappointments.
By the looks of “Shadows of Bigfoot,” Brendan Rudnicki has a fascination when it comes to found footage movies when he worked both on writing and directing it. Taking a page from Rudnicki’s previous work “A Cold Grave screened at “A Nightmare in the West Festival” he attempts to fit into this specific line of narrative and puts his personal spin on a Romana familiar hypothesis.
The story is centered around Drew, his girlfriend Grace, and Grace’s brother Jake, who is a member of the crew and operates a camera while they investigate the Other Side of Blackwood Forest. What are they trying to attain? Andrew Thomas and her girlfriend Grace Tatum Bates are Looking for clues to solve the mystery of missing hikers and the local man, who is accused of killing his wife. The case against him was, however, not condemned but after the trial, he entered the forest stating his wife had been snatched by some beast in the woods, which he claims is the truth. The group is looking for the last remaining piece of information concerning this cryptid in order to accompany the first-ever televised interview.
The two reporters are shown in the film as denunciating Drew and Grace as angels. In their eyes, the duo is a husband and a wife. Drew and Grace are depicted as freelance reporters, relying on urban legends. And, shunning from assistant editors, spring into action with their cameras rolling. They are seen searching for the hermit alongside Pat, his sister, and the other filming team. The web viewers come to know that there are other assistive videos posted alongside and these journalists seem to have put the world under their feet. Panhko and his crew also appear in several scenes where they are shown trying to take down the high-price films where there is a chance to make a fortune. It is easy to guess why such delusional belief was at the core of their conduct.
The journey becomes even more exciting when they encounter locals and intriguing folks while exploring the forest. One such critically dangerous person warns them both of the forest and its people. But that’s not the case, the crew is quick to assume that all they have to do is go to a certain area, talk to some persons, and shoot their b-roll. But for those who think that the action shifts gears, we will only say there is a horror genre out there. This is not to say factors reach a level where they touch with the monster themselves. And the aftermath of these instances happens to be predictable from the onset.
True to any other found footage films, most of Shadows of Bigfoot is just centered around Drews and Grace and their attempts to film a chronicle of their travels across different locations, majority of the sites are further held at unusual angles and positions, in most cases hand-held footage can be controlled. It’s the basis for a story that every cut seeks something that has already been filmed in this case, the camera is dancing and trying to add special effects, but the storyline is not that extraordinary, but there are some aspects that should be noted.
If we take into consideration the sound that complements the movie, it’s pretty good. So one can imagine the characters having their compostable expression from the collection of the dialogues themselves. On top of that, the sound effects are also assisting against the movie since they augment the aggression and accent the horror theme even more.
Now gauging from the fact movie is sometimes termed a low-budget film, the special effects incorporated in this film are above average. This compliment moderates the horror elements somewhat, without the excess bloodshed of the motion picture. It’s a tough call and Rudnicki appears to be able to manage that aspect of the movie quite well.
Through such types of found footage films, more precisely through the one with Bigfoot in the title, it hasn’t been long before one should be feeling very new while doing so. There is some excitement in witnessing how every author takes a go at an entirely different picture, plot deep in the fantastic. However, even if they tried their very best, “Shadows of Bigfoot” is just another movie that exists in an already overcrowded market and does not bring anything new to the table. The lack of a sense of storyline focus and driven aspects of the movie is its major disadvantage.
Everything takes so long that you are perpetually waiting for a scene worth watching. I guess it’s a plague that every found footage movie around the globe has, that this specific movie seeks to lessen.
So where do I even begin with “Shadows of Bigfoot”? I must say I do not find myself putting it somewhere I would normally be pleased with when watching a found footage movie but then again, fortunately, it isn’t the worst movie either. The creators managed to spin a good story and showcase sound techniques, but any of the common tropes of the found footage subgenre were innovated or revolutionized.
In my case, this film would get a 5 out of 10 score. for those who enjoy the found footage subgenre of horror movies and are quite alright with some cryptid theme, this can be a good watch. However, it would be imperative for me to advise people who expect a thrill of some kind, such as a creative spark to get ignited within them, to stay far away from this movie.
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