Jim and his girlfriend Kelly are visiting the infamous Willow Creek, the alleged home of the original Bigfoot legend - the tale of huge ape like creatures that roam the forests of North America. It was there that in 1967, the legendary beast was captured on film and has terrified and mystified generations since. Keen to explore more than 50 years of truth, folklore, misidentifications and hoaxes, Kelly goes along for the ride to keep Jim happy, whilst he is determined to prove the story is real by capturing the beast on camera. Deep in the dark and silent woods, isolated and hours from human contact, neither Kelly or Jim are prepared for what is hidden between the trees, and what happens when the cameras start rolling...

 

Just when you thought maybe the “found footage” sub-genre was behind, you'd be sorely mistaken. Not that anyone would actually think that, because it seems like these films come out faster than rabbits fuck. But that's neither here nor there.

 

Willow Creek was one of those morbid curiosities of mine since I heard of its release. Not that I'm a huge fan of “found footage”(in fact I hate it for the most part), or that I'm a Bigfoot groupie...but I found it very interesting the Bobcat Goldthwait was not only doing a “found footage” film, but a horror film. This was new waters for him to tread in, and I wanted to see if he was going to sink or swim.

 

The story is basically very easy for one to follow. How could it not be, when you are following these people in real time, and they tell you everything that is going on. That is the one thing that is great about found footage films, you know everything you need to know right up front.

 

The characters continue on there journey to reach the legendary shoot site of the Bigfoot footage everyone has seen, and they start drifting farther and farther apart as this progresses. And this is where the film started to lose me. It was beginning to sound like the Blair Bitch Project all over again. “It's your fault”, “How is it my fault?” Listening to “real” characters bitch non-stop is really draining on the senses.

 

But eventually strange things start to happen while they are trying to sleep in their tent...again, much like the Blair Bitch Project...even down to the tent being hit. Scary when we first saw it in 1999, but not to scary now when it is predictable as all hell. But, it still manages to work.

 

I can't go into too much more detail on the story, and what happens in the film, because that is pretty much it. Not a lot happens, but it somehow moves along at a nice steady pace. I wasn't expecting that in the slightest.

 

The acting is what I was kind of expecting. It wasn't bad, because it didn't feel like acting to me. It felt like a real life couple who bitch about every little thing, and they are people I wouldn't be caught dead hanging around with in real life. And they have me rooting for Bigfoot to get them and smash theirs asses against the nearest tree, Kane Hodder “Jason” style.

 

The fact that they shot this film in the actual woods where the original footage was reported shot, gave it just that much more of a sense of realism. And that is where all the production value went...nowhere. They shot on location...duh...it's a found footage film, how could they not shoot it on location.

 

I think the film is edited together very smartly. There isn't any real sharp, quick cuts until things start getting a little more chaotic for the couple. The more the bicker, the more they “turn the camera on and off” which leaves some nice holes for the audiences to fill in with their imaginations.

 

The use of on location sound effects (that were touched up in post) was a nice thing to see. It gave the actors something to play off of, and gave the audiences genuine reactions when it is needed. RANDOM THOUGH: The one thing that always drives me crazy with these “found footage” films that take place in the woods. We are meant to believe they are shooting all the time, and whoever found this footage, roughly edited it all together. That's all fine and good...but how are these people charging their camera batteries in the woods without any power. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FILMMAKERS.

 

Overall, I recommend this movie to any horror fan. If you are a Bobcat fan, and expecting to see his usually style of comedy, this film is going to be a massive disappointment for you. But if you want to see something slightly different from him, I suggest giving this a viewing. Was it the shock fest I was looking for, or hoping for...No. What I thought it was a nice way to spend 90 minutes. Give the film a chance...it is one of the better found footage film since the Blair Witch Project.

 

Till Next Time Kiddies...

 

-RJ