Willow Creek

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Under the Radar

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Dear God, almighty, I just dunno what the hell to say after this experience. Good way to start a review, eh? Here we have something by writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait. Yes, the same Bobcat Goldthwait with the goofy weird signature voice in the 'Police Academy' movies. That's kinda what peaked my interest in the first place because there's something to be said about comedic actors creating horror, especially lately with the cases of 'Get Out' and 'A Quiet Place'. And this... well, it certainly has a place, but it's one of those only halfway well done movies. Think something like 'Titanic' where the second half is what you should jump to to have a good time with it (although, I confess I kinda dig 'Titanic').

This time around, we have a couple who set out to a place called Willow Creek, home of the famous Patterson-Gimlin sighting of Bigfoot (the one that I'm pretty sure has since been proven a hoax where Bigfoot just kinda wanders by). Their hope is to get into the thick of the woods and find Bigfoot for themselves. The first 45 minutes or so is just them touring the area, interviewing people, and a bit of poking their noses in where they don't belong. But, like with most horror, they are defiant about that last bit, and go for it anyway. The last half hour is pretty much just a test of the audiences tension (or patience, depending on how you see this).

You see, the last half hour is both the most boring and most exciting part of the movie, where it's mostly silence, but punctuated by strange sounds and a whole lot of suspense. You wait and wait and wait for a jump scare that never seems to come, and it's effective if you have the mind for it. I did end up feeling a bit of tension in the pit of my stomach, but almost had to ask myself why 'cause nothing was happening. That, to me, is clever on Goldthwait's part. He understands how intensity building can be so much more effective in horror. The thing is, I think he just kept us holding on for too long.

This is just one of those movies where you'll either get the intensity aspect of it or find the intensity too boring and dragging to the point where it's just not intense at all. Again, it all depends on your mind set going into it. It reminded me a lot of 'Blair Witch' in that sense, but I personally found 'Blair Witch' less intense whereas this, I watched home alone in the dark at night, and it was a bit more effective for what it was trying to do. That said, please note that most of the general audience seems to be on the flip-side of that and like 'Blair Witch' more, if only because it was what started it all.

This isn't a movie I'd just throw out there as a recommendation to anyone who's a fan of found footage. It's rather a movie I'd recommend to someone who appreciates suspense in the same way I do, where it's the most effective part of the horror rather than the physical imagery of the thing. Oh, by the way, I should note, it's ALL sound, pretty much no visual - again, much like 'Blair Witch'. I'm glad I watched it, but it's not something I'd be rushing to throw on again or show other people either. It comes in on the very low end of this rating, but I can't help but admire some of the choices made despite how bad I found a lot of it.

3/5

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