WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Hunting legends. It sounds like such a worthwhile, epic adventure, filled with daring-do and heroic deeds, the stuff written in the annals of history to be remembered for eternity. But, what if what is being hunted decides it’s high time to hunt back?? In the woodlands of some undisclosed place, one fabled creature once again lurks–Bigfoot (Greg Manke)!! Having already proven its deadly intent on a poor local hottie (Amber Dawn Lee), it prompts the gathering of The Bigfoot Anonymous Group, spearheaded by Victoria Virginia (Sarah Collette Wagner), who share their very unsettling and tawdry tales of encounters they’ve had with the creature, eliciting both awe and abject fear into one another as each story ensues.
Others present include truck driver Unleaded Diesel (Kris Edwards) and his girlfriend Kitty (Jamie Wilson), and nerdy Park Ranger Remy Winnebago (Ari Joffe), all of whom have more than had their fair share of ‘Quatch experiences. However, events turn even more insane upon the appearance of shelter-seeking Sasquatch Hunter S*%# Kicker (Paul Major), who’s just had a close call with a certain hairy beast and is, needless to say, fired up to enact retribution. Offering up his own brand of suggestions as to how they all band together to fight back, the addition of yet another compatriot in the form of documentary filmmaker Dinga Starr (Keelia Flinn) rounds out the newly formed, mad-as-heck, justice-seeking crew now known as The Bigfoot Hunters!
Next, my Mind:
Ok. So. About this 28-minute short film project from writer/director/co-producer Matt Hausmann. This reviewer has commented a multitude of times about contemporary comedy and its tendency to be overtly crude and irreverent in format, which for me, is off-putting and non-entertaining when pushed to extremes. From that particular preference-based angle, this was almost too hard to watch at times, as vulgar, rude, and obscene are the rule of the day as far as the language and overall tone delivered here. However, while this was the case, it must also be pointed out that other elements presented were downright hilarious in their own right, providing the only things saving the viewing experience for me. The quite effective and intentionally over-the-top silliness of utilizing dialogue often fashioned, literally, out of song lyrics and movie-reference mash-ups, while also having characters spewing innuendos and/or alternative terms for every possible activity via trending phraseology and pop culture clichés, is undeniably laugh-inducing. Plus, some of the imagery presented, like a character being pelted with chipmunks, is likewise slapstick goofiness that can be appreciated. But, still, it was all too buried in crassness.
From the acting standpoint, I will say it does take a specific skillset to pull off this kind of dysfunction and do it with serious delivery in order to elicit the desired guffaws from the viewers, which in general this ensemble cast does quite a good job in doing. From Wagner’s frustrated housewife Victoria, Edwards and Wilson’s “white trash” personas as The Diesels, and Joffe’s totally “out there” park ranger Remy, to Major’s truly unhinged Hunter S*%# Kicker and Flinn’s blatantly sexual filmmaker Dinga, it is one massive study in utter chaos and absolute deviation from any sense of normality, which again, is actually more than adequately enacted by the cast, purposefully so, to whatever degree of jocularity your particular tastes might allow you to enjoy or otherwise be repulsed by. In total, “The Bigfoot Hunters” wasn’t a preferred effort for this reviewer, but as also states in prior situations, not everything IS for everyone. The film will certainly have an audience out there who can appreciate the style of humor it represents.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
