Based on the title you’d think this would be an audacious action-packed B movie, filled to the brim with campy charm and Sam Elliot’s moustache twitching up in a knowing smile of success.
Instead, what we get is a surprisingly thoughtful deconstruction of the hero archetype given a solid turn by Sam Elliot. It’s not going to win any writing awards, most of the lines are serviceable, but the clumsy nature of the script really holds back the films ability to coherently wrestle with the subject matter the film seems to be earnestly attempting to tackle. Well, that and the fact that the mirror held to the hero’s face shatters into a million pieces when Bigfoot pukes blood into his mouth.
The film attempts to straddle the line between self-serious character study and over the top campy fun and repeatedly falls into the shark infested waters on either side. It’s certainly a unique film, but while there is a definite charm to the film helped along by the gravitas Sam Elliott lends to the proceedings, it fails more than it succeeds at genuinely eliciting emotion.
The production is quite competent for such a small film with smart camera work and solid sound design for the most part. There are a number of small continuity errors you can catch while watching and other questions of logic related to the events that take place, but with the expectations I had based on the title it’s pretty clean.
I don’t think I’ll ever watch this film again but I didn’t hate the time I spent with it. It surprised me a hell of a lot considering the title basically lays out the entire plot.
6/10 It would’ve been a 5 but I gave an extra point for the moustache.