This was a movie that I got the chance to see when Justin Cook sent over the screener. I've seen quite a few of writer/director Seth Breedlove's documentaries on cryptids so I was intrigued to check this one out. I knew coming in a bit about where this search was going and I was even more intrigued. The reason is in the title and I'll get into it with the synopsis.
Synopsis: Alaska. The last frontier. A place brimming with stories of apelike creatures. Creatures that are said to have driven people from their homes, stalked them in the forest and subject those that witness them to a terrifying ordeal.
Since I've seen so many of the more recent documentaries from Breedlove, I knew what I was in for here. I've also seen a few of the other On the Trail of Bigfoot films as this is a series of its own in his filmography. This time as the synopsis said, taking it to Alaska.
This one doesn't provide as much history about the creature up here as others though. We do get to hear from experts. They also make good points about how and why there could be a creature like this living out there. What I didn't know was that Alaska has a temperate rain forest. If you would have asked me, I'd say that it something you'd only find warmer places. The ones up here are more pine trees, but when the warm season there is an abundance of food. This could be from vegetation to animals, depending on what they would eat. That was interesting to me.
Then coupling with this is eyewitness testimony. He interviews a good number of people to have them tell what they saw. I cannot vouch for these people personally. I'm also not going to discount what they say, because I believe they ran into something that they cannot explain. It doesn't mean it was sasquatch. It also could be. What I find interesting though is that their stories match up to encounters elsewhere. Did they hear about it and then model their story without realizing? That is possible since memory is an odd thing. It could also be the truth to which they are saying. There are things in this that I cannot explain and since I don't know, I won't try.
What I will say is that there most definitely could be a creature like a bigfoot living in wilderness of Alaska. It is a barren place. It is difficult to get to some of the areas. There are things in this world that can't be explained. I do think that if there were, we would have seen them by now or have more proof. That isn't a guarantee though. If there are a small number of them total, then it is looking for a needle in a haystack. The idea of cryptids is one that I enjoy, but more with a fantastical sense.
Something I needed to give credit to before ending this review is the filmmaking. The cinematography is good. I do come to expect that from Breedlove. What I think he does well is capturing the environment that he is filming in. He sets the stage well. There is CGI being used to re-create the stories that are being told. I'm not going to hold that against the movie though. It is there for entertainment and to make it more interesting than just hearing these creepy stories. I think that is done well. The music accompanying is solid as well. What was eerie was hearing recordings that people have made and trying to figure out what could be causing it.
There isn't much more that I can say so in conclusion, this is a solid documentary from Breedlove. If there is a place in the United States that I would say could have a sasquatch, it would be Alaska. I think he does well in balancing learning about the environment and then getting people who have encountered it to tell their stories. It is enjoyable and informative. I watch this for more entertainment value, but if you believe I would recommend giving this one a watch. It is just well-done.
My Rating: 7 out of 10.
Synopsis: Alaska. The last frontier. A place brimming with stories of apelike creatures. Creatures that are said to have driven people from their homes, stalked them in the forest and subject those that witness them to a terrifying ordeal.
Since I've seen so many of the more recent documentaries from Breedlove, I knew what I was in for here. I've also seen a few of the other On the Trail of Bigfoot films as this is a series of its own in his filmography. This time as the synopsis said, taking it to Alaska.
This one doesn't provide as much history about the creature up here as others though. We do get to hear from experts. They also make good points about how and why there could be a creature like this living out there. What I didn't know was that Alaska has a temperate rain forest. If you would have asked me, I'd say that it something you'd only find warmer places. The ones up here are more pine trees, but when the warm season there is an abundance of food. This could be from vegetation to animals, depending on what they would eat. That was interesting to me.
Then coupling with this is eyewitness testimony. He interviews a good number of people to have them tell what they saw. I cannot vouch for these people personally. I'm also not going to discount what they say, because I believe they ran into something that they cannot explain. It doesn't mean it was sasquatch. It also could be. What I find interesting though is that their stories match up to encounters elsewhere. Did they hear about it and then model their story without realizing? That is possible since memory is an odd thing. It could also be the truth to which they are saying. There are things in this that I cannot explain and since I don't know, I won't try.
What I will say is that there most definitely could be a creature like a bigfoot living in wilderness of Alaska. It is a barren place. It is difficult to get to some of the areas. There are things in this world that can't be explained. I do think that if there were, we would have seen them by now or have more proof. That isn't a guarantee though. If there are a small number of them total, then it is looking for a needle in a haystack. The idea of cryptids is one that I enjoy, but more with a fantastical sense.
Something I needed to give credit to before ending this review is the filmmaking. The cinematography is good. I do come to expect that from Breedlove. What I think he does well is capturing the environment that he is filming in. He sets the stage well. There is CGI being used to re-create the stories that are being told. I'm not going to hold that against the movie though. It is there for entertainment and to make it more interesting than just hearing these creepy stories. I think that is done well. The music accompanying is solid as well. What was eerie was hearing recordings that people have made and trying to figure out what could be causing it.
There isn't much more that I can say so in conclusion, this is a solid documentary from Breedlove. If there is a place in the United States that I would say could have a sasquatch, it would be Alaska. I think he does well in balancing learning about the environment and then getting people who have encountered it to tell their stories. It is enjoyable and informative. I watch this for more entertainment value, but if you believe I would recommend giving this one a watch. It is just well-done.
My Rating: 7 out of 10.
