‘Hunting Grounds’ Poster
By: Joseph R. Davis
A father and son move to a remote cabin, poor, broke and in bereavement. Still suffering the loss of his mother, Michael must also confront his father’s alcoholism. The two are later joined by a couple of friends for some quality hunting/drinking time in the surrounding woods. The band of hunters are then hunted by the legendary beast of the Pacific Northwest: the Sasquatch, or more commonly known as Bigfoot.
Hunting Grounds is a beautifully shot film. The woods are lush and green, the air wet, and the forest floor moss covered. The forest itself is almost a tertiary character. The film lets the audience taste the slight breath of salt in the air. It wafts the damp grass, the mud, that stench of the woods after the rain. There is depth, size, and pure magnificence to the forest. Furthermore, this Sasquatch is not the Bigfoot from your childhood. Hunting Grounds mixes the “lost in the forest” fear with plenty of blood and gore.
The film doesn’t take the standard approach to horror, reaching for an almost Hallmark style Father/Son fragile relationship trying to remake a new “normal.” It adds a bit of humanity to the film. The balance is between this father/son dynamic and this sort of wild monster in the woods. The film stays true to the lore too which is, admittedly, pretty cool. It’s easy to take a subject and do what you want with it, but when the research is done and the facts are right it just feels authentic.
Hunting Grounds is Directed by John Portanova and stars Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Jason Vail, David Saucedo, D’Angelo Midili and Emmy winner Bill Oberst Jr. (Criminal Minds). Uncork’d Entertainment has set an On Demand release for the film on February 7th.
Keep the Fear Alive!
