Disclaimer: Bigfoot movies are subject to a tough crowd. That's because there are people who believe bigfoot is real, and they have extreme expectations that a bigfoot movie should represent their own personal vision of what bigfoot is. And then there are the people who don't believe bigfoot is real, and they might not even be drawn to watch a bigfoot movie. So often enough, films about bigfoot get trashed because they have the worst critics possible, bigfoot believers who simply cannot agree on what a bigfoot really would be, and who can't stand what they believe is a misrepresentation of their beloved beast.
That said, this movie delivers a decent beast for the widest possible crowd. It draws on a good deal of the bigfoot mythology, which is in fact quite broad and non-standardized. The thing is, while this will not be the bigfoot movie for most believers, it will likely satisfy a definite slice of the bigfoot community who will think that this interpretation is exactly in alignment with their vision of what bigfoot would be.
Aside from the fact that a lot of bigfooters will be upset at the presentation of THIS particular bigfoot manifestation, the fact is that this is a monster movie. It's not Harry and the Hendersons. It's not Baby Bigfoot. It's not your run of the mill bigfoot as the happy, forest guardian who smiles a lot and speaks to birdies. This bigfoot is a monster, and it looks like a monster and acts like a monster. In that regard, it performs quite well.
Of course, there will be plenty of things to nit pick about. The acting was kind of stiff or perhaps inexperienced with some of the actors, but not so much that it isn't a credible situation. There are some costume issues here and there, nothing major but still noticeable, there are some makeup or prop issues, but again not worth attacking. Saying that I would have interpreted the monster differently goes without saying; virtually everyone would have done it somewhat differently, but hey, when I make a movie I'll get to make it my way, and until then I'll enjoy how others make their movies and not complain too much.
My suspicion is that the audience that will appreciate it the most, will have a hard time finding their way to this film, while those who will be most critical will find it first and comment critically on it being a bad film, a waste of time, or "not what bigfoot really is". That's unfortunate because the movie is really a decent movie. I'd even say it was a good movie, especially considering all of the creative and financial aspects that play into making films.
As I said, I liked this film because it is a refreshing take on a well worn and tired genre, the bigfoot film. The best way to enjoy it is to unhitch yourself to presuppositions about what bigfoot is, and just enjoy the ride. It's not a great film, but it really is a good film, well worth watching. I'd love to see this one succeed so that others might find a viable market in this genre. I like bigfoot movies, and if critical believers attack every bigfoot film that comes out, they will quickly find that they have undermined the marketability of ANY future bigfoot films.