Grizzly II: The Predator

I don't have the whole story, but my father was sent to Budapest during filming to represent an investor in the film. He has a poster for the concert that featured Nazareth (the rock band) that was part of the film. I know he also has hidden somewhere still pictures of the filming and events surrounding the making of the movie. He came back home early from Hungary because of events described in other notes and incredibly disappointed that the investor he represented lost a great deal of money that was never recovered because of certain folks taking advantage of the investors involved. My dad still talks about how he thought it was a great script and a high quality movie with a quality cast. Two big mistakes: producer didn't take care of the investments of others and they didn't use a real bear for some of the scenes opting for a mechanical puppet that didn't operate the way they hoped. I don't know much about this, but I assume that many creative types are not good business people and many can't manage a budget wisely. Is there a copy available for public viewing at this point? It would be interesting to see the attention it would receive with a cast that includes George Cluny, Charlie Sheen, and Laura Dern from the beginnings of their careers.

This movie is easily one of the worst hack jobs I have ever seen. Why in the love of fudge would you take an unfinished film from the 1980s and pad it out with stock footage from the 2010s instead of using stock footage that was around when production was initially halted? Those clips stick out like a sore thumb and completely take me out of the film. This movie is all a giant train wreck from start to finish, every decision they made while stitching together this Frankensteinian abomination is the absolute wrong, worst possible choice they could have made.

William Girdler made Grizzly, Day of the Animals, and The Manitou which are all amazing films. I'm willing to bet that had he been alive to see what became of this movie, cease and desist orders would have been sent out fast enough to make your head spin. This is a complete insult to his legacy that no doubt has him turning in his grave. I myself have zero film-making experience and I could have put this film together better. Ed Wood could have done a better job!

If this is the best they could have done, they shouldn't have even bothered. Nothing in the new footage syncs up with the old stuff, things that are meant to be in the same location look like they are miles away. This "movie" is little more than a compilation of stock footage with the thinnest plot possible and it's a complete waste of time, effort, and money. Not just yours, but everyone who "finished" it. Shame on all of you.

I read comments that there were problems with the animatronic 14" bear". That may be what techs were told in the US but there was NO such item. The 14 foot version was a puppet that was only intended to be used on the full sized stage and all those shots were completed before leaving Hungary. The half size animatronic version was complete and working prior to leaving Hungary too and we shot tests of it at that time. I had an agreement with Joe Proctor to direct the half size effects unit and all elements ( other than the man in a suit version which was almost complete) were finished and ready to shoot in coordination with the storyboard that I also supervised with artist Tony Beasley. The money dried up and the crew's PERSONAL equipment was seized by the Government who told us they were held against non payment of production bills. We never got our stuff out of there.

Oh this was bad.

Right, well I was lured in by this 2020 release of a movie that apparently was made 37 years prior to being released. Now, how or why something like that could or would happen is simply beyond me. But I think a movie such as "Grizzly II: The Predator" is one that should just have remained buried and unreleased, given whatever problematic circumstance prevented it from being released 37 years earlier.

I was, of course, intrigued when I saw that the movie had Charlie Sheen, George Clooney and Laura Dern listed on the movie's cover/poster. And yeah, sure they were there, all young and such, but come on. They weren't even in the movie for a good whole 5 minutes. Then aside from them having something less than a cameo in the movie, "Grizzly II: The Predator" boasted the likes of John Rhys-Davies and Jack Starrett. So this wasn't really a star studded movie after all. I will say, though, that it was actually a blast to have Jack Starrett in the movie, just a shame he didn't have a bigger role and more on-screen time - but then again, most performers in the movie had little screen time, as it was eaten away by pointless concert footage.

And not once did director André Szöts actually convince me that there was a huge and mean grizzly bear within close proximity of any of the actors or actresses, and it never felt like anyone was in any real danger. As such, the movie just failed to provide entertainment and didn't pass as being believable.

While we are on the topic of entertainment, then "Grizzly II: The Predator" is showing an abundance of pointless concert footage that served as nothing but filler in the movie. It was horrible and laughable.

This movie is without a doubt a complete and utter waste of time. It is not even a campy guilty pleasure movie. Nay, "Grizzly II: The Predator" is just downright boring and pointless.

My rating of "Grizzly II: The Predator" lands on a two out of ten stars. I would say that it is hardly worth the time, money or effort.

Greetings again from the darkness. The slate of movies I review each year leans heavily towards serious and dramatic material, but is there anything more serious than an 18 foot tall grizzly bear seeking revenge for the poaching of her cubs? And is there a better springboard to success for actors than the sequel to a cheesy land-based riff on JAWS? OK, I sense your skepticism. What if I told you that sequel featured three Oscar winners, and the original was one of the most profitable ROI films of the year? Starting to come around, aren't you?

Well, before you get overly excited in anticipation of this film's release, please allow me to explain ... or come clean. This 1983 film has its own special place in cult film lore. Some even doubted its existence (or at least the actual title). But now, after all these years and rumors, the legend comes to life, and has not only been "completed", but is getting a semblance of release. If you love schlock horror where nature-goes-awry, with the added bonus of 'spot the actor' (now almost 40 years older), then there is the possibility you are worthy of watching this ... this ... abomination (meant here as a term of endearment).

You should know that there are very few sightings of the enormous grizzly bear; although we do get an opening sequence with some quality camera work featuring grizzlies in the wild. Even though we don't see much of the titular beast, she does dominate the story. The earliest sequence features three young campers ignoring bear warning signs. These three campers are why we are all here. A pre-"E/R" George Clooney (21 years old) sports a denim vest before climbing in a sleeping bag with a partially clothed 16 year old Laura Dern, who has somehow managed to complete the hike wearing sandals and whining the entire time. The third wheel is played by a 17 year old with hair hanging in his eyes and acne on his face. You'll recognize him as Charlie Sheen, although here he looks very much like brother Emilio. If you show up for this trio, hold off on the potty break, because there's an angry grizzly lurking.

There are other pieces to the story ... and I use 'pieces' in a manner similar to what one sees in an intersection after a couple of cars collide. A group of drunk poachers roam the woods looking to collect grizzly gall bladders, which evidently have value on the black market. The Park Rangers are preparing for an upcoming rock concert where 100,000 attendees are expected. A concert promoter played by Louise Fletcher (an Oscar winner as Nurse Ratched in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, 1975) bullies the newest Park Ranger played by Steve Inwood (who also appeared in STAYING ALIVE that same year, reaching world class clunker status twice in 1983) into "the show must go on" despite the grizzly killings.

This was director Andre Szots' second and final feature film as a director, though he did have a career as a producer. The husband and wife writing team of David Sheldon and Joan McCall 'crafted' the screenplay. He was also a co-writer on the original GRIZZLY (1976), while she appeared on screen in it. Continuing our game of 'spot the actor', we can't help but notice Deborah Foreman as the lead Ranger's wide-eyed daughter. Ms. Foreman was a very popular actor in the 1980's, including a starring role in VALLEY GIRL (1983). Unfortunately her career never hit the heights many predicted, although she does have one of the best lines in this film when she proudly states her skill at working a phone - both dial and push-button! Fans of either the "Lord of the Rings" or "Indiana Jones" franchises will surely get a kick out of John Rhys-Davies as a lumberjack-American Indian, who is renowned for his expertise in hunting "the devil bear". Other familiar faces include a young Timothy Spall (MR TURNER), Deborah Raffin (rumored to be the second choice for Sandy in GREASE), Ian McNiece (ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS, 1995), Dick Anthony Williams (a hard-working actor from the 1970's until his death in 2012), Jack Starratt (actor in FIRST BLOOD, 1982, director of RACE WITH THE DEVIL, 1975), and Charles Cyphers, who played the Indians' General Manager in MAJOR LEAGUE (1989).

The joy in seeing these folks in one place is compromised (to say the least) by the horrendous 1980's pop music being performed by those on stage attired in just about any outrageous 80's fashion you can recall. Initially comical, the musical acts quickly evolve into something stomach-churning to watch. The kindest description of the production quality is "low-budget", but there is simply no term for the effects. A Darth Vader breathing sound is heard when the grizzly is near, a speeding Ranger jeep on a dirt path is used to create suspense (the same shot is used multiple times), the day-night inconsistencies could be their own drinking game, and fireworks and a forklift prove to be a bad mix with our grizzly. Finally, for reasons we never really understand, a US Senator is a guest at the concert, and these days a Senator would likely be considered a greater threat than an 18 foot grizzly. You've heard the adage, "so bad it's good", well this one is simply so bad it's bad. William Girdler directed the original GRIZZLY in 1976, and he tragically died at age 30, just two years later. Available On Demand January 8, 2021