Sabretooth

RELEASED TO TV IN 2002 and directed by James D.R. Hickox, "Sabretooth" chronicles events when a saberetooth cat, cloned via fossilized DNA, is unleashed into the Big Bear Valley wilderness where it preys on vacationers and a group of trainee guides (led by Jenna Gering & Josh Holloway). The two responsible for creating the creature (Vanessa Angel &John Rhys-Davies) hire a great white hunter to capture it (David Keith).

The beginning introduces the main cast and it's too goofy for its own good, particularly in regards to the trainee program group. But the story surprisingly gets compelling, despite the goofiness, and there's a great romantic scene between Holloway's character and Lola (Nicole Tubiola).

The cast is likable (rounded out by Lahmard J. Tate and Phillip Glasser) and there's a nice assortment of females but, for me, they all lacked genuine sex appeal, except for maybe Steffanie Busey (Kara), who is overlooked because her part's so peripheral. It's a fun flick and the locations are great, but the creature is too cartoony to suspend disbelief when its head or body is clearly shown. They should've limited views to quick, partial looks, like they did in the first half.

THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour & 30 minutes and was shot in Big Bear Lake area, San Bernardino National Forest, California. WRITERS: Scott Vandiver (concept) & Tom Woosley (script).

GRADE: C/C- (4.5/10)

Cheaply made Sci-Fi channel time filler which makes both humans and sabretooth tigers look like nitwits.

David Keith and John Rhys-Davies are the only actors who you'll recognize, and for good reason. Everybody else look like they were grabbed from a middle school "Introduction to Drama" course, (which they all flunked). Even Davies struggles with the brainless greedy rich bozo cliché he is stuck with. How Keith kept a straight face amidst all this is anybody's guess.

Somewhere, some scientist who saw Jurassic Park performs genetic restoration experiments or something, thus reproducing the imposing Ice Age beast, big teeth and all. The experiments fail to make the CGI monster look real, or to do a believable level of acting (well, he fits right in with his co-stars in that department). Keith plays a big game hunter who tries to hunt the thing, while your stock group of screaming group of stereotyped teens (nerd, jock, tramp, sexy intelligent girl, oversexed dumbbell guy etc.) camp nearby and say stupid stuff before they take turns getting munched. The hilarious scene of an idiot trying to fistfight/stab the creature is classic.

Good for a laugh only.

Apparently I was supposed to be scared; however, I couldn't stop laughing long enough to manage it. The writers created characters whose motto seems to be "when in danger or in doubt; run in circles...scream and shout" and don't have a shred of common sense between them. Also the producers need to ask the CGI people for a refund...that was the sorriest looking special effect I've seen in a while. I realize that this is not a big-budget production, but with the level of technology available they could have done much better.

I wasn't expecting too much from this film and in the end got exactly what I had expected. A by-the-numbers shaggy monster flick with some dodgy acting and some very wobbly CGI. But I'm a sucker for this kind of film. In my opinion, the cheesier the better. And they don't come much cheesier than this. Genetically engineered beastie: Check. Monster POV shots: Check. Dumb teens out of their element and in the middle of nowhere: Check. Unresolved love interest: Check. Money grabbing bad guys who are quite obviously next on the menu: Check. Big game hunter who seems to know the surrounding area like the back of his hand even though he's never been near the place before: Check. In fact, just check everything, because it's all there, dodgy CGI warts and all. But still after all that, I liked it. It's all a matter of "when", not "if" but familiarity is it's best asset. You've seen it all before but you're just along for the ride. Definitely a film to watch with as many drunk friends as possible and probably the easiest film to play the standard horror movie game of "Spot The Stiff". Don't take it seriously and it should keep your alcohol dulled, semi comatose brain amused for an hour and a half.

Today I watched this movie and it really,really sucks. It' s one of the worst actionmovies I ever saw! Vanesse Angel proves to be a B-actor and only makes herself laughable by playing a scientist. The black guy disgraces the whole black community by acting like a fool. He 's even playing worse than in "don' t be a menace" (a movie that also sucked). When he has the "fight"(whoehaha) against the sabretooth, he turns his head and shouts "this is my fight!". what the hell do you want to do with two knives against a sabretooth???!!!i can continue on hours and hours but this movie is a shame. I rate in a 1,5 on 10. my god...awful.sooooooooo predictable,you can know everything about the movie without even seeing it!