Black Creek

The fact that I had never even heard about this 2017 horror movie titled "Black Creek", when I stumbled upon it here in 2025, hardly mattered given my love of all things horror. So of course I had to check out what writer and director James Crow had to offer.

The storyline in the movie was pretty straightforward, although somewhat on the bland side. So writer James Crow didn't exactly bring the big guns out here. But hey, if you're a lifelong horror fan, then at least there is some comfort and familiarity in the script.

I was not familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list, which is actually something that I enjoy when I watch a movie. And I will say that the acting performances in "Black Creek" were adequate.

This was not a movie that made use of a lot of special effects.

Ultimately, "Black Creek" is a watchable movie, sure, but hardly a memorable or outstanding horror experience.

My rating of writer and director James Crow's 2017 movie "Black Creek" lands on a three out of ten stars.

Garbage acting, directing and screenplay.

No redeeming features at all.

I'm from WI and vacation to the north woods. Was hoping this would be something to cool (because let's face it, WI isn't usually the setting for a movie). 5 minutes in I almost turned it off because of the acting alone. It reminded me of the acting in "commercials" we made for a class in high school. I finished it for the benefit of the doubt but holy Christ was it bad. I do appreciate they actually used a bar from Black Creek that I've been to in one of the scenes, but that's about the only thing cool. In one scene they looked at a map and didn't even use an actual map of Wisconsin. Save yourself the hour and a half.

The filmmakers were trying, and did a fairly ok job with little money and skills. the story isn't much, but so what? the one real bummer here is the casting agent should be tarred and feathered. the cast (with the exception of the sheriff) were abysmal.

really, save your money/time and skip it. I'd give it an A if it was a first effort from a college film class. but since it's not? it gets a D.

A brother and sister take the ashes of their deceased father to the family cabin in the sticks of central Wisconsin, accompanied by four friends. The problem is, there have been some recent deaths in the area, which may be linked to a massacre of Indians in generations past.

"Black Creek" (2017) is a cabin-in-the-woods Indie by writer/director James Crow. While it's listed as costing $3 million, the non-actors and dubious acting make it seem like micro-budget horror in the manner of "Backwoods Bloodbath: Curse of the Black Hodag" (2007), also shot in Wisconsin. Thankfully, the flick delivers the goods for the cabin-in-the-woods genre in practically every other area.

In other words, if you can roll with the questionable actors/acting, it entertains for what it is, a slasher in the wilderness. The story is compelling enough with an antagonist reminiscent of Proteus from Uncanny X-Men 125-128 (1979). In the second half, the effects of how the entity transfers is well-done and creepy.

Also, the flick scores well on the female front with standouts Leah Patrick (Jenna) and Rachel Vedder (Rachel), both blondes.

In addition, there's a superlative track that runs during the credits, "Walked Up To The Devil," by Hale and the Homos, written by Lance Wendlandt.

While this is superior to "Backwoods Bloodbath," it's not quite on the level of another micro-budget slasher shot in Wisconsin, "Blood Harvest" (1987). The actors and acting are better in that one. Obviously, you have to have a taste for spare change flicks to appreciate any of 'em.

The movie runs 1 hours, 20 minutes, and was shot in Eau Claire County and Osseo in the heart of Wisconsin. It has been reported that the bar sequence was done in Black Creek, which is a three-hour drive east of there.

GRADE: C.