Arctic Manhunt: Hunt for the Mad Trapper

Arctic Manhunt: Hunt for the Mad Trapper (2009)

**** (out of 4)

This documentary from director Michael Jorgensen is one that I highly enjoyed and I think those interested with the case of the Mad Trapper will too. A lot of people are familiar with the story through the 1981 film DEATH HUNT, which had Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin but it took a lot of liberties with the actual story. This film works perfectly as a documentary on the events but it's also a scientific experiment as the trapper's remains are dug up in hopes that DNA can shed more light on his story.

I really thought this documentary delivered on all levels. For starters, the film does a very good job at talking about the actual seven month event and it gives you a fair look at the trapper. On one hand he was a cold-blooded killer but on the other hand you have to be amazed at what he was able to do. The other portion of the documentary is also interesting because we are able to take a look at the skeletal remains and there are some interesting facts that come from it.

If you're mildly interested in the story of Albert Johnson then this here is certainly a must see and remains one of the best documentaries on the subject.

If you love historic documentaries about crime, science, etc you will find this quite good. Based on true events considering the location, weather and lack of resources it is incredible how much was done at the time.

Extremely interesting and factual. If forensics and history are something that interests you then you this is a documentary film you must see.

Here's the thing if you know almost nothing about someone and you've already completed your research and you still need filler to the point you spend 15 of the 45 minutes on a common childhood issue then maybe there is no need for the documentary or find two or three stories to package as 1. I think it's great that some highly trained archeologists, pathologists and hole diggers we're willing to spend more time digging this crazy man out of the ground then it took to travel to this remote location write the dialogue, film, edit, and watch several times over, but so little story with almost no new information, except for this man possibly had scoliosis, is a massive waste of time and most likely some public money. No ground breaking techniques no fancy new equipment was used for the first time no insights into a First Nations settlement. This was a vanity project or a thank you for some long suffering professor stuck in a basement office who everyone thought was dead. This did not need to be made should not of been made if one cent of public money was used and if public money was used the person who ok'd it should have that ability taken away. It was 45 minutes if almost no information about a subject that almost nobody gives a crap about. I know this story I was interested in it I assumed something new would be discovered but sadly I know more about this incident then these people who spent almost a full day and broke a back hoe digging this man out of the ground. I'd put my email address on here to fill in the story but my guess is IMDb would not allow that. But hey apparently people who aren't me feel that the real story is in the curvature of this mans spine so if you feel the same way this is the documentary for you. Waste of time waste of money, the second thing is about the making the first is making and watching.