The Unknown

This was obviously a low-budget film but even so it wasn't so bad. I've definitely seen tons worse low-budget films. This didn't have anything really special or outstanding to offer but with the money they had to make it they did quite well. The acting wasn't too bad. The sound could have been better but that's just because of the lack of funds to pad that area. The big foot costume could have used a little more work tho in my opinion. As well, the views when we were looking thru bigfoots vision were level with the top of a car and not of something 8 feet tall lol. This is worth a view if there's nothing better on but don't expect too much, just enough to pass the time.

Three poachers are ripped apart in a suspected bear attack in the woods on Echo Mountain. The town Mayor is on the scene, he tells the police that he doesn't want this getting out because it will put off the summer tourists (sound familiar? I'd bet that the script writer lifted this from "Jaws" (1975), and subsequent nature strikes back horror movies). Some good ol' boys head up the mountain looking for the bear, at the same time four horny teens are up there camping too. We get our first facial glimpse of the Sasquatch 29 minutes in, far too human looking for me. Looks like a Neanderthal Man on steroids. What's strange is that the creature wastes no time in tearing apart hunters yet when it comes to the kids it/he prefers to just spy on them. To its credit the acting was decent and the characters engaging. However some of the script sucked, for example one guy says to the group that they should set up camp because it's getting dark when in fact it was already pitch black. I do like film set in the great outdoors, plenty of wilderness here but nothing spectacular. On the gore front it's quite tame and despite some sex talk there is zero nudity. And as for the ending I found it disappointing. "Clawed - The Legend of Sasquatch" is a far better title than "The Unknown", however as Bigfoot movies go this one if unremarkable. Watch "Night of the Demon" (1980) instead.

In the deep woods of Echo Mountain, Pine Creek, three poachers are slaughtered by a predator and the survivor, Ed, organizes an illegal hunting with three other hunters. Meanwhile, the teenagers Rich (Dylan Purcell) and Jay (Brandon Henschel) are assigned by their biology teacher to prepare a seminar about species in danger of extinction. Jay invites his girlfriend Shea (Casey LaBow) and his cousin Jenny (Chelsea Hobbs) to camp with Rich and him in the forest to research animals for their work. Meanwhile the Indian Ranger John Eagleheart (Nathaniel Arcand) is also in the woods tracking the Sasquatch. When Ed and his men are attacked by the Big Foot, the teenagers try to escape to save their lives.

"The Unknown" is a bad collection of clichés and completely disappointing. The story begins without any previous development of the characters, and we see a group of illegal hunters being chased by a creature. Then we see the Sheriff and his Indian Ranger trying to protect the locals while the Mayor preoccupied with the season of tourism, in a situation repeated in many movies ("Jaws", for example). The biology teacher joins a nerd with a bully in an absolutely illogical situation. The conclusion is silly and ridiculous. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "O Desconhecido" ("The Unknown")

Another tiny-budgeted creature feature in which various campers, poachers and hunters find themselves tangling with the Bigfoot legend. I caught this one on DVD under the title CLAWED: THE LEGEND OF SASQUATCH and quickly wished I hadn't. The paucity of the budget is evident from the very first scene and what follows is entirely predictable. The creature itself isn't the worst you'll see, but it gets very little screen time and there's not much in the way of gore FX for the horror fans. Instead for the most part we're stuck with the annoying teenager characters and their inane chatter. Miles O'Keeffe, of ATOR THE FIGHTING EAGLE fame, makes a rare appearance.

"The Unknown " is not a particularly appropriate title for the movie as any experienced creature feature viewer will pretty much know what to expect virtually as soon as it starts .The set up involves a legend surrounding Echo Mountain where a mysterious Big Foot type creature is said to walk .The creature ambushes and slays most members of a small hunting party .This prompts the surviving member of the group to set up a revenge mission with some of his buddies ,to the displeasure of the local law .Also stumbling around on the mountain are a quartet of high school students seeking material for the term project on Endangered species ,and a Native American ranger The budget is obviously shoestring in nature but the director is able to disguise this by judicious camera angles and cutting .The creature is pretty convincing however and this does help .Variable acting and a rushed conclusion are downsides but if you approach this in the right frame of mind it is moderately satisfying and unpretentious movie making