Grizzly Rage (RHI/Genius DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Feature: C-

 

 

RHI continues to make bad old-styled Horror flicks, but I must admit that I was more amused by Grizzly Rage (2006) than anything they have sent us to date because it not only tries to follow formula in a way that makes more sense (instead of none like the previous releases) but also in a way that makes this an unintended hoot at times and though still bad, sometimes amusingly so.

 

This time, two male/female couples decide to go far away from home to enjoy a fun hiking trip, taking a break from their ambitions and hard-working lives.  They are even likable, but when their SUV-type vehicle hits and kills a baby grizzly bear, they will unleash the wrath of the parent (mother or father is hard to tell) and the hunt is on.

 

Now this lasts 90 minutes and to its credit, the production hired a real trained bear, saving untold dollars in bad digital effects.  Unfortunately, some of the blood effects are laughable and dumb.  Also, since they could only afford four actors, it takes forever for the animal to attack despite being one of the greatest natural hunters in real life.  The conclusion is so sudden and oddly edited, that I could not stop laughing for a while.  It was the kind of laugh that comes back hours later when you remember it.  Of course, this is no comedy, but it hilarious just the same.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not bad and to the credit of the production, does not gut out the color, yet it is still too soft at times.  That is still better than most of the RHI releases to date.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is simple, but clear for such a soundtrack, but when you consider the ambitions of the score and some sound effects, a 5.1 mix might have helped.  There are no extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo