Willow Creek

2013
Dir. Bobcat Goldthwait

When young city couple Jim and Kelly venture into the wilds of Bluff Creek, California, in search of the legendary Sasquatch, they find much more than they bargained for in this lean, mean tale of man vs. nature.

While ‘found-footage’ horror has been much maligned of late, a few titles have proven the effectiveness of the formula — most notably The Blair Witch Project; [REC]; Lake Mungo; The Last Exorcism; and more recently Trollhunter and The Borderlands. Willow Creek also demonstrates that the format, when utilised effectively, can still offer a downright chilling viewing experience. Even though writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait never strays far from a well-trodden path, his subdued approach and subtle direction result in some rather nerve-shredding moments of tension.

Much like The Blair Witch Project, the tension and dread here is established largely through a reliance on sound, shadows and suggestion, and after the initial slow-burn approach, Goldthwait eventually lets rip with the grim and nasty, as the couple stray off the path into uncharted territory, only to suffer the bloody consequences...

Head over to Exquisite Terror to read my full review. 

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