I know I said I would have another review up yesterday but I never got around to watching another movie. Instead I got draged around by some friends. I didn't mind since I didn't get to dirty from it. Since it was a nice day, they didn't want me sitting around watching movies even though I was happy to do so. So, late last night, I happened across Creature Unknown (2004). I think I had come into the middle of this one before and was interested enough to add it to my queue on Netflix or maybe I just saw the name of it once and added it instead of bothering to watch it on cable. Either way, once I started to watch it last night I went ahead and staid up. I was going to go to bed when the movie started so I was really tired by the movies end. I don't know what kind of extras there are this time since I was watching it on cable (a movie channel so nothing was cut) but from another review there seems to be a behind the scenes type extra included.Creature Unknown is about a group of high school buddies that head up to the woods where Steve's (Chris Hoffman) twin brother Wes (Matt Hoffman) was killed four years ago. They are going in order to pay their respects and also to say good bye to him. As we learn more, there seems to be some mystery as to how Wes died. No body was ever found, just a lot of his blood. The police thought he we killed at this location and then the body was taken elsewhere. All this comes out after the group finds the spot, or the general area. Rachel (Ella Bowman) was dating Wes at the time and brings up the big party they had that they had (after prom I believe) and they got Wes drunk for his very first time. Rachel is bitter because Wes was her first love and she gave up her virginity to him. She also dislikes Steve's girlfriend Amanda (Maggie Grace) because Wes was in love with her instead of Rachel. Because of this, Rachel breaks up with Wes after he got plastered. When Amanda points this out to Rachel, Rachel (like a true pro) says she didn't come there for this and leaves.
Durring the time it takes the group of friends to reach the woods, we are treated a few glimpses of the creature. I was a bit worried by these glimpses because it didn't look very good. We also have the creature point of view camera and to be honest, I don't know how the creature would be able to hunt much of anything if this was the way it could see things. Almost like it had tunnel vision. We also see Kat (Chase Masterson), who we find out more about later on, trying to track down the creature. Why is Kat trying to track it down? Is the creature what killed Wes all those years ago or is there more to it than that?
As I said above, I was worried about how the creature looked early on. Creature Unknown is a throw back to the monster movie days after all so its important it will have a creature of some sort in it. By movies end we see the creature a lot more and by then it is looking much better. Or maybe it just wears on you and I started to think it looked better. Either way I was somewhat impressed by it. It isn't great, looks like the Creature From The Black Lagoon more than anything. So after a rocky start, it turned out to be alright. The deaths though, left a lot to be desired. Most of the deaths are simply suggested. Some are shown but I wasn't all that impressed with some biting and blood. One head does get twisted off and while it looked fine, it still left me thinking it could have been much better.
The acting was pretty good for the most part. I wasn't impressed with the twins really. They were either wearing smiles or they weren't. That seemed to be about as much as they could do as far as expressions went. Maggie Grace is probably the best along side Chase Masterson. I never was a Trecky so I can't say I had heard of Masterson until this movie but I have seen Grace before (Lost and The Fog remake). There is also Cory Hardrict and Betty Okino play the parts of friends who are trying to decide if they want to be more. Kristin Herold and John Keyser who are boyfriend and girlfriend. You will also find Louis Klein as the creature. Laurie Shires and Erin Cahill as a couple of women who just are hiking in the wrong area.
I really wanted to like this movie. Creature Unknown did have the monster stalking the group moments but a lot of the time the writers went for a different kind of drama. That would be the relationships of the characters. You will find at least one moment for each couple where they stop and talk about something in the past or about their relationship. While this bothered some people that wrote up reviews, it really didn't bother me at all. Nothing wrong with some character development if you ask me. There is a few twists along the way. One I figured out, the other got by me. I don't know if it was just that good of a twist or it was more because I was really tired by then.
Even though I ended up liking the way the creature looked, I'm not sure sure I liked how it acted. Nothing against the person playing the part mind you. It is supposed to be a human that was turned partly into a lizard but it had no tail. It loved to jump up into trees and then attack from there. Maybe some monkey DNA got mixed in as well. Sometimes the creature would simply be a blur across the screen, making us think it could move super fast. They even gave the suggestion that it could dodge bullets when only a few feet away at one point. Even so, it seemed to have trouble catching up to those it was chasing at times. I can't say that Creature Unknown is a bad movie, it just left me with a lot to be desired for. If you happen to catch it on somewhere or can't find much else at the video store then you might consider giving it a watch. There is a lot worse out there after all.
2 out of 5 Don't all lizards have tails?
3 comments:
Chase is the hottest babe on the planet. I'd watch it just for her.
Howdy Miss Heather,
I have this one on dvd from a burn I made after taping it off of cable too, lol. It also came on a couple of months ago again, on a night when I was having trouble sleeping, so I watched it again.
A major shock to some of your fans I am sure (grinning), but I would be hard pressed to argue with anything you said about this one Miss Heather. Yes maam, it could have been better for sure. But at the same time, I have watched much worse - heck I know you have. Just look at some of the ones you have watched recently that sound like total dogs to me, hehehe.
While it was certainly not a high budget production, I guess my overall thought was mostly a "too bad". They did have some money to spend, so I really think they could have made this one much better if they had just tried a bit harder.
I don't think you were just tired too sweet lady (even though I am sure you were). I sort of had the same reaction to the creature. When I first saw it I kind of rolled my eyes, but later in the movie it was looking better to me too, lol. So maybe he just grows on us some too.
Yes I do admit with pride, I am a sick puppy...give me lots of blood, guts and gore whenever possible. But do them well if you are going to do them at all. Most of them hit me as hey - this could have looked so much better if..effects. Too bad again.
I also felt some of the contradictions with the creature were hard to resolve. Super fast, can dodge bullets...but can't catch someone easily. I mean what come on, at least be consistent.
But hey Miss Heather, at least it was a major step up from the last flick you watched. Have you ever given one a 0 rating yet. I would have to go back and look, but almost think you may have once possibly. If not maybe you want to think about adding that one as a possible rating too maam.
IF one sounds like it deserved it, it would be Eyes Of The Werewolf to me. By comparison, I think Creature Unknown should be up for a few Oscar nominations. Not because I think it was a good flick, but because compared to the other it would be heads and shoulders above Eyes, lmao.
Thanks for being able to knock out such a quick new review maam. I would not be offended by an encore if possible (grinning, tips my hat).
Thanks for finding your way here Stephen. I can't say I was that impressed by Chase but I have to admit that I am guilty of watching a movie simply because and actor or actress that I like happened to be in it so it's all cool by me.
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