“Willow Creek” is one of those under the radar films you can watch for free on most streaming services and may, at first glance, default to skipping it. I stumbled across it on Amazon early one Saturday morning and decided it was worth a shot.
I liked the premise. Told in found footage style, it follows a couple as they venture into the woods to explore the infamous Bigfoot legend. That its run-time stops at 80 minutes further sweetened the deal. And the 2013 picture was written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait? Let’s roll.
A 2-Person Show
We follow Kelly and Jim, the latter of which has a lifelong obsession with Bigfoot. Jim (Bryce Johnson) is making a documentary on the subject, and the first half of the film involves the standard elements for this narrative. He fools around with the camera. And he explains his passion for Bigfoot while flirting with his skeptical girlfriend, Kelly (Alexie Gilmore).
Both featured stars succeed with the script. I found the rapport between Alexie Gilmore and Bryce Johnson believable. He has a passion; she sort of humors him. It’s a passable situation anyone can relate with. They each take turns being on and behind the camera so there’s equal screen time for both. They keep things interesting, even when nothing is happening. By the end I liked them both as characters, something not often found in horror.
The entire first half of the movie is Kelly and Jim filming various attractions in the titular Willow Creek, California. The town is close to the wilderness where the Patterson–Gimlin film was shot. As such, its residents have fully embraced the Bigfoot legend with shops, restaurants, museums, and the like, all dedicated to the Sasquathch mythos.
Blair Witch light
Kelly and Jim enter the woods and set up camp for the night. It’s a remote forest known to inhabit bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes (oh my). There are rumors of drug dealers and river folk that don’t take kindly to strangers from the city. This creates tangible fears for Kelly and Jim even if there is no Bigfoot.
There is a scene that occurs at the beginning of the end of the movie. It runs 18 minutes and is somewhat polarizing amidst the horror community. I’ll say this. I enjoyed the tension and horror that it brings with sounds alone.
Anyone who has slept in a tent knows how creepy it can be, and Bobcat Goldthwait manages to bring the camping experience home. Most of the scares come from sounds. If you are looking for a CGI Bigfoot or the like, you won’t find it here. And that’s a good thing.
Ironically, my complaint is with the time. At 80 minutes, the film may have been better served by cutting 10 minutes from the initial interview portion or adding 10 minutes to the end to further the terror.
“Willow Creek” is a fun movie to watch. It won’t break the bank for scares or all-time status but is worth the time, especially if you enjoy found footage. I suggest watching with headphones to further immerse yourself with its sounds.
