Into the Grizzly Maze (2015)

Written by John Chard on October 18, 2019

Bare or Bear Puzzle?

Into the Grizzly Maze is directed by David Hackl and written by Guy Moshe and J.R. Reher. It stars James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn, Michaela McManus and Billy Bob Thornton. Music is by Marcus Trumpp and cinematography by James Liston.

Estranged brothers Rowan (Marsden) and Beckett (Jane) reunite out in the Alaskan wild. They set out into the wilderness to see if they can humanely trap the ferocious grizzly bear that has been savaging the locals.

Unfortunately in the pantheon of movies featuring Mother Nature's angry beasts stalking humans, this one is very average. Which considering the cast list is not only something of a shame, it's also surprising. The stock roll call of characters with various hang-ups, disabilities or troubled back stories, stumble through the wilderness being menaced by the awesome Red Machine (Bart the Bear the best thing in the pic). Sadly director Hackl doesn't have an eye or ear for a good fright, while his blood letting exercises quickly wear thin come the later stages of the piece.

Things aren't helped by the flatness of the digital shooting, which only emphasises the poor CGI segments. On the plus side the enviromental messages hold tight, even if the family traumas threaten to avert the points. The location photography - with Vancouver standing in for Alaska - is pleasing in making the scenery a prominent feature, while the finale is good on action entertainment terms, even if the resolution is a touch hokey.

Ultimately this just isn't suspenseful or riveting on either the "when animals attack" basis or the fractured character dynamics. 5/10