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One would think that Sasquatch, being one of the most popular culture icons of the Americas, would be given decent treatment in at least one of the monster flicks that was based on its legend. Sasquatch has revolutionized the minds of the curious and the adventurous anew over the years, so why is it, I ask many times, that whenever somebody decides to bring the concept to a film story, does it have to be given the poorest of treatment? There does not have to be a big budget. History has taught us that one does not need a big budget to make a good, or even wonderful film. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", the Best Picture-winner of 1975 is all the proof anybody needs. "Clawed*: The Legend of Sasquatch" (or "The Unknown") is also a low-budget film, but that does not excuse it from the fact that it's dreadfully boring, amateurishly (and sometimes poorly) acted, awfully written, and an utter catastrophe of a motion picture.I was not expecting much from a movie called "Clawed: The Legend of Sasquatch", but even the plot I got with low expectations disappointed and baffled me with disbelief. A high school punk (Brandon Henschel) is told by his biology teacher that if he doesn't pass his endangered species report, that he will fail. So he teams up with the school brainiac (Dylan Purcell), two girls, and head out to film grizzly bears and look for Sasquatch when all they have to do is write a paper. Ridiculous, but then again, something has to get the stupid, brainless characters into the woods, doesn't it? Meanwhile, a cantankerous poacher (Miles O'Keeffe) is out seeking revenge on a Native American ranger (Nathaniel Arcand) whom he blames for the deaths of his friends, when in reality…well, you know. It's just the basic B-grade monster-on-the-loose flick. And even with this being in mind, it still disappoints.I guess two nonsensical human stories was just too much for me and there wasn't enough of the cheesy Sasquatch attacks to keep my interested. I would have rather the story focused on the kids in the forest as opposed to the unnecessary hunters-seeking-revenge subplot. Not only is the latter utterly absurd (even for a film of this grade), but the actors who played the hunters…well, let's just say they'd be better off in another line of work. The young actors and actresses playing the kids were decent. Not great, but decent.But of course, we can't leave out the Sasquatch. Now, the film tries to work in the "Jaws" (1975) realm, with the monster hardly being seen and its presence being merely suggested. But where as the mostly unseen shark in "Jaws" was terrifying, the Sasquatch suspense in this B-movie is not riveting in the least manner. And why is it, I ask, that every creature in these B-movies needs to have some crazily-colored vision? Now, when the Sasquatch does appear, which it rarely does, well, it's also a disappointment. I am glad they chose not to go with CGI, for looking at the rest of the movie's qualities, it would have been deplorable. Instead, a man in a suit was used with some animatronics. But the Sasquatch looks pathetic even still save for a few close-ups of the eyes, in which it's merely passable. In full-view, the creature looks like a nine-foot-tall version of Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings" with a little bit of muscle. I was literally waiting the entire film for the creature to just cough out "GOLLUM! GOLLUM!" every time I saw it.In case I haven't made it clear yet, which I think I have many times, I abhorred this detestable B-grade malicious monster 'adventure' film. This is one of three film adaptations of the legend of Sasquatch that I have seen over the years. And I'm still waiting for that good version to come along.Scratch that…I'll live with a PASSABLE Sasquatch story. And then I'll be satisfied.*footnote: Sasquatch is supposed to be a primate. And as far as I know, primates do not have claws. So even the title of the movie doesn't work.
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