Let's get this out of the way first thing: Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan is a bad movie. Badly acted, badly directed, bad CGI effects (but, of course, you knew that as soon as you saw this listed on the SyFy Channel). And yet, it's entertaining in ways that its creators probably never intended. A group of teenage hoodlum wannabes are punished for their crimes...by being sent to camp. Their punishment comes in the form of drill-sergeant survivalist cop who clearly should not allowed within 100 feet of minors and a psychiatrist who wants them to get in touch with their feelings. For a teenager, I can't imagine which of them would be worse company for a weekend. As befits a horror movie that needs a body count, you will hate nearly all of these people and want them to die within 15 minutes. Don't worry, you'll get your wish. Pretty soon, the campers are getting pruned by a 15-foot-tall freak who appears to be developmentally disabled, until you realize that, somehow, he was smart enough to make or buy an double-headed ax with a 10-foot handle (C'mon, those things can't be easy to come by!) that's just big enough for a guy his size to use without looking like he's playing with a toy. He's given a back story familiar to anyone who's a fan of "maniac-in-the-back-woods" horror films. The movie plays out exactly as you expect it to. It "stars" (and I'm using the word in its loosest possible interpretation) Dan Haggerty and Joe Estevez. It's a hallmark of how low this movie sinks that its best-known performers are a TV actor whose last significant role was in 1978 and Martin Sheen's cheaper, less talented brother. Haggerty's role is little more than a cameo (and the scariest thing about this movie is, that apart from his hair and magnificently-sculpted beard going from blond to gray, he doesn't appear to have aged a day in the last 40 years). And Estevez spends the entire movie acting as if Gary Busey and Nicholas Cage are inside him, battling for possession of his immortal soul. There's nothing even remotely original about this movie: from turning a folkloric character into a generic psycho killer to the contrived excuses for why nobody's cell phone and car seem to work when they really need them, to the cookie-cutter characters whose odds of survival are inversely proportional to how annoying they are. Even Estevez's third-act freak-out seems oddly derivative. But if you approach this movie with appropriately low expectations, the cheese factor is good for a few laughs.
24 Reviews
Well at least the scenery and make-up were good...
TheLittleSongbird14 August 2013
The scenery is really quite beautiful, the make-up for giant Bunyan is very well done and fearsome and Thomas Downey also was appropriately gruff and humorous. Unfortunately that is all that Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan has in its favour. Apart from the scenery, the look of the film is shoddy, with rushed-through special effects and editing and too many scenes that are shot too brightly. The giant Bunyan looks fearsome enough, but we don't know anything about him and he doesn't have that much of a personality, never coming across as genuinely menacing. And that does dilute things a lot. The dialogue has cheese and awkwardness written all over it, with the banter truly inane. The characters range from obnoxious(Joe Estevez) to bland(pretty much everybody else. The acting is bad really with the best it gets generally being forgettable, only Downey makes any kind of impression. Joe Estevez especially is so bad it's almost comical. What hurts Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan is the story, generally too padded and pedestrian with nothing exciting, suspenseful or even engaging with a lack of any heart. It also takes far too long to get going, we get forty minutes of tiresome and increasingly irrelevant banter before Bunyan arrives on the scene, and sadly even with his presence the movie never quite takes off. Overall, SyFy have done much worse and it is certainly nowhere near as bad as most of the stuff The Asylum has churned out, but still not a good movie at all. 3/10 Bethany Cox
Not good at all
bledrules15 June 2013
I watched this because Dan Haggerty is in it,I remember very well growing up and watching Grizzly Adams on TV He doesn't have much of a role in this (lucky for him)but the acting is pretty bad and the cgi is also very bad I wont say anything stupid like I want that 90 minutes of my life back (that expression is so annoying) The blue ox was just terribly done Acting was bad cgi even worse Just not a good movie I also thought it might be one of those horror movies that was so bad it was funny no such luck At the end of the credits it says Paul Bunyan will return I certainly hope not.I searched and searched for something positive about the movie,it took a while but finally it hit me.The scenery is very nice,I don't know where it was made but the mountains and deep woods were very nice
Could Have Been a Lot Worse
gavin694215 August 2013
Young adults at a first-time offenders' boot camp discover the legend of the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan is real, but is much more horrifying than they could have imagined.
Yes, this film has awful digital effects, with terrible blood splatter and some sort of green screen (or the modern equivalent). And it is pretty bad. But as another reviewer pointed out, it is marginally better than what the Asylum pumps out. This actually had an attempt at a plot.
I am not entirely sure how Robert Kurtzman became involved with the project. Seems to be lower quality than what he would normally put his name on. But it appears he was primarily a producer, so it may not mean much.
Yes, this film has awful digital effects, with terrible blood splatter and some sort of green screen (or the modern equivalent). And it is pretty bad. But as another reviewer pointed out, it is marginally better than what the Asylum pumps out. This actually had an attempt at a plot.
I am not entirely sure how Robert Kurtzman became involved with the project. Seems to be lower quality than what he would normally put his name on. But it appears he was primarily a producer, so it may not mean much.
Beyond horrible
mjs219706 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
None of these actors should ever be allowed in front of a camera again, I hate that they still give Joe Estevezs work just because his brother is Martin Sheen. Seriously some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Amber Connor was the worst of the bunch, I have never watched a movie before that an actors acting was so bad it actually made mad. The look on her face when her dad showed up towards the end was some of the worst acting in the history of acting. I love campy horror, this isn't even that, it is just bad. The special fx are utter crap also, I hope that the fx company listed is a fake and they don't really list this excrement in their portfolio. This movie makes I spit on your grave seem like cinematic genius.
Horrible
geeaych53 January 2014
You have got to be kidding me. This has to be the worst movie ever made. Clearly they had a decent sized budget based on scenery, wardrobe, makeup and production value. However, the budget far exceeded the writing, special effects, and direction.
As some one else mentioned the story is based in a great American folk tale that has proved the test of time by being retold over several generations. With a great start to the story it is hard to see how the makers of this movie could have gone this terribly wrong- but they did.
Recommend only watching this with a cheap bottle of fortified wine to drown your miseries.
As some one else mentioned the story is based in a great American folk tale that has proved the test of time by being retold over several generations. With a great start to the story it is hard to see how the makers of this movie could have gone this terribly wrong- but they did.
Recommend only watching this with a cheap bottle of fortified wine to drown your miseries.
This is why I don't let my buddies pick horror movies...
briggnalle4 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Okay. Now I'm a huge horror movie fanatic among other movies. I like stuff that are new. There are some B-movies that I actually like cause they are just fun movies to make. But me liking horror to a T makes me point out every single flaw in this movie. This does not by any means mean that I won't watch B-movies, but this one... Good grief I did not like it. My buddy got this movie, and reading it took me back to when I was younger and hearing tales about the giant Paul Bunyan. And let me tell you, this movie completely, and utterly destroyed that legend.
Before I go on a rant I will tell you the one and only good thing I liked about this movie. The setting. The environment was beautiful, and was just downright gorgeous. I love the woods, and the forest was very pretty so it was a very good place to film a B-movie.
Now to the bad: First is the lack of good acting. None of these characters were unique in anyway, the dialog was horrible along with the bad puns and jokes along with a comical misuse of every single cliché imaginable when needed. From the creepy old man who warns the teens of their inedible doom, to the slut who dies first, the black man dies, the cop is dumb, and trying to deal with the killer, the list goes on and on and on. For the sake of time I will name only a few.
For instance, these kids are criminals, and some judge deemed necessary to send them to the middle of nowhere with only one overweight cop and a dumb blonde counselor. Of course first day of 'healing' begins and the counselor asks the cop to leave the gun behind. I get it that bad things happen in horror movies, but in my outdoors experience, you ALWAYS carry a gun or a knife. And this is a cop, who is supposed to guard these kids not listen to a counselor who 'might help'. Well she is helping technically, but only to get them killed. Plus the acting with the sad sad sex scene... Not gonna go there. And finally, you all know the old saying, 'the black man always dies in a horror movie', well in this movie they did that cliché again, but in the worst possible way. If someone is holding a shotgun at you, you don't run at them. Period. And here's what made me laugh when he fell back and his buddies held him as he died. He says in a very sad way, "Is it bad?" Um... I'm no doctor or mortician, but I'm pretty sure that if you get shot point blank in the stomach there's no 'good' so its most likely bad. Also the a*****e of the group, you know the big jock who we all hope dies does, and I will agree he deserves this from taking a horn from a dead animal, and I don't feel bad when he does, but I'm not okay with him getting it easy with just a stab through the chest. No. He deserves the shotgun.
Now on to the screenplay. Paul Bunyan. A legendary giant whos 63 axe handles high who can clear entire forests in an hour is reduced to this. A troll-like giant who acts really stupid, is a cave dweller, and does not by any means look realistic at all. From the cheap killing cams to just the running around the axe giant looks like a sad add-on from a youtube movie. It was just sad. In one scene he jumps down from a cliff to the criminals he's bent on killing with his giant axe below. And by 'jump' I mean he floated down. Didn't even hopped of jumped or in any way gave the look of jumping off the cliff. He legitimately froze and floated down. Sad. Even for a B-movie.
Finally the story-line. Atrocious. Men kill Pauls ox Babe, he goes nuts kills everyone, and gets captured and humiliated in front of a girl he liked. He then escapes and hides in seclusion. Years later a bunch of dumb teens violate the remains of Babe. Paul gets mad and goes to kill everyone. Predictable, and very sad how they told the story. I like backstories that give you the chills or some understanding. This one, even the actual story was just awful. And when Paul gets killed by National Guard (Go Guard) he starts calling out to the virgin criminal who he thinks looks like the girl he once liked hundreds of years ago (and no she does not look like her at all), the only thought in my head was 'just die already'. And thankfully he did, ending this terrible story that butchered a legend. And all the cast members along with it.
If you like B-movies I say give this one a try you MIGHT like it, but I'm telling you from my experience, I was at a loss for words just how horrible this was. And I have no shame in saying so.
Before I go on a rant I will tell you the one and only good thing I liked about this movie. The setting. The environment was beautiful, and was just downright gorgeous. I love the woods, and the forest was very pretty so it was a very good place to film a B-movie.
Now to the bad: First is the lack of good acting. None of these characters were unique in anyway, the dialog was horrible along with the bad puns and jokes along with a comical misuse of every single cliché imaginable when needed. From the creepy old man who warns the teens of their inedible doom, to the slut who dies first, the black man dies, the cop is dumb, and trying to deal with the killer, the list goes on and on and on. For the sake of time I will name only a few.
For instance, these kids are criminals, and some judge deemed necessary to send them to the middle of nowhere with only one overweight cop and a dumb blonde counselor. Of course first day of 'healing' begins and the counselor asks the cop to leave the gun behind. I get it that bad things happen in horror movies, but in my outdoors experience, you ALWAYS carry a gun or a knife. And this is a cop, who is supposed to guard these kids not listen to a counselor who 'might help'. Well she is helping technically, but only to get them killed. Plus the acting with the sad sad sex scene... Not gonna go there. And finally, you all know the old saying, 'the black man always dies in a horror movie', well in this movie they did that cliché again, but in the worst possible way. If someone is holding a shotgun at you, you don't run at them. Period. And here's what made me laugh when he fell back and his buddies held him as he died. He says in a very sad way, "Is it bad?" Um... I'm no doctor or mortician, but I'm pretty sure that if you get shot point blank in the stomach there's no 'good' so its most likely bad. Also the a*****e of the group, you know the big jock who we all hope dies does, and I will agree he deserves this from taking a horn from a dead animal, and I don't feel bad when he does, but I'm not okay with him getting it easy with just a stab through the chest. No. He deserves the shotgun.
Now on to the screenplay. Paul Bunyan. A legendary giant whos 63 axe handles high who can clear entire forests in an hour is reduced to this. A troll-like giant who acts really stupid, is a cave dweller, and does not by any means look realistic at all. From the cheap killing cams to just the running around the axe giant looks like a sad add-on from a youtube movie. It was just sad. In one scene he jumps down from a cliff to the criminals he's bent on killing with his giant axe below. And by 'jump' I mean he floated down. Didn't even hopped of jumped or in any way gave the look of jumping off the cliff. He legitimately froze and floated down. Sad. Even for a B-movie.
Finally the story-line. Atrocious. Men kill Pauls ox Babe, he goes nuts kills everyone, and gets captured and humiliated in front of a girl he liked. He then escapes and hides in seclusion. Years later a bunch of dumb teens violate the remains of Babe. Paul gets mad and goes to kill everyone. Predictable, and very sad how they told the story. I like backstories that give you the chills or some understanding. This one, even the actual story was just awful. And when Paul gets killed by National Guard (Go Guard) he starts calling out to the virgin criminal who he thinks looks like the girl he once liked hundreds of years ago (and no she does not look like her at all), the only thought in my head was 'just die already'. And thankfully he did, ending this terrible story that butchered a legend. And all the cast members along with it.
If you like B-movies I say give this one a try you MIGHT like it, but I'm telling you from my experience, I was at a loss for words just how horrible this was. And I have no shame in saying so.
This was... well, something in its own league... let's just call it that!
paul_haakonsen26 July 2013
While "Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" isn't among the worst of movies that I have seen, it is far up on the scale.
This slasher movie tries to incorporate the Paul Bunyan tale with some good old fashioned teenage slash-fest. But ultimately the end result was rather tame and less than interesting, to say the least.
A group of young delinquents are sent away to a reform boot-camp in the middle of a forested mountainside, under the supervision of gung-ho police officer Sgt. Hoke and a psychiatrist. However, the group run afoul a giant that is stalking the mountainside. The giant is wielding a massive axe and is ferocious and hellbent on killing anything in his path.
Storywise, then "Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" was a very generic and genre stereotypic slasher movie, although trying to put in some legend and folk lore - which failed miserably.
The effects in the movie were adequate at times, while at other times they were so low-budget that you can't help but shake your head in disbelief and laugh out loud at them.
I don't recall a single face seen throughout the movie, and as such I suppose that is a good enough thing, as it is nice to see unfamiliar faces in movies, as to not draw associations to previous roles the actors or actresses have portrayed.
"Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" wasn't entertaining and it was very tempting to let one's attention drift towards something else as the movie trotted on mundanely on the screen. Sometimes you just wonder why certain films gets produced, funded and even makes it off the drawing board.
This slasher movie tries to incorporate the Paul Bunyan tale with some good old fashioned teenage slash-fest. But ultimately the end result was rather tame and less than interesting, to say the least.
A group of young delinquents are sent away to a reform boot-camp in the middle of a forested mountainside, under the supervision of gung-ho police officer Sgt. Hoke and a psychiatrist. However, the group run afoul a giant that is stalking the mountainside. The giant is wielding a massive axe and is ferocious and hellbent on killing anything in his path.
Storywise, then "Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" was a very generic and genre stereotypic slasher movie, although trying to put in some legend and folk lore - which failed miserably.
The effects in the movie were adequate at times, while at other times they were so low-budget that you can't help but shake your head in disbelief and laugh out loud at them.
I don't recall a single face seen throughout the movie, and as such I suppose that is a good enough thing, as it is nice to see unfamiliar faces in movies, as to not draw associations to previous roles the actors or actresses have portrayed.
"Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" wasn't entertaining and it was very tempting to let one's attention drift towards something else as the movie trotted on mundanely on the screen. Sometimes you just wonder why certain films gets produced, funded and even makes it off the drawing board.
Barely worth a review.
volvorod-9213128 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Every Sci-Fi-network-movie is 10x better than this.
This is awful.
A man says 'why don't you pick on someone your own size' to a giant. WHO should he 'pick on' then? He is the ONLY giant in the world. Then the people shoot at this giant - but for some reason - three people FAR from the giant have to duck - because shots is fired at - them..!? And - of course this giant is injured of normal-sized bullets. The same way a normal-sized human would be mortally injured when a bee stings him/ her.
Consider this a warning.
This is awful.
A man says 'why don't you pick on someone your own size' to a giant. WHO should he 'pick on' then? He is the ONLY giant in the world. Then the people shoot at this giant - but for some reason - three people FAR from the giant have to duck - because shots is fired at - them..!? And - of course this giant is injured of normal-sized bullets. The same way a normal-sized human would be mortally injured when a bee stings him/ her.
Consider this a warning.
What a complete and utter waste...
AndyVanScoyoc20 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Of a truly unique idea.
Nothing chaps my hide more than to see an original idea (because they are so rare) so poorly executed.
The scenery was pretty, the acting lame and the execution seriously poor.
You've got your typical obligatory boobs (not just guys watch horror, folks) which is about the lamest thing anyone can include in a movie.
Really...so disappointed in what could have... SHOULD have...been a really innovative movie.
I'm not going to go into detail about the lacking parts of the movie. No need...I see that others have done that, justice.
And...what on Earth was Midnight Syndicate one of the premier musical talents of all things macabre and creepy...thinking when they agreed to do the soundtrack for this movie?
Pickings that slim nowadays, fellas?
Oh and sorry slapping tired old Grizzly Adams in the story and then killing him off at the beginning, didn't do much to help, because the story just went all the way down the hill, then.
Until that point, it looked like it might have been okay.
Not sure what the deal was with all the extra footage at the end, but...yeah...still didn't improve the movie.
Unless you plan to have a party and watch "legend and lore" type films...this one is left better, dead and buried in the woods.
Nothing chaps my hide more than to see an original idea (because they are so rare) so poorly executed.
The scenery was pretty, the acting lame and the execution seriously poor.
You've got your typical obligatory boobs (not just guys watch horror, folks) which is about the lamest thing anyone can include in a movie.
Really...so disappointed in what could have... SHOULD have...been a really innovative movie.
I'm not going to go into detail about the lacking parts of the movie. No need...I see that others have done that, justice.
And...what on Earth was Midnight Syndicate one of the premier musical talents of all things macabre and creepy...thinking when they agreed to do the soundtrack for this movie?
Pickings that slim nowadays, fellas?
Oh and sorry slapping tired old Grizzly Adams in the story and then killing him off at the beginning, didn't do much to help, because the story just went all the way down the hill, then.
Until that point, it looked like it might have been okay.
Not sure what the deal was with all the extra footage at the end, but...yeah...still didn't improve the movie.
Unless you plan to have a party and watch "legend and lore" type films...this one is left better, dead and buried in the woods.
The best movie ever made...about a murderous Paul Bunyan
ksj87015 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Now this is a b-movie done right. And make no mistake, everyone involved from the director to the cast and crew knew what kind of movie they were making and decided to run with it. The result is a film that is incredibly fun for those of us who like monster movies. Sure, it follows the familiar formula--a group of young adults are stranded out in the woods while a monster stalks them and dispenses bloody death with an axe--but it's the execution that always makes the difference. The script isn't particularly original but it is clever, the actors seem to all be having a blast playing their roles, and the monster is really pretty neat. I mean, it's Paul Bunyan, for crying out loud! Look, this is genre filmmaking, with all that implies. Axe Giant could be a Syfy original in a lot of ways, though it's generally much better crafted than your typical Syfy flick. It's all extremely rough around the edges, but that never detracts from the fun factor. The acting is good enough from everyone involved, the kills are terrific, and the giant, ogre-like monster is a welcome deviation from masked sociopaths and zombies. The woods in which all the mayhem goes down are a great setting for a tale of bloody murder, and the cinematography puts a lot of great scenes together. Finally, the plot rolls to a satisfying climax that has an actual conclusion, unlike many other genre efforts that close with the obligatory, and usually quite stupid, lead-in to a sequel. If you don't like b-movies, then you won't like Axe Giant. But if you do, then you'll love this one. And you'll never think of the legend of Paul Bunyan in quite the same way again!
Above-average slasher for the Sci-Fi Channel
kannibalcorpsegrinder16 July 2013
On a camping retreat in the woods, a group of teens unwittingly incur the wrath of the legendary Paul Bunyan and must try to survive the giants' fury and knowledge of the surrounding area as he hunts them down one-by-one.
This here is a rather fun and enjoyable enough effort that has some pretty enjoyable moments going for it, as well as the the traditional problems associated with these kinds movies. The fact that the film manages to feature some of the same problems with the CGI being of just abysmal quality here with almost no attempt made to integrate it into the scene logically or hide it's usage makes for a curious inclusion of it overall. As well, there's several plot threads within that don't make a whole lot of sense as there's several story lines within that really could've been dropped without deviation from the main story, and as a whole drag the opening out a little more than necessary. Still, there's some fun to be had here with some fantastic stalking through the forest as the towering figure over the tree-tops chasing them is pretty intense and the use of the forest is a good setting for it all. There's a lot of moments with an actor in a prosthetic suit interacting with miniature models of the surroundings that are mixed incredibly well with the real- size footage that makes the CGI all the more curious as it's far more convincing than possible here and why not just keep it all the way through is rather curious. With some brutal kills resulting in some nice gore shots and a fun, action-packed finale to boost it up, there's some good stuff in here.
Rated R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence and Brief Nudity.
This here is a rather fun and enjoyable enough effort that has some pretty enjoyable moments going for it, as well as the the traditional problems associated with these kinds movies. The fact that the film manages to feature some of the same problems with the CGI being of just abysmal quality here with almost no attempt made to integrate it into the scene logically or hide it's usage makes for a curious inclusion of it overall. As well, there's several plot threads within that don't make a whole lot of sense as there's several story lines within that really could've been dropped without deviation from the main story, and as a whole drag the opening out a little more than necessary. Still, there's some fun to be had here with some fantastic stalking through the forest as the towering figure over the tree-tops chasing them is pretty intense and the use of the forest is a good setting for it all. There's a lot of moments with an actor in a prosthetic suit interacting with miniature models of the surroundings that are mixed incredibly well with the real- size footage that makes the CGI all the more curious as it's far more convincing than possible here and why not just keep it all the way through is rather curious. With some brutal kills resulting in some nice gore shots and a fun, action-packed finale to boost it up, there's some good stuff in here.
Rated R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence and Brief Nudity.
This Ox Is Cooked
wes-connors8 September 2014
We begin on a cold and wintry day in 1894 Minnesota. Lumberjacks are getting ready to feast on a big mammal - unfortunately, the beast turns out to be Paul Bunyan's legendary blue ox. The wrathful Mr. Bunyan arrives and chops up everyone in sight. Discovering the massacre, graying "Grizzly Adams" star Dan Haggerty (as Bill) is appalled. We will get to see the bloody opening scene in even in more detail, during a later flashback. In the present, the area is apparently a corrections facility for first offenders, and we see a group arrive for correction. They are not "technically" a group of five teenagers, as is pointed out by kindly psychologist Kristina Kopf (as Ms. K)...
The "boot camp" is run in a drill sergeant manner by Thomas "Tom" Downey. On a hike, handsome hunk Jesse Kove (as Zachery "Zack" Moore) finds Paul Bunyan's ox' horn and makes it a keepsake. This desecration rouses monster Bunyan, who has grown into a much bigger ugly monster. He decides to chop everyone up, like he did in the past. One good thing about the story was the inability to predict the numerical death order for the males. The females are easier. Amber Collins (as Claire "CB" Tanner) makes the most of her role. Some of the early scenes are okay, especially nice is the deer and bear. By the end, Bunyan is laughable. The filmmakers should have showed less.
Axe Giant (6/1/13) Gary Jones ~ Amber Connor, Joe Estevez, Jesse Kove, Thomas Downey
The "boot camp" is run in a drill sergeant manner by Thomas "Tom" Downey. On a hike, handsome hunk Jesse Kove (as Zachery "Zack" Moore) finds Paul Bunyan's ox' horn and makes it a keepsake. This desecration rouses monster Bunyan, who has grown into a much bigger ugly monster. He decides to chop everyone up, like he did in the past. One good thing about the story was the inability to predict the numerical death order for the males. The females are easier. Amber Collins (as Claire "CB" Tanner) makes the most of her role. Some of the early scenes are okay, especially nice is the deer and bear. By the end, Bunyan is laughable. The filmmakers should have showed less.
Axe Giant (6/1/13) Gary Jones ~ Amber Connor, Joe Estevez, Jesse Kove, Thomas Downey
Better than The Asylum's offerings but not by much
movieman_kev6 August 2013
Group of indistinguishable young-offenders are sent to a boot camp for delinquents where there meet a murderous Paul Bunyan. Apparently shown on Syfy channel first (I didn't see it until it appeared streaming on Netflix today), it does have the vibe of their brand of low- budget shenanigans, but it could've been much worse as thankfully the putrid stretch of The Asylum (who didn't make this, but does countless Syfy films) isn't anywhere near this one. That's about the only positive I can say for this pedestrian, mundane, silly, badly CGId little film. Might be (somewhat) passable for a rainy-day Saturday afternoon but not more more.
Eye Candy: Jill Evyn is briefly topless
Eye Candy: Jill Evyn is briefly topless
Good premise, but lacks effects to carry it out.
XpocalypseSurvival9 March 2021
Synopsis: Paul Bunyan practices his axe swing on some doofus teens.
Rating: 3.5/10. Good location for the film, and it's actually a good premise. The characters are all very stereotypical and the dialog is bland. All that is really needed for a good creature film is a good creature and some good kills. There were some okay kills, and the creature wasn't bad when he was by himself, but the interactions with others devolved into these ridiculous scenes of humans cowering on the ground while a giant hand reached out for them. These scenes aren't silly enough to be funny, and not serious enough to maintain any tension or dread. It just doesn't work. Bunyan was actually better in the beginning of the movie as a regular sized man.
Survival Lesson: Don't mess with totems. you never know what power they hold or what they mean to other people.
Rating: 3.5/10. Good location for the film, and it's actually a good premise. The characters are all very stereotypical and the dialog is bland. All that is really needed for a good creature film is a good creature and some good kills. There were some okay kills, and the creature wasn't bad when he was by himself, but the interactions with others devolved into these ridiculous scenes of humans cowering on the ground while a giant hand reached out for them. These scenes aren't silly enough to be funny, and not serious enough to maintain any tension or dread. It just doesn't work. Bunyan was actually better in the beginning of the movie as a regular sized man.
Survival Lesson: Don't mess with totems. you never know what power they hold or what they mean to other people.
Quite good, silly fun
Stevieboy6665 April 2019
Being British I'm not familiar with the legend of Paul Bunyan, but this is a slasher version of the story. An ugly, 15ft, hundred odd year old giant kills a bunch of teens (old looking teens, it has to be said!) attending boot camp in the Minnesota backwoods. With a huge axe! Wonder where he got that from? This is a low budget movie with some wooden acting and very çheap CGI effects. It also has a local loon (a la Crazy Ralph, etc), and sex means death. Slasher movie staples. But hey, we watch these movies because we want to see people get killed. And there is plenty of that here. Limbs amputated, bodies sliced in half, very graphic but also very cartoonish. I rarely like these cheap, made for TV movies (Sci Fi, etc) but this one was reasonably entertaining.
Don't be put off by low ratings!
halcyonbear1 July 2020
The acting is questionable. The CGI is unpolished. The script is predictable. It makes Sharknado look like Hamlet.
DON'T LET ANY OF THIS PUT YOU OFF!!!
I wanted something lowbrow and silly to kill a bit of time one afternoon in lockdown. That is exactly what I got. This film knows it's not high art nor even a particularly great horror movie, but it seems to revel in what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything other than that. If you want a B-movie that is cheesier than cheddar fried in Monterey Jack, that is exactly what Axe Giant is going to give you, unashamedly and in bucket loads. Best enjoyed with friends and a few drinks!
The Sins Of The Fathers Will Be Paid For By The Sons!!!!!!!
wandernn1-81-68327422 June 2020
Intro is some snowy cabiny tenty place and some good hillbilly music altho for 1894 the dialogue sure does sound kinda trendy.....
+1 Star for the Opening Fight Around the Circular saw. It Prompted me to look up whether the circular saw would have even been around in 1894 and as it turns out it could have! It was reportedly invented in 1813 or even before!
-1 Star for the ridiculous scene with the doe / bear / and presumed killer
LOL .. when the Giant starts killing people it's hiliarious.....
Oh boy..!!!
-1 Star When Deputy Dad shows up with a 'tranq' gun......
-1 Star For When it really does morph into pretty much straight comedy!
-1 Star for the Car mysteriously being able to drive thru or past the Giant who takes up the whole road!!!
Oh No it ended before we could shut it off!!!!
Guess it survived as bad as it was so it gets the traditional 2/10!!!!
+1 Star for the Opening Fight Around the Circular saw. It Prompted me to look up whether the circular saw would have even been around in 1894 and as it turns out it could have! It was reportedly invented in 1813 or even before!
-1 Star for the ridiculous scene with the doe / bear / and presumed killer
LOL .. when the Giant starts killing people it's hiliarious.....
Oh boy..!!!
-1 Star When Deputy Dad shows up with a 'tranq' gun......
-1 Star For When it really does morph into pretty much straight comedy!
-1 Star for the Car mysteriously being able to drive thru or past the Giant who takes up the whole road!!!
Oh No it ended before we could shut it off!!!!
Guess it survived as bad as it was so it gets the traditional 2/10!!!!
Could easily have been better
kirachloe21 September 2023
I'm not saying this could have been a 6 or 7 star movie, but easily better than a 2 had the team just tried.
Each member of the main cats was not just a stereotype of a specific personality, they were a caricature. And you figure that out in the first seconds you meet them. If they aren't taking the film seriously, why should any of your viewers.
And the cinematography ... you were supposed to have learned in high school that cutting the top of the head off your actors when taking non close up is a simplistic no-no. Again, if you cast and crew aren't tasking you movie seriously how do you expect your audience.
I haven't even gotten to the script, which was amateurish at best.
Pity as I said since there were definite glimmers of quality ... but fading glimmers only.
Each member of the main cats was not just a stereotype of a specific personality, they were a caricature. And you figure that out in the first seconds you meet them. If they aren't taking the film seriously, why should any of your viewers.
And the cinematography ... you were supposed to have learned in high school that cutting the top of the head off your actors when taking non close up is a simplistic no-no. Again, if you cast and crew aren't tasking you movie seriously how do you expect your audience.
I haven't even gotten to the script, which was amateurish at best.
Pity as I said since there were definite glimmers of quality ... but fading glimmers only.
He's A Lumberjack, and He's Not Okay
NoDakTatum13 October 2023
You know your film is in trouble when the best performance from your cast is thanks to Joe Estevez. A group of non-descript first-time criminal offenders are shipped off to a week-long boot camp in Minnesota, being portrayed by Ohio and California for this film. It is run by a Sgt. Hoke (Thomas Downey) and sympathetic counselor Ms. K (Kristina Kopf). The five criminals can avoid jail time if they make it through the tough program, oh, and survive a twenty-foot tall monster that is wandering around in the woods murdering bears and such. According to a very long expository speech from Meeks (Joe Estevez, who took all his crazy pills before cameras rolled), the monster is Paul Bunyan. The tall tale books got it wrong, this incarnation of Bunyan is bloodthirsty, overreacting to the death of his beloved ox, and seeks vengeance when one of the young criminals- don't worry about their specific characters, they are all dispatched without making any sort of impression on the viewer- steals Babe's horn from a makeshift shrine.
The fact that special effects guru Robert Kurtzman is involved with this silliness is surprising. The film is very violent, very gory, and very awful. The most successful aspect of it are the practical gore effects, but these diamonds in the rough are negated by amateurish acting and some of the goofiest computer generated special effects I have ever seen. The film almost had me in the beginning, when Dan Haggerty was still trying to be a horror film star (anyone ever seen "Elves"?), but then it quickly slid downhill. So many scenes had me laughing out loud, but the dead seriousness of the script made me realize this wasn't supposed to be "Sharknado"-type awfulness. The end credits promise us that Bunyan will return, as soon as they go down to their local discount electronics store and get some more of that special effects software. Here's hoping that is a promise the film makers cannot keep. "Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" is tiny when it comes to entertainment value.
The fact that special effects guru Robert Kurtzman is involved with this silliness is surprising. The film is very violent, very gory, and very awful. The most successful aspect of it are the practical gore effects, but these diamonds in the rough are negated by amateurish acting and some of the goofiest computer generated special effects I have ever seen. The film almost had me in the beginning, when Dan Haggerty was still trying to be a horror film star (anyone ever seen "Elves"?), but then it quickly slid downhill. So many scenes had me laughing out loud, but the dead seriousness of the script made me realize this wasn't supposed to be "Sharknado"-type awfulness. The end credits promise us that Bunyan will return, as soon as they go down to their local discount electronics store and get some more of that special effects software. Here's hoping that is a promise the film makers cannot keep. "Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan" is tiny when it comes to entertainment value.
Great low budget horror a lot better then given credit here.
caryannation26 July 2013
You know most ppl have too high of opinion of themselves to accurately rate anything outside their closed off little paradigm.
Axe Giant, upon watching it, has heart. That is the first thing I noticed about the movie. The second was that Kurtzman as in the K in (formerly of) KNB effects company oversaw the sfx.
The biggest flaw with the movie is that it's not the fact that the violence is cg, it's that the lighting in the mating of studio work and the natural backgrounds. Paul Bunyan was much too brightly lit for some of the daytime outdoor scenes he was in. I think utilizing more nighttime attacks could of ramped up some of the tension/scares a bit with the added benefit of making PB look more realistic.
Again ppl need to realize that not ALL movies pushed out today having the backing of that 2-dimensionally thinking Hollywood producing elite.
Again a Axe Giant is a movie with heart, good enough sfx to convey the plot, a lil subpar nudity but a lil more blending between live-action subjects and the studio-recorded Paul Bunyan.
Would definitely recommend if you like those old timey monster movies.
Axe Giant, upon watching it, has heart. That is the first thing I noticed about the movie. The second was that Kurtzman as in the K in (formerly of) KNB effects company oversaw the sfx.
The biggest flaw with the movie is that it's not the fact that the violence is cg, it's that the lighting in the mating of studio work and the natural backgrounds. Paul Bunyan was much too brightly lit for some of the daytime outdoor scenes he was in. I think utilizing more nighttime attacks could of ramped up some of the tension/scares a bit with the added benefit of making PB look more realistic.
Again ppl need to realize that not ALL movies pushed out today having the backing of that 2-dimensionally thinking Hollywood producing elite.
Again a Axe Giant is a movie with heart, good enough sfx to convey the plot, a lil subpar nudity but a lil more blending between live-action subjects and the studio-recorded Paul Bunyan.
Would definitely recommend if you like those old timey monster movies.
I'M A LUMBERJACK, AND I'M NOT OKAY
nogodnomasters11 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Sgt. Hoke(Thomas Downey) is in charge a group of first time teen offenders at a camp in the woods of Minnesota. The hormonal teens camp outside. One of them in the group earns the wrath of a giant (about 15 to 40 feet depending on need) who attacks them. This is a fairly straight forward teen slasher film with the slasher being slightly different.
The special effects were bad. The CG Babe the Blue Ox was comical. The 1890's clothes looked modern. People chopped in half, blood spray. They attempted to create diverse personalities, but it fell flat as the acting fell short.
Parental Guide: F-bombs, near sex, nudity (Jill Evyn) There are worse Red Box rentals.
The special effects were bad. The CG Babe the Blue Ox was comical. The 1890's clothes looked modern. People chopped in half, blood spray. They attempted to create diverse personalities, but it fell flat as the acting fell short.
Parental Guide: F-bombs, near sex, nudity (Jill Evyn) There are worse Red Box rentals.
Retro Giant Monster Movie!
cineguy-8695018 May 2019
AXE GIANT is a lot of fun! Reminded me so much the classic "Giant Monster on the Lose" Movies of years back with ample contemporary 21st Century moments. A close-to-perfect Creature Feature for a Saturday night viewing! Apparently made by a filmmaker who is a real fan of that mostly vanished genre.
I Like!! It's Fun!!
Rainey-Dawn11 September 2017
Good old traveler's tale about Paul Bunyan... but Paul is angry over his best friend's death, his ox Babe. When one of the kids stumble over Babe's grave-site, they had no idea that the horn they took belonged to Babe... now Paul is extremely mad.
The old stories of Bunyan are fun to begin with - this films at times is like listening to ghost stories of Paul Bunyan around a campfire, especially when Joe Estevez starts telling the tale.
All in fun fantasy horror movie. Great music by Midnight Syndicate. I'd love a copy of this one... I had a blast watching it! 9/10
The old stories of Bunyan are fun to begin with - this films at times is like listening to ghost stories of Paul Bunyan around a campfire, especially when Joe Estevez starts telling the tale.
All in fun fantasy horror movie. Great music by Midnight Syndicate. I'd love a copy of this one... I had a blast watching it! 9/10
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