1985. A group of Raider scouts embark on a hunt for a legendary woodland creature known as "the snipe." However, come nightfall the scouts discover that they are the ones being hunted. Writer/director Nick Everhart relates the hugely entertaining story at a snappy pace, offers an affectionate evocation of the 80's period setting, does an ace job of creating and sustaining an engagingly good-natured and tongue-in-cheek tone throughout, generates some real tension when the monster starts stalking and picking off the kids, and even manages to pull off a few touching moments of true heart and warmth. Best of all, Everhart totally nails not only the jaunty let's go vibe of such 80's favorites as "The Goonies" and "The Monster Squad," but also the basic look, feel, and style of those pictures. Moreover, it's acted with zest by an enthusiastic cast, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Trevor Teichmann as the mopey Davey, Jon-Christian Costable as jovial fat kid Sam, and Tyler Elliot Burke as mean hipster Russ. The snipe makes for one hell of a funky beast. Kudos are also in order for Leigh Scott's crisp widescreen cinematography and Andrew Morgan's melodic and uplifting John Williamsesque score. A real treat.
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