A solid cast and a surprisingly emotional climax elevate Savage above most of the Bigfoot films flooding movie-streaming services like Tubi. Savage may not make the list of all-time classic Bigfoot films, but I enjoyed it.
Originally released in 2011 by Fearmakers Studios and directed by Jordan Blum, Savage stars veteran actors Tony Becker (Tour of Duty), Martin Kove (The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai), and Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master). In November 2023, BayView Entertainment released Savage on digital platforms such as Vudu, Tubi, Hoopla, Flix Fling, and Amazon Prime Video.
Subtitled The Bigfoot Legend…Lives, Savage opens during a forest fire blazing through Bear Valley National Park and forcing animals from their natural habitats. One of those animals is an angry Bigfoot that kills two firefighters and a sheriff’s deputy in a couple of tense opening sequences.
The film then introduces the main characters, including Owen (Becker), a park ranger with a pregnant wife who’s tasked with investigating a missing firefighter crew.
There’s also Jack (Kove), an unscrupulous hunter who’s guiding a young scientist named Dale eager to study Bigfoot. Jack is a grizzled local looking for revenge because of a past encounter with Bigfoot that ended in tragedy. Dale is played by Shane Callahan (Under the Dome).
“They ain’t like us,” Jack tells Dale. “Ain’t got no morals or ethics. They’re savage. That’s what makes them dangerous.”
The other main characters are a former marine and his abused wife Gabrielle. Both are on the lam and trying to hide out in the forest.
There’s more. Amid all the chaos’s caused by the fire is a mayor pushing a controversial vacation development called Hunter’s Heaven adjacent to the forest, which is Bigfoot’s home.
The first half of Savage takes its time introducing all the players along with their motivations. When Bigfoot finally appears, I was more than ready to see it. Arriving in full force at the 44-minute mark, Bigfoot makes the moment count as it attacks the marine and chases his wife.
The chase scene is by far the best sequence in the movie as we see Bigfoot’s athleticism in all of its glory. The creature (Jack Harrison) runs low and fast, drops down on all fours for added speed, and climbs trees like a monkey on caffeine.
The scene is also where we see the abused wife Gabrielle show off her skills as a survivor, snatching up a shotgun like a pro before making a stand. One of the highlights of the film is the performance by Anna Enger Ritch (The Haunting of Hill House) as Gabrielle. At first, she plays her with meek vulnerability, but it quickly transforms into gritty determination when her life is threatened.
Jack and Dale eventually meet Gabrielle in the forest, but Owen catches up to them and takes Gabrielle into custody as a wanted fugitive. However, Bigfoot returns with a vengeance and soon all the main characters face the creature, some not living to tell the tale. I did get a bit emotional for a moment when an unexpected sacrifice is made during the climactic scene.
While Savage never quite rises above its B-movie creature-feature pedigree, it displays more than enough heart and features one of the more realistic Bigfoots I’ve seen to make it a worthy entry into the canon of cryptid films.
NEXT UP: Chapter Seventy-Four: Devils Desk. I review the 2024 novel by Mark Tufo.
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