“There’s a creature that lives in these woods as ancient as my tribe remembers.”
There’s been something of a Sasquatch Renaissance in the last twenty or so years thanks largely to the work of independent filmmakers. From movies like Abominable (2006) to newer films such as Sasquatch Sunset (2024) and The Beast Of Trinity Texas (2025), Bigfoot has returned to the big screen with a vengeance. Today’s post takes a look at one of my favorite recent Sasquatch horror films, 2018’s Primal Rage.
Ashley reunites with her husband Max, who just got out of prison, and the two plan on rebooting their relationship. While driving through the Pacific Northwest, the couple get in an accident while trying to avoid a man that stumbles onto the road in front of them. When they go to check on the man, stones are thrown at them from the forest. They are then attacked by what appears to be a Sasquatch. The pair end up in dangerous rapids and ultimately end up on the bank of the whitewater river. With clothing soaked, they build a fire in order to warm up…..until they realize that the beast that attacked them before has caught up to them. They attempt to get back to the highway and come upon a group of hunters that take a liking to Ashley. Soon enough, the beast tracks them down again and begins killing everyone. Throw in a local Native American sheriff and some Native American beliefs, and you’ve got a really amazing survival horror film. Check it out to see how it all ends!
This film, directed by Patrick Magee and written by Magee and Jay Lee, features some simply amazing special effects. It isn’t surprising that the effects are so amazing, however, when you find out that Magee has worked with both Stan Winston and Rick Baker. The creature in this film, designed by Magee, is like no other Bigfoot creature that I’ve seen before in a film. Without giving too much away, I’ll say that it looks a bit like a Mandrill crossed with the Predator. The cast is also very good, especially Casey Gagliardi, who plays Ashley in the film.
The film relies heavily upon Native American stories about Sasquatch and utilizes a number of the traits that these creatures supposedly have thanks to Bigfoot researchers. Magee also makes the creature something of a camouflage specialist, and all I will say is that once the creature makes its first appearance on screen, keep your eyes peeled on the background of every scene in the movie, as the beast may just turn up when least expected. This is a very fun movie to watch and one of the best Bigfoot films that I’ve ever watched. Give it a look!
Thanks for checking out my post!
