It is a hot summer and
the ozone layer in the Earth causes animals
above the altitude of 5000 feet to run
amok and to kill.
A helicopter drops off a group of
tourists led by a ranger named Steve
Buckner (Christopher George) during this
incident and this time they are learning
about survival as they are being chased
by hawks, tigers and other wild animals.
They all end of getting lost with very
little food.
Some of them separate to find a way back
as one of the people are viciously
tricked by a nasty and crazy man named
Paul Jenson (Leslie Neilson) who claims
that there's a helicopter nearby to the
mountain area next to a watchtower to
make it back to safe grounds but it makes
their adventure more deadly who chose to
follow him.
However the animals run amok in the small
town near the mountains as well with
people turning up dead attacked by dogs,
rats and rattlesnakes.
A well done film
and a nice look at the great outdoors
with it's terror involved in it.
The film is extremely suspenseful and
adventurous especially when you see the
animals attacking people or finding the
small town area deserted with people
turning up dead due to being murdered by
these animals.
Made on a good budget for a b-film too.
Very similar to a film titled Grizzly.
Everyone in this
one does an impressive job.
Christopjer George again plays a
serious role and the hero in the film but
still shows a great performance.
Leslie Nielson was terrific as
an insane and nasty tourist as you just
feel like hitting him and gets what he
deserves in the end. He stands out the
most in this film and was well remembered
for it
Lynda Day seemed to pull off her
role well as a journalist.
Michael
Ansara seemed to really know his
craft playing a caring and wise one in
the film.
Ruth Roman
seemed to stand out perfectly as a
dimwitted and nagging mother to her
child. However, her energy at times
needed to pick up.
Nothing really
gory which isn't necessary anyhow as it
covers a good plot.
A woman named Mandy is clawed half to
death by hawks.
A group of rats have bitten a forest
rangers face which isn't too gruesome
either but very creepy.
William Girder has
many good moments with his work and how
he directs people's reactions to all the
going ons in the forest.
He shows perfect shots on the animals for
the opening of the film too in the
mountain area.
Also, he has great shots of the wild
animals staring at the people before they
end up attacking as well as on the
scenery too.
There's a nice dialogue between Michael
Ansara and Ruth Roman in
the forest at night when he tries to cope
with her about helping out her son.
He showed a great and suspenseful
performance by supporting actress Kathleen
Bracken when she is attacked by a
coyote in her sleeping bag as the action
happens very fast with this battle.
Also both her and Andrew Stevens do
well looking around with the vultures
watching them from the trees and they are
spooked by it. Bracken is
perfect by tripping out after this
encounter.
We see a perfect dispute between Christopher
George and Leslie Nielsen with
Nielsen having a crazy attitude by
trying to find a better way to escape the
madness going on in the wilderness and
George acting physical towards him
with a hissing attitude towards him
Girder really spices things up and
makes the story very disturbing with Nielsen
acting insane and abusive towards the
other actors during a rainstorm in the
forest when they decide to follow him
which almost makes it difficult to watch.
There's a nice shot on Nielsen
with a lightning bolt striking down
behind him.
He did a wonderful job with Stevens
and supporting child actress Michelle
Stacy in their fighting struggle
against the deadly wilderness together as
well.
Of course he makes the dialogues between
married couple Lynda Day and George look
natural as sometimes it doesn't work for
married couples on set but not them.
We spot another suspenseful moment with Day,
George, Richard Jaeckel
and Michael Ansara being
attacked by German Shepherds while they
try to bolt themselves in a shack.
The music composed
by Lalo Schifrin who
does an impressive job with this film
(Especially during the opening) along
with good strong violin playing for it's
time worked in countless other films.
Paul
Jenson: Hey, hot shot. We're out of
food.
Steve Buckner: I know!
Paul Jenson: Well were is that
food that is supposed to be around here?
Steve Buckner: It's up ahead.
Paul Jenson: You say.
Steve Buckner: That's right I say.
Paul Jenson: You here that
everyone. Hot shot says there's food up
ahead. That is if he is reading his map
right. Well what the hell let's get going
I'm hungry.
Steve Buckner: Okay Mr. Jenson.
Get your ass in gear and let's go! .
Paul
Jenson: If there's a God left up
there to believe in. My father who art in
heaven you've a made a jack ass out of me
for years. Neville's God, that's the God
I believe in! You see what you want you
take. You take it! And I am going to do
just that!
Tucker's
Wife: Tucker, I don't like going down
without you!
Tucker:
Rats. Damn rats
Sam:
God sent a plague down on us because
we're just a bunch of no good fellers.
Daniel
Santee: You know, when I was a boy,
my father couldn't wait to get off the
reservation. He even changed his name to
Mr. White.
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