Horror Movie Review: Willow Creek (2013)

Willow Creek is yet another found-footage horror surrounding the legend of Bigfoot. Amazingly there have been several horrors in the last couple of years that have attempted to do this exact same thing with very poor results. Movies such as The Bigfoot Tapes (2013), Exists (2014) & Hunting Grounds (2017).

Willow Creek doesn’t buck this trend, in fact it can hold the very proud distinction of being the worst of the bunch by some margin.

The plot is paper thin. Jim (played by Bryce Johnson) & his girlfriend Kelly (played by Alexie Gilmore) head off to the site of the infamous Patterson – Gimlin Bigfoot sighting. Why? He believes it to be true & she cares about him enough to let him get it out of his system.

It all goes very Blair Witch with interviews with the townspeople of Humboldt County before they are warned about going out into the woods by some aggressive locals. Seriously, I’m not making this up. This is exactly what happens.

They wander into the woods anyway, get lost & film themselves in the tent listening to noises outside. It all leads to a payoff that is about as satisfying as getting licked by a tramp (unless that’s your thing). All it will elect is a deep sigh of gratitude that it’s finally over.

Attempts to humanise the characters fall flat in an embarrassing failed proposal scene. It’s not that they are unlikable, it’s that they are so bland you won’t care one bit what happens to them.

Seriously…when are horror writers & directors going to realise that we don’t want actors playing themselves. The whole reason we watch movies, watch horror is to be transported to another world. A world where anything can happen, where characters are larger then life & the situations they’re in both shocking & imaginative. Watching two people spend 10 minutes listening to occasional noises outside their tent while they say “did you hear that?” & “what was that?” is not fun. It’s not interesting, it’s not good horror!

Poorly acted, poorly filmed & poorly written, Willow Creek has zero redeeming features. It’s boring & so unoriginal everyone involved should hang their heads in shame.

Willow Creek is one of the worst films to be released in a very long time.