‘Primal Rage’ follows Max (Andrew Joseph Montgomery) who is fresh out of jail, and his wife Ashley (Casey Gagliardi) as they become hunted by Bigfoot after they’re involved in an accident during their journey home.

Firstly, although there’s nothing very interesting going on with side characters, it’s good to have the main relationship between Max and Ashley threaded through the film. The way it is structured is very much like a slasher horror, so the tension between these characters in the beginning and seeing their problems with each other dissolve as they fight for survival makes it about more than just the gore. However, the effects for the kills are impressive, and the camera doesn’t shy away from showing the grisly details. This combined with the sound effects makes for some repulsive, gross-out deaths. The writing just could have been stronger in terms of the other characters since there’s a big gap in the middle of the film that feels dragged out and could have possibly been filled with other character arcs but instead just seemed to be a lot of people running through a forest.

Bigfoot himself looks very impressive in his design as well as the overall presentation. The costume/effects look very realistic and is also unique, especially the way the face looks. It’s also interesting that although it’s an animalistic creature, it acts with human intelligence, to the point where it uses weapons such as a bow and arrow.

Overall, despite the middle of the movie feeling dragged out at times, it’s worth watching for the impressive effects and its brutality as a horror film. The one thing I’d like to have seen is more about Max and Ashley’s marriage before Max went to prison, although it does manage to say a lot about them in little time at the beginning. The supporting characters could have done with being given a bit more to do, but it’s a competent film as a whole.