After a tape containing supposed actual footage of a legendary creature comes into the ownership of a young man looking to escape his humdrum life (consisting of working on his own basement-vibe cryptid/folklore web-series and eating takeout while watching cold case programs with his awesome mom), he and his reluctant buddy head out to the location where the video originated from to dig a little deeper. Dom and Miles get the enthusiastic permission of the slightly off landowner and begin searching for more proof of the stop-motion creature caught on grainy film by an unarmed fan of their show. As expected, things soon spiral out of control and the realization hits that in a quest to uncover the truth: “How important is said truth if you’re too dead to appreciate it?” A micro budget and black and white filming style may scream “student film” but (as someone who has sat through multiple excursions to be polite to friends) it’s a hell of a lot more competent than any of those “artistic” pieces from folks who just weren’t experienced enough. Dom’s confused artistry even features right off the bat with a darkly comic opening involving pretentious footage and narration as he contemplates suicide… even leaving a note for his mother that gives her directions on which input to hit for the DVD-R to properly play. Awkward performances fit awkward humans and genuine comedy endears these local weirdos to me, having me miss some of the folks I grew up with… even though, like the movie, they could get annoying with just how heavy-handed and pessimistic they were at their worst. It’s more charming than amateur and as someone who has swam in far too many no-budget waters, I’ll gladly wade in a sea of enthusiasm as long as the heart is keeping me buoyant and its weirdness feels completely natural. The climactic revelations are a disturbing and off-putting mix from a sick mind bringing to life disgusting visions but it goes on just a bit longer than necessary. It’s also from Minnesota and you should already know how much leeway I give to my beloved Midwest.
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