(Import) Blu-ray Review: Red Machine (2015)

(aka Grizzly, aka Endangered.)
Release Date: May 2015.
Country: Canada/USA.
Rating: R.
Written by: David Hackl.
Directed by: Guy Moshe and J.R. Reher.
Starring: James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn, Michaela McManus, and Bart the Bear.

Re-titled Grizzly for its upcoming North American release, we'll be calling this movie by its former title, Red Machine, because it's a way better title than frigging Grizzly. I mean, how unimaginative can you get?


*As of right now, Red Machine (aka Grizzly) is only available on German Blu-ray, via Splendid Entertainment.It will be released in North America sometime in May.

When prodigal son Rowan returns to Armpit, Alaska after doing a bid for murder, he turns his sleepy hometown on its ear with his rebellious antics, and his striking good looks. His brother Beckett (who named these kids?) is now a local Cop, and so he isn't exactly thrilled to see his estranged, crimey brother. When Rowan won't tell him why he's come back home all of a sudden, he threatens to lock him up in jail. That's brotherly love.

"YOU KNOW, THREE HOTS AND A COT WASN'T ALL THAT BAD."

It turns out that Rowan is back in town to help find a friend who went missing in the wild while poaching bears, which is shit luck for him, because there's an angry grizzly bear running around killing people for the fun of it. With the bodies piling up, Beckett realizes that his deaf wife is out there in bear country, taking pictures of baby animals, and so he too has to head out on a rescue mission of his own... with Rowan's ex-girlfriend in tow. Don't ask.

DON'T LOOK AT US, WE DIDN'T WRITE THIS SHIT.

Not only do the brothers have to face off with a massive grizzly bear that is out for blood, but they must also contend with poachers, corrupt Cops, crazy hunters, and deaf wildlife conservationists who shouldn't be in the Alaskan wild all alone... and here you'd think that Alaska was simple place where you would be free from dealing with such undesirable things. It's not.

NO, YOU NEED TO TAKE A SIDE SHOT!

Will Rowan ever find his friend alive? Will Beckett rescue his darling wife from the clutches of the evil Red Machine? Will the pissed-off grizzly bear kill everyone, because it knows that people are assholes? Far be it from me to spoil what happens next for you here, but suffice it to say that at least one person gets their face eaten off, and the bear community will be forever shamed by the actions of one of their own.

"NICE TO MEET YOU!'

It's hard for me to put a finger on exactly why we enjoyed this one so much. The story isn't terribly original, there's more melodrama present than there should be, and some of the story elements felt forced... and yet we really liked it. Maybe its the fact that the bear vs. human action is so intense and harrowing, or that the movie has a crazy good cast. Whatever the reason, we found ourselves completely wrapped up in this one, faults and all.

James Marsden and Thomas Jane basically carry this movie, although Billy Bob Thornton playing the fearless bear hunter did his fair share of scene-stealing as well. It was Piper Perabo that might have had the toughest role to play in this movie though, as her character was deaf, so she basically had to act using only her facial features. That can't be easy.

There will no doubt be comparisons between this movie and Jaws, because people love to make comparisons no matter how tenuous, but this is a completely different kind of film. If anything, it felt more like Orca to us than it did Jaws.

THAT IS ONE MASSIVE FUCKING BEAR.

There were parts of this movie that felt like they belonged in some melodramatic Made-for-TV movie. I know you have to include character development scenes and moments in most movies, but scenes like the one with the girl at the motel felt like they existed only to add to this movie's runtime. Making Piper Perabo's character deaf felt like it served little purpose as well, especially since she was more of a secondary character, and it felt like a cheap plot device at times.

YEAH, IT'S TOO LATE TO RUN.

First, it was called Endangered. Then, it was Red Machine.... or maybe it's the other way around, we're not sure. Finally, some genius thought to change the title to Grizzly, because obviously people need simple, spoon-fed titles for them to be able to understand what a movie is about.

The should have stuck with Red Machine.That's a really good title.

REALIZING SHE WAS TIED TO A TREE, BUTTERNUT COULD ONLY STARE AS THE GRIZZLY BEAR CHARGED TOWARDS HER WITH DEATH IN ITS EYES.

There's all sorts of man vs. bear violence in this one, and some of it it pretty gory. Billy Bob Thornton owns the bloodiest parts of the movie.

YES, THAT IS AN ARM HANGING FROM A CHAINSAW.

We actually did get to see Kelly Curran topless and dancing around all sexy, but that's it.

Take a side shot, because if a bear charges you head on, you ain't gonna get him. Also, the Alaskan wild is as terrifying as it is gorgeous.

A FLARE GUN? WHAT IS THIS, THE BREAKFAST CLUB?

Far from perfect, Red Machine is still one well-made, intense Killer Animal flick.We enjoyed this one so much that we find ourselves wanting to go check out other  killer bear movies like Grizzly Rage, Grizzly Park, or Bear. Then again, maybe this one is more than enough for us.

B

Red Machine will be released in North America sometime in May. If you can't wait that long to see it, you can always order a copy from Amazon.de (just make sure you have a Region-Free Blu-ray or DVD player if you do.)

The lovely ladies of Red Machine, lead by the magnificent Piper Perabo.