Unseen Terror: Day 5

In 1879, several families and/or townsfolk have gone missing in the Dakota Territories, with some discoveries of what does remain being more violent than many would have expected. A small group of men is assembled to track down the missing folks and bring them back home to safety, with many believing rogue Indians being the culprits. But over time, they discover that there is much worse to fear than man in the old, open plains.

The Burrowers has been described by some as Tremors in the old west, but I think that's a bit too simple of an explanation. That, and we've already seen Tremors set in the old west (Tremors 4: The Legend Begins). Personally, I'd describe it as a mixture of Tremors, Predator, and an old western. The film makes good use of it's surroundings and timeline, being effectively creepy when it needs to be and will most likely keep you glued to the screen. The cast and characters are pretty solid, with Clancy Brown (Superman:TAS) and Karl Geary (2000's Hamlet) doing exceptional jobs. I'd say the weakest link in the acting was the actress playing Faith, a Native American woman who the group encounters towards the end who provides them with crucial information on what they're up against. She sounded like she was obviously reading her lines. Another minor complaint was about the title creatures themselves, which don't look bad by any means, but I wish I had seen a bit more practical creature effects and less CGI. But like I said, the CGI is fairly well done. Another point of praise is the score, for what little there is of it. I always tend to like scores with little to no musical score, and they know when not to distract the audience with it.

One thing that initially irked me was the ending, but after thinking about it, it's actually quite fitting consider the film's nature towards the changing of times back in the late 1800s. Two of the film's main characters are African American and Irish, and there is a large feeling of uncertainty towards Native Americans (who are also treated as just as much of a threat than the title creatures), especially from a US Cavalry that we encounter twice in the film.

I dug the hell out of this film. A good script, good use of it's budget, and a pretty unique (though not completely original) concept. Recommended if you're looking for a solid horror film set outside of the 20th Century.

Tomorrow, I revisit an old friend in Kim Ji-woon, and check out I SAW THE DEVIL.