Abominable (DVD, 2006)

'Abominable' represents a fine return to genre for horror films. In an era where too many horror movies are Jason Voorhees slasher types or overly-CGI infested crapfests without the slightest originality or aptness of execution, 'Abominable,' directed by famed composer Lalo Schifrin's son Ryan, stands out.

A man named Preston Rogers is being brought back home to the town of Flatwoods after months of rehabilitative therapy following a climbing accident at the infamous Suicide Rock, an incident which killed his wife and has forever cost Preston the use of his legs; he is a paraplegic, confined to a wheelchair. When his male nurse Otis leaves to run to the grocery store, a bored Preston decides to do some birdwatching with his binoculars when some college girls - Amanda, C.J., Karen, Tracy and Michelle - drive up to occupy the rented cabin across the road for the weekend.

With little else to do that doesn't remind him of his wife, Preston alternates between watching the girls and watching the woods. And when Karen wanders off to call her boyfriend on her cell phone away from the others, Preston sees, out of the corner of his eye, something big and hairy swoop in and snatch her, and by the time he brings the binoculars up again, Karen is gone leaving only her phone behind. He comes to suspect that the legendary Bigfoot is encroaching upon Flatwoods, looking for food. And humans are might tasty.

'Abominable' is not a groundbreaking film by any means, and the effects aren't that great (the monster costume makes the Yeti look like what someone aptly described as "an angry Brian Dennehy"), but it is well-directed and has some really wonderful suspenseful moments, making excellent use of the claustrophobia of Preston's house and the deep, impenetrable darkness of the woods without.

Scenes such as the one at the beginning where the farmer and his wife hide in their house while something big, unseen and nasty skulks around outside is the stuff of nightmares, and Preston's reaction to his first glimpse of the monster, which is to freeze up and slowly start wheeling his chair back inside the house (no easy task given how his arms are locked up with terror) is also really great. As for gore, well, just you wait 'till you see what happens to Otis!

Through and through, 'Abominable' an excellent little horror movie.

For all those lovers of good and scary films, this one does hold up to it's own potential to be a memorable experience. Ryan Schifrin, thanks for working so hard on this film. As you said before in your commentary, not only did you get to make and direct this film, you got to work with many of your childhood icons of film such as Paul Gleason, Dee Wallace Stone, Lance Henriksen, and Jeffrey Combs. Even though your film was 94 minutes long, it seemed to come and go to quickly and the scary moments didn't last long enough for me. The tense moments of relief were just enough to get your blood pumping, and then you dropped the big bombs on the audience's lap right on cue.

Six months after a climbing accident at Suicide Rock, Preston Rogers remains crippled in a wheel chair. Preston comes to the secluded community called Flatwoods accompanied by his male nurse, Otis Wilhelm (Christien Tinsley) as part of his recover treatment prescribed by Dr.Rainer. As soon as Preston gets to the cottage, Otis leaves to get some Soy Milk in town. Preston stares through his set of binoculars and a pair of huge red eyes in the woods. He tells Otis what he saw, but doesn't believe Preston. Later he sees his blonde next door neighbor Karen Herdberger vanishing in the woods and he tries to tell her friends, but the girls believe he is a just a pervert or peeping Tom and ignore him. Without phone lines, Preston uses his Internet through satellite to communicate with the police by sending them an E-mail, but they also think it's a prank.

In despair, Preston tries to communicate with his neighbors. Meanwhile Ziegler Dane, Billy Hoss and their friend Clerk (Jeffrey Combs) are hunting the animal that is killing the cattle in Hoss's farm. When Ziegler finds the wounded Karen in a cave, he realizes that his friends and he are in danger.
Abominable possesses a quality which has been vacant within the horror genre for years, No CGI. The Monster (Michael Deak) is, in fact, a man in a suit. Some would think this is cheesy, but fortunately it works well. The effects used are executed quite well and The Monster doesn't look phony at all. Many of the facial movements of The Monster seem to be achieved through robotics and the result looks extremely realistic and life-like. The film's plot is the result of a winning combination; it features the classic creature-feature storyline, coupled with a very Hitchcock-styled, 'Rear Window'-esquire, premise. The screenplay is good because all of the events within the film are experienced from Preston's helpless perspective. Whether it is at his window or on his balcony, Preston overlooks almost the entire series of events, giving the film an extremely claustrophobic and helpless atmosphere. The cinematography and lighting are also ingenious; the shadowy woods seen from the balcony add depth and an eerie uneasiness to the film. Matt McCoy proves himself to be an excellent actor, as does Christien Tinsley, but the character interactions between McCoy and Haley Joel prove to be the true acting highpoint within the film. A broad range of emotions are showcased between the two, all of which are executed with precision.

I'll give this a 4/5 Just because it keeps you wanting more. Thanks Ryan for the extra work and the audio orchestra was fantastic as well.

IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEWS, DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW BY VOTING. THANKS.

THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A SMALL TOWN IN THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES,
WHERE AN UNKNOWN BIG FOOT-LIKE CREATURE IS AFTER ANIMALS FOR FOOD, BUT ALSO HAVE A TASTE FOR HUMAN FLESH.
A MITTLE-AGED MAN NAME PRESTON ROGERS RETURNED TO HIS CABIN, SIX MONTHS AFTER A CLIMBING ACCIDENT PARALIZED HIM AND HIS WIFE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK BEFORE THE FALL. FIVE GIRLS ARRIVE NEXT DOOR TO PRESTON'S CABIN AND SOMETHING STRANGE WAS CREEPING AROUND THE AREA. IT'S UP TO PRESTON TO TRY TO WARN OTHERS ABOUT A DANGEROUS CREATURE AND TRY TO STOP IT.
MAT McCOY, FROM POLICE ACAMENY 5+6 AND THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, PLAYS PRESTON ROGERS. JEFFERY COMBS AND LANCE HENDRICKSON PLAY A COUPLE OF HUN-TERS THAT ARE HUNTING THIS CREATURE. WITH APPERANCES FROM PAUL GLEASON FROM THE BREAKFAST CLUB. DEE WALLACE STONE FROM E.T.,CUJO,AND THE HOWLING. PHIL MORRIS FROM SMALLVILLE AND NEW COMER HALEY JOEL. THIS IS A MOVIE THAT WILL MAKE YOU JUMP OUT OF YOU SEATS AND BOARD UP YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS.

this movie is excellent the Bigfoot/abominable snowman myth has always been around. this movie dwells into that myth also the monster is not CG it is back to the old school of a guy in a suit playing the monster seems more real on the screen somehow. Not to spoil the ending but it was left open for a sequel It dose not even have to be the same as in the story a man returns home after a near fatal accident leaving him in a wheel chair to find a monster It could be real story for anybody who has a cabin in that part of the country returns there for vacation and something like it happens because the Bigfoot/abominable myth has never been disproved which makes the horror of the movie so much more exciting

when i herd that the sci fi channel was going to have a bigfoot movie on my frist thought was it will be crap but when i saw it dang!!! it was well GOOD!!!! hot girls big monster guns gore what more could you want go out an buy it ......