Two thirds of a decent alien/Bigfoot/mystery film. There was much to applaud in the first hour of this low budget affair - commendably understated and believable performances (from the majority) and the script avoided almost all the common missteps: exposition wasn't laid out in obvious and inappropriate swatches, characters behaved as if their histories were part of them, not plot points existing only to be explained at the earliest and least necessary moments etc. These characters felt real. And even the initial mystery interweaving Bigfoot, extraterrestrials, the sudden appearance of dead bodies and the source of this families dysfunction was crafted competently script wise. I could even look past some minor weaknesses in the actions of authorities, or the behavior of the main characters, in order to see how the whole thing would tie together. I was even willing to try and ignore the truly terrible score, and consistently poor choices in frame composition. And then it all fell apart. Literally. Once the characters decide to band together to defeat the big bad monster, believable character behavior went right down the drain along with logic, any hope of intelligently connecting the story strands and even the dialogue and performances seemed to suddenly intrude from another, more mundane and unrealistic film. Add an embarrassingly staged, shot and edited climax and a resolution that's mind-numbingly lame, and SIGHTINGS unfortunately wastes any points earned by the better-than-average first hour. And the lame resolution (and I am not referring to the stinger at the end) actually includes the illogical comment that because a large number of people claim to believe in aliens and Bigfoot, the majority "refuse to accept this evidence", obviously choosing to ignore that belief is NOT evidence. Evidence involves physical proof. Sadly the script couldn't logically tie up any of its own loose ends, or its increasingly preposterous premise, except to insist "The crazy ones are right". That last half hour makes it impossible to recommend SIGHTINGS as the "diamond-in-the-rough" film I'd hoped it would be; yet it holds out hope for what the filmmakers could possibly accomplish in the future.
26 Reviews
Do not Watch!
rm86023 December 2017
Really just don't. You know it's bad when the filmmakers created fake accounts just to boost ratings by giving 10 star reviews. This is a solid D movie. Has a cool cover image and interesting take on the alien abducting trope but thats about it. Acting is mostly forced without much emotion to it. It has zero humor and no horror. THE WORST PART is the soundtrack. It does that cheesy "suspense" music thing for the entire film, it doesn't stop even for a moment. You can't help but notice it in every scene as it has a odd funny noise like a ghost saying woo woo wo. Good example on what not to make a creepy noise sound like. The filming itself was fine and they tried as best they could but just didn't have much to work with. This actually could have been a better movie if the budget was higher. I'd love to see this films creature concept be done as a big action movie.
Hairy Aliens
phenomynouss19 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This movie seems to have everything going against it, being buried in AmazonPrime's sci-fi/horror categories with an uninformative name and an even less informative description that seems to be eager to specify that it's a CHARACTER-DRIVEN film, as though making a film such as this were something they were ashamed of and wanted to have broad appeal.
There's nothing wrong with that, but specifying that it's a CHARACTER-DRIVEN film about some manner of paranormal/cryptid thing seems needlessly insistent, like a fruit drink prominently displaying on its label that it's definitely a liquid drink made from water.
The film itself is fairly ordinary, filmed professionally and acted competently. The problem is, there isn't much to it beyond that.
The title, and the poster, showing what is very clearly a stereotypical giant "Grey Alien" type eye, is completely misleading. Early on into the film, we get the rug pulled out from under us; the supposed cryptid at the center of the film is a Bigfoot/Sasquatch! We even get some very clear shots of its hairy limbs shuffling just out of camera frame like real life Bigfoot sightings.
The protagonist is a recently retired sheriff who finds 3 bodies on his ranch. Suspicion falls on him and he does little to ease people's suspicions because he's a typical Movie Character Jerk in that regard. Throughout the film, we get the backstory unloaded on us that his wife left him, apparently afraid of Bigfoot as well, and she may or may not have gone missing. And now the Bigfoot is after his daughter!
The plot isn't really interesting, while the film seems to realize it's called "Sightings" and has an alien eye on the poster, and so haphazardly turns and starts to strongly indicate that Bigfoot might be an alien! There's even a brief Ancient Aliens hypothesis strewn in because that's what's hip with the kids these days.
The film seems very much aware of its limitations and has a "Don't show the shark" approach to its Alien Bigfoot, but it subsequently blows that by dragging the action out of the congested woods and out into wide open fields in the broad daylight. Now they can't avoid showing it, but they still manage to avoid it by never actually showing it on camera. We see the people running and panicked at something just a few feet to the left or right of them off-screen, or a snippet from the Alien Bigfoot's point of view, all the while avoiding anything more than a hairy arm or leg on screen.
Considering the lengths they went to to try to tie aliens with bigfoot, this was a big disappointment. It would be like a zombie movie trying to integrate cyborgs with its zombie, and then never showing us any part of either. The risk of putting together an unconvincing costume or puppet or bad CG is always there, but the route they ultimately took was flat out disappointing
There's nothing wrong with that, but specifying that it's a CHARACTER-DRIVEN film about some manner of paranormal/cryptid thing seems needlessly insistent, like a fruit drink prominently displaying on its label that it's definitely a liquid drink made from water.
The film itself is fairly ordinary, filmed professionally and acted competently. The problem is, there isn't much to it beyond that.
The title, and the poster, showing what is very clearly a stereotypical giant "Grey Alien" type eye, is completely misleading. Early on into the film, we get the rug pulled out from under us; the supposed cryptid at the center of the film is a Bigfoot/Sasquatch! We even get some very clear shots of its hairy limbs shuffling just out of camera frame like real life Bigfoot sightings.
The protagonist is a recently retired sheriff who finds 3 bodies on his ranch. Suspicion falls on him and he does little to ease people's suspicions because he's a typical Movie Character Jerk in that regard. Throughout the film, we get the backstory unloaded on us that his wife left him, apparently afraid of Bigfoot as well, and she may or may not have gone missing. And now the Bigfoot is after his daughter!
The plot isn't really interesting, while the film seems to realize it's called "Sightings" and has an alien eye on the poster, and so haphazardly turns and starts to strongly indicate that Bigfoot might be an alien! There's even a brief Ancient Aliens hypothesis strewn in because that's what's hip with the kids these days.
The film seems very much aware of its limitations and has a "Don't show the shark" approach to its Alien Bigfoot, but it subsequently blows that by dragging the action out of the congested woods and out into wide open fields in the broad daylight. Now they can't avoid showing it, but they still manage to avoid it by never actually showing it on camera. We see the people running and panicked at something just a few feet to the left or right of them off-screen, or a snippet from the Alien Bigfoot's point of view, all the while avoiding anything more than a hairy arm or leg on screen.
Considering the lengths they went to to try to tie aliens with bigfoot, this was a big disappointment. It would be like a zombie movie trying to integrate cyborgs with its zombie, and then never showing us any part of either. The risk of putting together an unconvincing costume or puppet or bad CG is always there, but the route they ultimately took was flat out disappointing
Beware the fake reviews
Ghost3322 December 2017
Surprisingly well done indie flick
PhilDeGarmo7926 December 2017
Surprisingly well done for an indie flick about bigfoot aliens. A movie like this could've gone way wrong and been super cheesy. This had a Hitchcockian feel to it. Simple, basic production with a focus on human characters. No flashy, gimmicky SFX. Refreshing approach to the sci-fi/horror genre.
NO!
amirrunoron22 December 2017
NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.NO.
was that enough?
Started.
one minute in, moved into double speed playing
then moved to skimming.
then just stopped.
if you liked"that guy" from peter pan who for five seconds was cute, then you wont like this.
its awful (and not the good funny awful)
the terrible,no story,no acting,no visuals kind of awful movie. stay AWAY.
I dont know.was i subtle?
I dont know.was i subtle?
Two hours I'll never get back
awilson-4205213 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Turrible! From bad acting, a dubious score, and contrived dialogue, to a plot line that's an amalgam of big foot and aliens, this movie is just that bad. When someone asks if you brought something, who responds "Indeed sir"? This movie reminded me of the corny 50's sci-fi fare, but "Sightings" didn't have any of that charm. I sat through this, and afterward really questioned why I did. Think I was waiting for it to get better, it never did, don't waste your time.
So bad it was almost good....almost
jfost7520 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Where to begin...this movie wasnt even Syfy Original quality bad. Heres a few of my concerns...
1. Exactly how old is the daughter? She looked likeba 30yr old, living at home, trying to pass as a teenager.
2. Not all the actors bothered to finish the film. The "sexy scientist" just sorta disappeared from the movie and the screenwriters just wrote her off likebab afterthought.
3. The house is clearly NOT a house. Looks like an office building they dressed up to look like a house, but it didnt work.
4. The reporter's accent was so bad, you could barely understand her. No one would ever put her on english speaking tv.
5. The plot is basically non existent. Bigfoot is a blood-seaking alien? WTF?
6. Southerners dont speak that way. As a southerner myself, i can attest that the only time ive heard people say "i reckon" is on TV.
7. Every character is a cliche...the crazy uncle, the big city detective...*rolls eyes *
8. No southern man would ever go into the woods with 1 rifle and no sidearm. Have these guys ever seen a redneck?
I could go on but you get the point. Its a horrible, stinky piece of cheese, poorly disguised as a bigfoot movie. If you missed this entirely, your life could only be better for it.
What a terrible movie
dvdzaan7 February 2021
Terrible stereotypes and acting. DUMB
vmantell28 June 2021
Disappointing
lindasue-5013322 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
( No real plot spoilers, but "spoilers" about the general tenor of the movie )
Very disappointed it as I'm interested in the subject matter.
They made a good effort trying to create some character development, which is fair because most horror/suspenseful movies overlook that. The plot of the story just didn't go anywhere. I fast-forwarded through most of it. Makes me sad.
Since they were kind of inching in that direction, I would have loved to see them have made this a real compelling story about the research and new revelations about "coincidences" that are going on.
Or at least a good scary movie.
Very disappointed it as I'm interested in the subject matter.
They made a good effort trying to create some character development, which is fair because most horror/suspenseful movies overlook that. The plot of the story just didn't go anywhere. I fast-forwarded through most of it. Makes me sad.
Since they were kind of inching in that direction, I would have loved to see them have made this a real compelling story about the research and new revelations about "coincidences" that are going on.
Or at least a good scary movie.
Very well thought out plot
rileymaddox16 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I thought this was a suspenseful and intense movie. The story line was very well thought out and interesting. It was interesting to see the point of view where Bigfoot is an alien...I had never heard of that until watching the movie. My favorite part of the movie was the very end. I like how that was still included in the movie to let the viewer know how it ended for all characters.
The good acting, photography and direction deserved a much better cause!
johannes2000-118 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know what to think of this movie. Apparently the makers couldn't choose between a monster- and a scifi-movie and decided to combine the two, which in my humble opinion didn't really work. Bigfoot seems one of the most down-to-earth creatures that the monster-genre came up with and the suggestion that he's somehow of extra-terrestrial origin sounds plain ridiculous. The combination with alien abduction of humans seems even more weird: are we to understand that aliens planted Bigfoots to serve as carriers of humans or as alien outposts??
It's rather a shame, because when you can overlook the silly premise and ditto story, this is actually not a bad movie. I was particularly surprised by the photography that is very original and effective, with unusual camera-angles. And by the direction and editing, many scenes are allowed remarkably much time, for instance we see main character Boo Arnold like a whole minute sit pensive in his car before he gets out, or stand still for some time in the fields just pondering about all the strange goings-on. It may sound a bit boring and way too slow, but it actually fits in the story and helps us to commiserate and sympathize with him.
The acting is also quite good, not only Boo Arnold is very convincing as the sober-minded (ex-)sheriff and protective father, but also Tahlia Morgan as his daughter does a fine job. And they took the sensible decision to keep Bigfoot for the most part of the movie out of sight of the camera. This way creepy atmosphere and suspense can predominate, in stead of the for this kind of movie usual cheap graphic right-in-your-face scares and silly furry ape-suits.
So although this is not Oscar-winning material, there still is enough to enjoy. I only wished that they had stuck to Bigfoot and left the scifi out. Especially the ultimate scene with the big shadow (I won't give it away!) felt like a total let-down to me.
It's rather a shame, because when you can overlook the silly premise and ditto story, this is actually not a bad movie. I was particularly surprised by the photography that is very original and effective, with unusual camera-angles. And by the direction and editing, many scenes are allowed remarkably much time, for instance we see main character Boo Arnold like a whole minute sit pensive in his car before he gets out, or stand still for some time in the fields just pondering about all the strange goings-on. It may sound a bit boring and way too slow, but it actually fits in the story and helps us to commiserate and sympathize with him.
The acting is also quite good, not only Boo Arnold is very convincing as the sober-minded (ex-)sheriff and protective father, but also Tahlia Morgan as his daughter does a fine job. And they took the sensible decision to keep Bigfoot for the most part of the movie out of sight of the camera. This way creepy atmosphere and suspense can predominate, in stead of the for this kind of movie usual cheap graphic right-in-your-face scares and silly furry ape-suits.
So although this is not Oscar-winning material, there still is enough to enjoy. I only wished that they had stuck to Bigfoot and left the scifi out. Especially the ultimate scene with the big shadow (I won't give it away!) felt like a total let-down to me.
Only rating so I can review
zasbartell23 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Deserves no stars. Worst thing ever. Cover had me expecting an alien movie but was far from. Terrible acting and completely awful Sasquatch suit had me confused and unable to stand sitting through movie. No actual quality alien involvement, bad acting, bad writing, do not watch!
Suspenseful and fun
lilyallen201116 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Very enjoyable movie. One of the more down-to-earth sci-fi films I've seen. I appreciated the minimal special effects and the non-reliance on blood/gore and action. Good, relatable performances and fun characters. I'd recommend this movie to those more interested in thrillers/dramas than sci-fi action movies. I will say that Bigfoot as an alien was an interesting and unique take on the Sasquatch myth.
The importance of good writing
wdavidmiller22 June 2023
Believe it or not, the acting isn't what makes this movie hard to watch. They did their job for the most part, making amateur mistakes and a few scenes that were overdone, but passable. (There are a few exceptions, like the reporter with the hamfisted Spanish accent.) The direction carries a bit more of the burden, making poor choices like having a daytime scene where there's no excuse to keep the camera off the thing all the characters are staring at.
In the case of this movie, the director is also the writer, which is where Sightings blew its chances of being a watchable movie. Like his other movies, director Dallas Morgan saved money by writing the script himself. His direction is improving, but his writing has a long way to go. Even the best actors are confined by the limitations of the words they are given to say. If Morgan had invested more in this one element of film production the result would have been much better.
In the case of this movie, the director is also the writer, which is where Sightings blew its chances of being a watchable movie. Like his other movies, director Dallas Morgan saved money by writing the script himself. His direction is improving, but his writing has a long way to go. Even the best actors are confined by the limitations of the words they are given to say. If Morgan had invested more in this one element of film production the result would have been much better.
FASCINATING THRILLER
ecbro15 October 2018
Don't go in the woods
ralphv118 April 2019
Some good performances, a brooding atmosphere and some effectively creepy background music help this film make a lot out of brief glimpses and not much action. BTW, the deer urine was a good idea, the aloe not so much...If such things were real.
Good movie
DaveMarcus198823 December 2017
Fun fun fun
rubiesanddust20 June 2023
I do not understand why this has such a low rating, it's one of the most entertaining bigfoot movies I've seen and I've seen many. A few decent jump scares, moderately competent acting, nice scenery, and the story is absolutely in the "so bad it's good" category. Sure it's goofy, sure there are plot holes, for pity's sake it's a movie about bigfoot! There was an everybody-running scene that the great Buster Keaton would have smiled at, I certainly did. I wish I could show you just how many low budget creature features I turn off after five or ten minutes, it might help my cause here, in any case I was very amused and happy to have given it a chance.
Wasn't as bad as the reviews say
victordeleon-490406 January 2019
good movie
BassMower923 December 2017
Give it a try - I'm glad I did
macdautle12 May 2020
I wasn't expecting too much when I started watching this movie, but it was surprisingly effective. I found myself drawn into the movie to see what happened next to the characters, which doesn't happen often. The characters were not the cliches upon which so many other movies rely, and keeping the action so tightly wound in one location and with one group gave it a personal feel. All in all, I'm glad I watched it and recommend other aficionados of the genre do so too.
loved it
valeredominguez24 December 2017
Not my thoughts on Bigfoot
donaldwaynestephens19 June 2023
This movie tell a story of Bigfoot and gives thoughts on what someone believes him to be I my self have heard these theory's on a documentary of Bigfoot. Although I can not remember anyone ever saying that Bigfoot is believed to be a wendigo or a chipacabra so that part was somewhat aggravating as I have said when a movie is made it would be nice if all the information put in was as close to prove facts a possible or at least what science say if it was real what would have to be. Saying that Bigfoot is a wendigo is like say a vampire is a werewolf or a basketball is a football it is similar but not the same.
Now this movie has other things that make you kind of want to laugh. Stuff kind of like a vampire won't bother you if you have a clove of Galicia around your neck.
The only other thing I didn't appreciate was how they showed Bigfoot to look or lack of how he looked watch this movie to understand what I mean, lol.
Well that is my rant on this film hope it shed some light for you and let me know what you thought of it.
Now this movie has other things that make you kind of want to laugh. Stuff kind of like a vampire won't bother you if you have a clove of Galicia around your neck.
The only other thing I didn't appreciate was how they showed Bigfoot to look or lack of how he looked watch this movie to understand what I mean, lol.
Well that is my rant on this film hope it shed some light for you and let me know what you thought of it.
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