... at least the black guy doesn't die first. This movie has that much going for it, and that's about it.
The storyline revolves around two college film students working on a documentary about mysterious murders and disappearances that happen in a stretch of English countryside known as the Ribbesford Forest. There are two prevailing theories about these tragic happenings.
The first theory, and the one that the local authorities are going with, is that a woman named Susan Edwards is behind the crimes. The second theory is that there is some mysterious beast, a "big cat", behind the killings. The victims were torn apart and partially devoured, so this theory has some traction.
Our documentarian, Elliott and Jake set out to discover the truth. They interview local residents near the Ribbesford Forest. Some believe that there is a beast, others believe that Susan Edward's is the culprit. Elliott and Jake interview various witnesses and experts, including Rex, the brother of one of the victims. Rex adheres to the mysterious beast theory.
Out stalwart team also interviews Logan, a zoologist, who doubts that there is a beast. They also interview Susan Edwards, who gives the impression that she couldn't tear a chicken wing apart, let alone several adult human beings. At some point during the interview, however, Susan loses it and starts screaming and tossing furniture around. This episode leaves Elliott torn and undecided who the killer is; Susan, or the beast.
The documentarian press onward and visit Ribbesford, accompanied by Rex, and the zoologist, Logan. After a few hours in the woods, Logan finds unusual tracks, and the group decides to follow them. At some point, the tracks diverge, with one set going forward, and another set veering left. At this point, we are treated to the obligatory bickering as to how the group should proceed. Rex wants to press on, but the others want to leave, and return the next day. They end up acceding to Rex's demands.
After continuing, Jake finds a wireless speaker in the woods. Hey, what's THIS doing here?! Suspicions are aroused, and members of the group begin to turn against one another. Accusations fly, particularly after Rex finds a footprint mold in Logan's shoulder bag.
Logan, fed up with the bickering, decides to leave. Off-camera, he screams as he is being torn apart by something, ostensibly the mysterious beast. The rest of the team goes off to try and help Logan, only to find him torn to pieces. Shortly after this, Rex admit that he planted the footprint mold in Logan's bag, and that he is responsible for the wireless speaker that Jake had found earlier. Elliott is infuriated by this and almost beats Rex up, but eventually refrains from doing so.
That's okay, Rex is doomed anyway.
Eventually, we're down to Jake and Elliott. They hear a woman screaming in the woods nearby. Jake wants to look for the woman, Elliott doesn't. He just wants out of Ribbesford Forest. They argue, and Jake heads off to find the woman, and is promptly killed by the beast. This leaves Elliott alone, and lost in the forest.
Elliott stumbles around, trying to find his way out. Along the way, he just barely manages to avoid the beast. He runs, he hides. He runs some more, he sobs, he prays, he cries out for help, and he hides some more. After night has fallen, he stumbles onto a Satanic ritual in the woods. He watches from hiding as someone is about to be sacrificed, and at the last minute, cries out, "No! Don't!"
The Satanists turn their attention to Elliott, and the cult leaders shouts for his acolytes to "get" Elliott. He also orders the beast after Elliott. Elliott runs and hides, and manages to avoid capture. He makes it to the following morning, and to a clearing. In the distance, he can see a city. There is a concrete pylon nearby, and Elliott sets the video camera atop the pylon. Looking into the lens, he promises everyone affected by these murders will be vindicated and properly remembered, if it's the last thing he does. Oh no, what could that mean? Ominous foreshadowing, anyone?
Immediately after making this promise, Elliott is attacked and killed by the beast, which looks like a cross between a mutant kangaroo and a German shepherd. The End.
The budget for this movie must have been half an eyelash above nonexistent. The special effects are terrible, particularly the obviously rubber body parts scattered through the forest. When the beast attacks someone, it also feasts on them, which means that we get treated to the associated sounds and noises. In this case, these sounds are very much like some glutton tearing through a bucket of the Colonel's extra crispy chicken from KFC. Fortunately, the film is on the short side, which made it easier to sit through.
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