Into the Grizzly Maze

Last updated

Into the Grizzly Maze
Into The Grizzly Maze Movie.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by David Hackl
Screenplay by
  • Guy Moshe
  • Jack Reher
Story byJack Reher
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJames Liston
Edited by
  • Michael N. Knue
  • Andrew Coutts
Music byMarcus Trumpp
Production
companies
Distributed by Destination Films
Release dates
  • May 19, 2015 (2015-05-19)(VOD)
  • June 26, 2015 (2015-06-26)(United States)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10 million

Into the Grizzly Maze (originally titled Red Machine, then changed to Endangered and later to Grizzly) is a 2015 American action horror-thriller film directed by David Hackl from a screenplay by Guy Moshe and Jack Reher. [1] It stars James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn, and Billy Bob Thornton. The plot follows two estranged brothers as they reunite at their childhood home in the Alaskan wilderness. The pair are then led to the Grizzly Maze, where they are stalked by a massive, unrelenting, and bloodthirsty grizzly bear. The film was released on video on demand on May 19, 2015, before a limited release on June 26, 2015. [2]

Contents

Plot

In the Alaskan wilderness, at the Grizzly Maze, brothers Beckett and Rowan Moore encounter a grizzly bear. Years later, the brothers have become estranged; Beckett has become a local deputy while Rowan is an ex-convict. Coming home to Alaska, Rowan meets up with old friend Mary Cadillac, who gives him supplies and asks him to find her husband Johnny. Meanwhile, three hunters are slaughtered by the same bear the brothers encountered years earlier.

At a bar, Rowan meets Amber, both of whom later go to a motel room together. However, Rowan kicks Amber out upon discovering she is a prostitute. Amber is assaulted by her boyfriend Franco, who gets into a fight with Rowan. Soon after, Rowan sees Beckett for the first time upon his release from prison; Beckett reveals he has married a deaf-mute wildlife photographer and conservationist named Michelle. Rowan reveals he returned to go to the Grizzly Maze and pay respects to their father. Meanwhile, in the woods, two loggers and their dog are killed by the bear.

After the brothers visit their mother's grave, Beckett gets a radio call about the deaths. Following a map, Rowan comes across a car belonging to Johnny Cadillac. While Beckett investigates the logging incident, hunter and butcher Douglas arrives and tells them that the bear that killed the loggers is an intelligent specimen. While Douglas offers his help to track it, Beckett, accompanied by Rowan’s ex-girlfriend Kaley, goes out to the Maze to find Rowan and Michelle, who had gone missing.

Michelle comes face to face with the bear, but in doing so, gets caught in a trap she set. Rowan arrives and scares off the bear. Sully visits Douglas, who once again informs him that this bear is exacting its wrath due to the poaching and logging rather than satisfying its hunger or establishing its territory. When Zoe, one of Sully's deputies, finds the abandoned car, she is killed by the bear. After Douglas agrees to hunt and kill the bear, Sully and Jerry investigate the car. Beckett and Kaley meet up with Michelle and Rowan.

Michelle and Beckett look at a satellite image of their tagged bears and hypothesize they are running away because of the larger bear; Kaley is attacked by the bear and Rowan and Beckett try to shoot it, the bear runs off. As the bear continues to follow the group, Michelle falls into a dead moose carcass, only to find it is a kill zone full of dead moose. The group decides to make it through the Maze. Sully goes to get the group out by boat. The group encounters Douglas standing over one of Beckett and Michelle's collared bears. Initially believing he killed it, a video recording shows the collared bear was attacked by the larger bear.

Separating from Douglas, the group encounters the bear again. After the group spots the butcher cabin, they find Johnny has died. Setting up camp, Rowan explains to Kaley, during one night in the Maze, Rowan went to Johnny to sell drugs for money. Being a guide to Johnny and his drug dealer, Rowan took the two into the Maze. During a deal, Rowan and the two were hit by state troopers. However, Rowan noticed a ranger was injured and was about to get killed by someone else, but Rowan saved the ranger.

As Sully comes in on his boat, Douglas shoots the bear, and Rowan and Beckett do not find him. Rowan stays behind to distract the bear while Beckett gets the girls to the boat. Rowan manages to make the bear chase him. After Michelle becomes separated from the group, the bear corners her, and Douglas is killed by the bear.

The trio makes it to the boat and is encountered by Sully, who reveals he had let poachers loose into the Maze. The bear arrives and kills Sully. While Rowan and Beckett fight the bear, Beckett pours gasoline around the bear and sets the circle on fire, hoping to trap it. However, the bear runs through the flames and brings down the boat. Protecting the group, Rowan kills the bear, and the group leaves the Maze.

Cast

Production

On January 19, 2012, James Marsden, Thomas Jane, and Billy Bob Thornton joined the cast of the thriller, then titled Red Machine. [3] Later that month, Piper Perabo also joined the film cast to play the role of Jane's fiancee. [4] According to Deadline Hollywood , filming began in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in February 2012. [5] The producers are Tai Duncan, Hadeel Reda, and Paul Schiff. [6] [5]

On February 2, 2012, more cast members were added, including Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus and Kelly Curran. [1] Animal actor Bart the Bear 2 was also hired to co-star. [6] He hailed from Heber City, Utah's Wasatch Rocky Mountain Wildlife. [7] On February 27, 2013, Open Road Films acquired the distribution rights of the film. [8] Open Road also changed the title of the film from Red Machine to Endangered. [9]

Release

After Open Road Films acquired the distribution rights of the film, [8] the studio dropped the project and Vertical Entertainment and Destination Films acquired distribution rights instead and released the film on video on demand on May 19, 2015, before a limited release on June 26, 2015. [10]

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 36% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. [11] The film has a score of 43% on Metacritic out of 4 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Bob Thornton</span> American actor, filmmaker and musician

Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, and musician. He had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller One False Move, and received international attention after writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade (1996), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s following Sling Blade, including Oliver Stone's neo-noir U Turn (1997), political drama Primary Colors (1998), science fiction disaster film Armageddon (1998), the highest-grossing film of that year, and the crime drama A Simple Plan (1998), which earned him his third Oscar nomination.

<i>Dead Man</i> 1995 film

Dead Man is a 1995 American acid western film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Billy Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop, Crispin Glover, John Hurt, Michael Wincott, Lance Henriksen, Gabriel Byrne, Mili Avital, and Robert Mitchum. The movie, set in the late 1800s, follows William Blake, a meek accountant on the run after murdering a man. He has a chance encounter with enigmatic Native American spirit-guide "Nobody", who believes Blake is the reincarnation of the visionary English poet William Blake.

The year 2000 in film involved some significant events. The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible 2. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor. Dinosaur was the most expensive film of 2000 and a box-office success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piper Perabo</span> American actress (born 1976)

Piper Lisa Perabo is an American actress. Following her breakthrough in the comedy-drama film Coyote Ugly (2000), she starred in The Prestige (2006), Angel Has Fallen (2019), and as CIA agent Annie Walker in the USA Network spy drama series Covert Affairs (2010–2014), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American Western drama television series created and executive produced by Beth Sullivan and starring Jane Seymour, who plays Dr. Michaela Quinn, a physician who leaves Boston in search of adventure in the Old West and settles in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

<i>What the Butler Saw</i> (play) Play written by Joe Orton

What the Butler Saw is a two-act farce written by the English playwright Joe Orton. He began work on the play in 1966 and completed it in July 1967, one month before his death. It opened at the Queen's Theatre in London on 5 March 1969. Orton's final play, it was the second to be performed after his death, following Funeral Games in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 MTV Movie Awards</span>

The 2001 MTV Movie Awards were held on June 2, 2001, and were hosted by Jimmy Fallon and Kirsten Dunst. The program featured performances from Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink, Dave Matthews Band and Weezer. Sofia Coppola was presented with an award for Best New Filmmaker. This was Aaliyah's last awards show appearance before her death two months later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Galecki</span> American actor

John Mark Galecki is an American actor. He played Leonard Hofstadter in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019) for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and David Healy in the ABC sitcoms Roseanne and The Conners (2018–2019). Galecki also appeared in the films Prancer (1989), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Suicide Kings (1997), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Bookies (2003), In Time (2011), and Rings (2017).

<i>10th & Wolf</i> 2006 American film

10th & Wolf is a 2006 film about the Philadelphia Mafia directed by Robert Moresco. It is based on a true story of a mob war in South Philadelphia. The film stars James Marsden, Giovanni Ribisi and Brad Renfro and features appearances by Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Piper Perabo, Lesley Ann Warren, Tommy Lee, 1980s Italian comedian, singer, actor and director Francesco Salvi and Brian Dennehy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor</span>

The Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor is an award presented by the Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association. It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role.

David Hackl is a Canadian film director and production designer.

Covert Affairs is an American action drama television series filmed in Toronto, Canada, starring Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham that premiered on Tuesday, July 13, 2010. On January 6, 2015, USA Network canceled Covert Affairs after five seasons.

Jane McGregor is a Canadian actress, known for her roles in Slap Her... She's French (2002), Flower & Garnet (2002), and That Beautiful Somewhere (2006), as well as her recurring role on the television series Robson Arms.

<i>DC Showcase: Jonah Hex</i> 2010 DtV film

DC Showcase: Jonah Hex is a 2010 short animated Western superhero direct-to-video film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos and written by noted western comics writer Joe R. Lansdale, featuring the voice of Thomas Jane as disfigured bounty hunter Jonah Hex on the trail of a ruthless brothel madame who has murdered his latest quarry. The film, which was released on July 27, 2010 as a bonus feature on the Batman: Under the Red Hood 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, was the second of the DC Showcase series and was included on the compilation DVD DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection in an extended version.

<i>You Cant Get Away with Murder</i> 1939 film by Lewis Seiler

You Can't Get Away with Murder is a 1939 crime drama directed by Lewis Seiler, starring Humphrey Bogart and Gale Page, and featuring "Dead End Kid" leader Billy Halop. The film is from Bogart's period of being cast in B pictures by Warner Bros., before his breakthrough as a leading man in High Sierra two years later. The film is based on the play "Chalked Out" by Lewis E. Lawes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grizzly bear</span> Subspecies of brown bear

The grizzly bear, also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.

<i>Black Mass</i> (film) 2015 American film

Black Mass is a 2015 American biographical crime drama film about American mobster Whitey Bulger. Directed by Scott Cooper and written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth, it is based on Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill's 2001 book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. The film features an ensemble cast led by Johnny Depp as Bulger, alongside Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson, and Corey Stoll.

<i>Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies</i> 2013 American film

Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies is a 2013 sports action horror film that was directed by Cody Knotts. An early version of the film was shown at an international horror festival in Whitby, England in October 2013, and the movie was released to DVD on March 28, 2014 along with a limited theatrical release. The movie was funded partly through a successful Kickstarter campaign and through private funds from three investors and stars including several former WWE and current TNA wrestlers that portray themselves fighting against a horde of zombies.

References

  1. 1 2 "Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus and Kelly Curran have rounded out the cast". Variety . February 2, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  2. Miska, Brad (May 8, 2015). "New Trailer Heads 'Into the Grizzly Maze', Already On Dish VOD!". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  3. "Billy Bob Thornton, Thomas Jane & James Marsden Join 'Red Machine'". firstshowing.net. January 19, 2012. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  4. "Piper Perabo has joined the cast of Red Machine". Hollywood.com . January 31, 2012. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Brooks, Brian (January 31, 2012). "Piper Perabo Cast Opposite Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton In 'Red Machine'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Hung's Thomas Jane Versus a Bear in Red Machine Behind-the-Scenes Photo". ComingSoon. February 24, 2012. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  7. "Bart the Bear 2".
  8. 1 2 "Open Road Films Takes Endangered". comingsoon.net. February 27, 2013. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  9. "Open Road Takes Red Machine, Calls It Endangered". ComingSoon. February 27, 2013. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  10. Zimmerman, Samuel (May 12, 2015). "Trailer: Long-awaited Bear Attack Horror, Into the Grizzly Maze". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  11. "Into The Grizzly Maze (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  12. "Into the Grizzly Maze". Metacritic . Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2017.