Grizzly Night is based on a true story of deadly bear attacks in the summer of 1967. Joan Devereaux (Lauren Call) is a park ranger leading a group of tourists on a hike. A few miles away, some friends have set out on a camping trip. The two find themselves connected by an unprecedented event.
“Based on a true story” is usually code for taking something that really happened and dramatizing it to unrecognizable levels. One glance at the poster and it is clear that Grizzly Night is going to be a “when animals attack” movie in the style of Jaws. As it turns out, the plot follows closer to the truth than the marketing lets one.
Grizzly Night is a character driven tale that is less about the grizzlies and more about the human victims. The lack of killer bears is noticeable-they are only in a handful of scenes-but what the movie does provide is well-done. The tension is less about possible attacks and more about survival. Due to the large cast, it is hard to feel for any one character, but the pacing makes the entire situation engaging.
There are some missteps along the way. The writing tries to have it both ways. At first it jumps between both groups before deciding to break Grizzly Night up into what is essentially two stories. The second attack is essentially ignored until it becomes the main story for the last ten minutes. The mention of wildfires and some tenuous connections also end up being pointless.
That being said, Grizzly Night is an entertaining watch. There are some disgustingly good gore effects following the attacks and the brisk pacing keeps things moving. The grounded approach is surprising, but is perfect for the story being told.
