The Bottom Line
Pros
- Some (unintentional) humor
- Decent gore
Cons
- Awful CGI
- Bad dialogue
- Unlikable characters
- Mediocre acting
Description
- Starring Carly Pope, Marc Menard, Peter DeLuise, Ed Marinaro, Adam O'Byrne, Ona Grauer, Brandon Jay McLaren, Elfina Luk
- Directed by Paul Ziller
- Not Rated
- DVD Release Date: January 13, 2009
Guide Review - 'Yeti' DVD Review
Yeti is the latest in the line of Sci Fi Channel fodder known as the Maneater Series (see also Vipers and about 10 other animals-run-amok flicks), and while I can't say it's better than the rest, its entertainment value is a notch above other Maneaters.
The story finds a college football team flying to Japan (?) for a bowl game (the Teriyaki Bowl?). The plane goes down in the Himalayas for no explained reason, killing most on board, including the coach (Ed Marinaro, although he's credited as "Ed Marino" on the DVD; ouch). The kids must thus put aside their personal differences and fight for survival in the snowy wilderness.
Star quarterback Peyton Elway (!) battles for control of the group with resident jerk Ravin, who's ready to eat the dead within the first 24 hours. Also ready to eat them is an abominable snowman lurking in the woods. Lucky for them, there's an American (Peter DeLuise) working at the Himalayan Rescue Association who amasses a massive party of TWO to save the team. Unfortunately, no one's there to save him.
No one expects high art from a Sci Fi Channel movie, but Yeti, which aired on the channel in 2008 as Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon, is particularly bad. And yet, that's what makes it particularly enjoyable. From the poor writing (plot points are introduced and abandoned) to the poor special effects (they choose to render the yeti in CGI for action scenes) to lines like "We're no better than what's out there if we continue to eat these bodies!", it's a treat for a Saturday night of beverage-induced laughs.
Frankly, it could've been better if the filmmakers had bought more fully into the film's awfulness -- although if there's any doubt that it doesn't take itself seriously, the scene of the yeti ripping a man's leg off and beating him with it should resolve that real quick.
The DVD
No special features.
Movie: C-
DVD: F
