Elizabeth Banks's cultural Philistinism definitely shows through here. Although fictionalizing the incident, the film retains the mid-1980s Southern period setting, but fails to make particularly imaginative use of the aesthetics or the mores of the period. A few characters do sport some obnoxious rags or dos, though not always enough to put them firmly into the 1980s: the only markedly period-accurate aspect is the absence of mobile phones.
The film also contains a number of truncated subplots and fails to give the survivors a sufficiently sympathetic backstory, so we know who they will be well before the movie is over and yet we still don't care. (Of course, perhaps that was the fault of the original script, or of whoever approved the final cut.) The actors also have a tendency to slide in and out of their Southern accents.
Fortunately, at least for the most part, the pacing, terror and humor override the general "sloppiness" of the setup. The bear attacks are more than sufficiently gruesome and funny to take attention away the fundamental flaws. It makes for a fun little ride, though 45 euro for three cinema tickets was definitely a racket. Overall a nice little waste of time, so long as you keep your expectations subdued.
The film also contains a number of truncated subplots and fails to give the survivors a sufficiently sympathetic backstory, so we know who they will be well before the movie is over and yet we still don't care. (Of course, perhaps that was the fault of the original script, or of whoever approved the final cut.) The actors also have a tendency to slide in and out of their Southern accents.
Fortunately, at least for the most part, the pacing, terror and humor override the general "sloppiness" of the setup. The bear attacks are more than sufficiently gruesome and funny to take attention away the fundamental flaws. It makes for a fun little ride, though 45 euro for three cinema tickets was definitely a racket. Overall a nice little waste of time, so long as you keep your expectations subdued.