The Bray Road Beast

This is a documentary with re-enactments and interviews of people who have had firsthand accounts. At face value, it's well put together with good effects and very its thought provoking. I've done a bit of novice research and found that there are hundreds upon hundreds of accounts of these creatures the earth over. There are several researchers online who have had firsthand encounters themselves and have interviewed persons with several harrowing experiences. There's an occasional paranormal element to these creatures that is baffling to me, but lends to the idea that there is some sort of demonic influence involved. Nevertheless, far be it from me to discount the existence of these creatures, being that the vast reaches of the most remote forests are as unexplored as the deepest parts of the oceans in this God's green and blue earth. Linda Godfrey is the real deal, and you can listen to several interviews she's conducted over the years the internet over. Linda is a credible, intelligent, well versed lady whose genuineness is evident in all her interviews and books. At the very least, have fun with it, because it's easy being an arm-chair critic from our lazy boy, as opposed to spending days on end in the remotest parts of "no mans land". I'll be the first to admit-I wouldn't do it.

This was another documentary from Seth Breedlove that I decided to check out. I wasn't familiar with this cryptid but from the poster, it seemed like it was falling in line with werewolf lore. I decided to put this on late in my day at work and treat it like a podcast, looking down if there is something particularly interesting.

Delving more into this, these events happen in Wisconsin. Bray Road has an interesting history. It seems like a family, the Brays, slowly moved into the area. Each member bought farms that neighbored the next. The road was then named after them. There are members of this family that are interviewed for this documentary.

Something I found interesting here is that we have a reporter named Linda Godfrey who works in the area. She is an expert, compiling data and wrote a book about it. What is good there is that she feels like our central character to help explain things that get introduced further.

Now this one is broken up into different chapters. What I love about this one is that there is additional research done here, delving into the history of werewolf folklore. We also get to see maps, old drawings and even get drone shots of the area. That helps to set the stage and frame what we hear even more. That was something that felt like it needed credit.

I'll also say that this is well made. Breedlove and his team present interesting information. He has different things to break it up so it doesn't just have us seeing someone be interviewed. The CG effects to bring the creatures to life have charm. This is paced well and doesn't outstay its welcome. I even like that eerie feel that Godfrey points out. There are similar sightings in different places that match up to what is said here. That could be people hearing things and being influenced. I can't discredit what they say though since I don't have proof to the contrary.

This one is a fast watch if you're interested in documentaries like this.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

This film is almost all smoke and no fire. More of a werewolf history, mixed with hearsay and second hand testimony, not much better than most Bigfoot docs.

Features like this one are always entertaining for me.... I really do enjoy them. That said .....generally they anger me a bit, too. Again, wjy has no one have any substantial proof of ANY ONE of these critters that the cable channels like to show. I think they did finally solve the Chupacabre creature by finding a couple of these dead on roads in the south and the DNA & blood were tested to snow they were not something of the supernatural world...just a new species of am animal.

I am a realist with an open mind, think logically and believe in science is the only way we will learn of these creatures. Bray Rd critter may be an off shoot of a wolf we know little about...other than itjas been spotted and likes road kill. Somebody just needs to set some smart traps and they will catch it or if shot...shoot it with a dart gun sleep agent....we should not kill unless forced too.

I'm a big believer for reviewing movies for what they are, not what you want them to be. This documentary is actually pretty good in terms of explaining where the modern 'werewolf' myths and legends come from as well as highlighting the specifics surrounding the 'Bray Road' sightings. If you are looking for proof in terms of high def video or other things then I'm afraid you're going to be left wanting.

I should also say that a friend told me about this movie because our high school math teacher was interviewed in it. Let me just say in that regard that Lee Hampel in my opinion is an honest man with a very high IQ. He is not your average farmer or retiree so if he says there is some animal roaming around or tearing up carcasses on his property in Elkhorn then I don't doubt it, and I'm bias in this regard but I wish they had spent more time with him and his story because he is not a local and was clearly a skeptic when he first heard about it, it was only his experiences that changed his mind and he does provide by far the best evidence of something going on by both testimony and physical evidence. I wish they had spent more time or had some kind of expert evaluate what he has gathered as clearly he wasn't able to get very far in terms of asking experts to weigh in.

My only criticisms would be the overall marketing and feel of the movie. The intro as well as the cover and overall vibe have a 'Blair Witch' fake horror mocumentary feel to it that is not consistent with what the movie is trying to be. The people interviewed are all very serious in terms of just telling the facts as they have researched it so why put all this imagery to make it scarier or creepy. Furthermore some of the CGI looking reenactments were also a little hooky looking, but for low budget stuff that's what you get.

I would give it a solid B+