Moose: The Movie – review

Making a movie is a hard and expensive process that takes long hours and loads of teamwork.  It is impressive to see local Alaskans work so hard to make a project that is better than most Syfy channel movies. The Carpenter brothers have made independent films before but not one so “community minded.” Moose: The Movie has the help of many folks from throughout Wasilla and has created a unique fictional town that could rival Mayberry or Green Acres for colorful characters.

Moose: The Movie begins with the native tale of a Moosetaur (a half-man and half-moose) that is banished to the underworld. When two campers disturb the totem pole, which acts as a seal to the underworld, the Moosetaur returns to the small Alaskan town of Gangrene Gulch and begins a killing spree. It’s up to the local deputy and a coroner’s assistant to solve the murders and dispatch with the ancient evil.

The movie is beautifully shot and has some great nature photography. The cast gives you their best and they are clearly able to express themselves comically. The writing is fun and has a charm that that crackles with sparks of wit.  The colorful characters make it an entertaining movie and the tight editing gives it almost cartoonish timing.

My only complaints are fairly minor nitpicky reviewer stuff like small continuity errors. Since this is an extremely low budget movie it is free from a lot of that criticism. They get what they can work with, and the end product is nothing to be ashamed of. If there were one minor thing I would change it would be to remove at least one of the two pairs of bumbling comic relief.

Alaska, this is YOUR movie. Enjoy it. The locals are having fun, the humor is not malicious, and it is clearly a labor of love. If you are from Alaska you should definitely see this movie if you can. If you aren’t from Alaska you should still see it for some good humor and to see that even on a low budget a good movie can be made.