January 24, 2023 – I saw this blu-ray in a pawn shop and could not resist buying it. The title is irresistible, but when you add Sam Elliot as the star, and include John Sayles and Douglas Trumbull as executive producers, that's a lot of icing on the cake.

Trumbull also contributes his special effects wizardry (“Blade Runner,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “2001: A Space Odyssey”) to this film, which helps to make this low-budget movie look like it has a bigger budget.

Veteran actor Sam Elliot (“1883,” “Ghost Rider” and “Tombstone”) gives his usual strong performance as Calvin Barr, a man haunted by his past as an assassin who killed Hitler. Years later, he gives an account about how Hitler's assassination was covered up by the U.S. and German governments.

Calvin hangs out at a local bar, thinking about his past (in flashbacks, his younger self is played by Aidan Turner of the “Lord of the Rings” movies) and thinking how pointless it was to kill Hitler. It did not change anything. Walking back to his car, he is assaulted by three thugs, who very quickly find out they picked on the wrong old man.

Calvin goes to visit his brother Ed (played by Larry Miller of “A Mighty Wind”) at his brother's barber shop where they talk about maybe going fishing someday. The same fishing trip suggestion was previously mentioned by his bartender, George (Alton Fitzgerald White of “The Goldfinch”). Calvin tells George, “Those sound like the kind of places where a man such as yourself might think a man such as myself might go off happily to die, George. Am I right?”

Fortunately, Calvin is offered another option, a chance for another adventure, and a chance to be the hero, to save the world. Agents from the U.S. government and Canadian government come to his house and tell him that Bigfoot is spreading a deadly plague and needs to be killed, but all the hunters who have tried to kill Bigfoot have died in the attempt. Calvin, with his unique skills, is the last hope, before the governments resort to the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Calvin sets off in pursuit of Bigfoot, still thinking of his troubled past along the way, including the family who left him because of his frequent absences on missions like this one. As good as he is, Bigfoot turns out to be a worthy opponent, strong, cunning, resourceful, a survivor. It becomes a battle to the death, and death is not something that Calvin fears. It is more like an old friend, who is waiting patiently for him.

There is some action in this movie, but mostly, it is a psychological drama about a man nearing the end of his life, and reflecting back on it. He feels that his life has had no meaning, despite all that he has accomplished. The quest to kill Bigfoot offers Calvin a chance to improve his own legacy.

The movie leaves some things up in the air, like the question of how Calvin feels about his legacy, and what was in that box he keeps under his bed. We also never learn why he calls Bigfoot “the Bigfoot” instead of just Bigfoot. Is there just one Bigfoot? No brothers, sisters, aunts or uncles?

The ending of the film is puzzling, but we do get a pretty good sense of who Calvin is. This character reminds me of another one that Sam Elliot played in the 2017 movie, “The Hero.” The extras on the blu-ray are interesting as well. This movie rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff (no extra charges apply). I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

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