Merriell Sunday Sr. and Hollis Bannister vanished in Alaska. Ellie and Merriell Jr. mount a search, but an ancient threat stalks their expedition into the wilderness, hunting them as they seek the truth behind the disappearances.
“The Yeti” wears its love for classic creature features on its sleeve, drawing clear inspiration from 1940s monster movies like “The Wolfman” and “The Ghost of Frankenstein.” The filmmakers have gone all-in on recreating that vintage Hollywood vibe—there’s an obvious attention to period detail, from the costumes to the sets, and the choice to use old-fashioned monster makeup instead of CGI gives the film a certain charm. Most of the cast turn in solid performances, too.
But for all its affection for the era, “The Yeti” struggles to keep the audience engaged. The plot feels thin and stretched, bogged down by long, sluggish passages where not much actually happens. Pacing is a persistent issue—the story stalls, and after a while, you start to wish something, anything, would shake things up. Tonally, the film never quite lands: it flirts with camp and B-movie humor one moment, then swings back to taking itself seriously the next. By the end, it settles on a straight-faced approach, but the abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion only underscores its uncertainty.
Set in 1947, the film opens with oil tycoon Merriell Sunday Sr. (Corbin Bernsen) and explorer Hollis Bannister (William Sadler) vanishing in the wilds of northern Alaska. Hollis’ daughter, Ellie (Brittany Allen), is enlisted by Merriell’s son (Eric Nelsen) to lead a search party. The group quickly finds themselves stranded by a storm, cut off from the outside world, and, soon enough, stalked by a mysterious beast. There’s genuine promise in this setup, and directors Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta do manage to evoke a little old-school suspense. Like “Jaws,” they keep the creature mostly hidden until the climax, hoping to build tension.
Unfortunately, that tension rarely materializes. Endless dialogue and scenes that go nowhere zap the movie’s energy, and when the monster does finally make an appearance, it’s barely glimpsed. Most attacks happen offscreen, and the film lurches between dark comedy and earnest horror so often that it never finds its footing.
Some of the characters’ decisions are baffling, even by horror movie standards. In one especially awkward scene, two people leave the shelter to reach a radio tower. One climbs, while the other, distracted by headphones, is oblivious to the lurking danger. Instead of landing as intentional humor, the moment just feels forced and pulls you out of the story. The characters start off cautious, only to suddenly make choices that feel designed purely for a cheap scare.
And then there’s the ending. The sole survivor makes a desperate escape by rowing out onto the Bering Sea, an implausible move that strains credibility even for a monster movie. After all the buildup, it’s a disappointing note to end on—especially given the promise the trailer showed.
“The Yeti” has its heart in the right place, and there are flashes of what could have been a fun throwback. But between the sluggish pacing, inconsistent tone, and a conclusion that doesn’t quite stick the landing, the film feels more like a missed opportunity than a memorable homage.
Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD May 19th
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