Decades after ending World War II by assassinating Adolf Hitler in an undercover operation, unsung American hero Calvin Barr is called upon by the government to hunt down the fabled Bigfoot, the carrier of a deadly plague that could destroy humanity.
What sort of film do you expect when you hear the title, The Man Who Killed Hiter And Then The Bigfoot? One would likely expect a campy, cheesy, and frivolous self-aware grindhouse comedy. Maybe something along the lines of Iron Sky or Inglourious Basterds. Instead, what we have is a dour and sullen dramatic performance that is played as seriously is Sam Elliott can play it (and serious is something that Elliott excels at). Such a different performance to what we got from Elliott in A Star Is Born.
The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot is--as the title does actually suggest--not so much about Hitler and Bigfoot, as it is about the man who killed them. A man cursed in a Russian barber's attempt to save his life. Just to reiterate, this is a serious drama. Much of the story feels like something that would make a great spoof or satire, and to be perfectly honest, the director should be commended for trying something different. The tone of the film simply doesn't match the content, unfortunately.
We follow a retired man, Calvin Barr (portrayed by Elliott), a man whose life is affected by two assassinations that he has to carry out. The film has a non-linear narrative, frequently jumping back and forwards in time, between current day Barr drowning his sorrows and his younger self carrying out his execution of the Führer. The reason for the choppy flashbacks is unclear, as Barrs existence in retirement and a basic history knowledge (along with the title of the film) spoils what will happen in the flashback, and yet it is teased piece by piece, along with a large cumbersome romantic arc that leads absolutely nowhere.
There were scenes in the second act that started to uncover an interesting direction that the film could have taken, looking at the effect that taking that one life has had on him, and the idea that you can kill a man but you cannot kill the beliefs and influence that they had, which can continue to spread like an infection. Ultimately, these themes do not go much further beyond being mentioned.
The third act is where we finally get a little bit of silly that we would have been expecting. Despite taking a campy turn, and some rather peculiar looking practical special effects, The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot maintains an orchestral score throughout which holds on to that serious tone.
Admittedly, the cinematography is really good, whether combined with beautiful scenery or using tight close-up shots to focus on the intensity of Elliot's eyes. There is a great variation in shots.
The jarring inconsistencies between the absurd plot content and the tone of the film prevent this film from being a piece of cinema gold. The directionless narrative leaves the audience with nothing to root for and the slow pacing makes these negative aspects feel more significant. The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot has no purpose, no end goal, and no reason to watch it.
Regardless, The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot is available for purchase on YouTube Movies