Grizzly Man (2005)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Sam B

  
  An immediately captivating premise is elevated by Werner Herzog's perfect pacing and elegant editing, and the undeniably beautiful yet eerie, tragically ironic footage taken by Timothy Treadwell, the man who lived for 13 summers with grizzly bears before being eaten by one in… More
  An immediately captivating premise is elevated by Werner Herzog's perfect pacing and elegant editing, and the undeniably beautiful yet eerie, tragically ironic footage taken by Timothy Treadwell, the man who lived for 13 summers with grizzly bears before being eaten by one in 2003. The clearly troubled, possibly insane Treadwell set out to film bears, and Herzog instead turns this wealth of amazing footage on its original, now-deceased filmmaker to create an utterly human story.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"For once there is weakness they will exploit it, they will take me out, they will decapitate me, they will chop me into bits and pieces. I'm dead. But so far, I persevere. Persevere."</i> A devastating and heartrending take on grizzly bear activists… More
  <i>"For once there is weakness they will exploit it, they will take me out, they will decapitate me, they will chop me into bits and pieces. I'm dead. But so far, I persevere. Persevere."</i> A devastating and heartrending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> The lives and deaths of Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard in the wilds of Alaska are far from simple. Treadwell fancied himself a lone man holding back the evils of civilization from the bears he loved. As to whether he actually did that or any good is open to debate. Werner Herzog took the hundred plus hours of footage shot by Treadwell, adding his own footage of interviews with people who knew Treadwell and formed it into a documentary that tries to get into the mind of man and to understand what he was trying to do.(The film is almost totally silent about Huguenard, who barely appears in any of the footage and who's family and friends refused to speak to Herzog) Its a riveting portrait of an obsessive man who ultimately had his own view of the world and of nature. Its an up and down portrait that makes you think and feel and think some more as we travel along with Herzog in his attempt to get to know a man who died doing what he loved. As with many of the people that Herzog has profiled in the past you both love and hate the man, who turns out to be far more shaded than most black and white portraits ever are. Frankly I don't know what I think of Treadwell and his mission to "save the bears" since its never clear what he was actually doing other than being a "bear" himself. I'm troubled by the fact that the one time we see other people come close to the bears Treadwell remains in hiding as these "tourists" throw rocks at his friends. Its an interesting turn from a man who professes endlessly that he is keeping the bears safe. Which is the real Timothy Treadwell? I don't have an answer. Its a question thats going to be haunting me for several days to come. Its the sort of reaction I love to get from a movie since it forces you to think about what you've just seen instead of having it spoon fed to you. See this movie. Its a movie that shows you more than just cute little animals roaming in the wild. Its a film that makes you wonder about mankind and his place in the world and in the wild. (Just be ready for very graphic descriptions of the deaths of Treadwell and his girlfriend)

• Jennifer X

  
  Man Timothy Treadwell was stupid, like, really stupid. I love Herzog documentaries because they're ostensibly about the subject and then shift into something completely different, almost perverse. I'd love to pick his cavernous brain sometime.

• Ken S

  
  Beautiful, funny, terrifying and worth seeing. A few scenes are absolutely haunting.

• Lady D

  
  Wow, this film raises so many questions and possible conspiracies, but is a very interesting watch. BEWARE CONTAINS SPOILERS There seems no doubt that Timothy Treadwell (The Kind Warrior) had a love for the bears he spent several seasons around, he also seemed to show no fear… More
  Wow, this film raises so many questions and possible conspiracies, but is a very interesting watch. BEWARE CONTAINS SPOILERS There seems no doubt that Timothy Treadwell (The Kind Warrior) had a love for the bears he spent several seasons around, he also seemed to show no fear around them. The documentary made up of amateur footage by Treadwell, mixed with interviews from friends and family, plus expert opinions on the death of Treadwell and girlfriend, was a slightly warts n all type of film. The documentary certainly has you questioning certains elements of the quest; the bears getting used to humans could be bad for Poaching (as mentioned in the film), Treadwell tried to appear in the footage as if he were alone, but that wasn't always the case, little tantrums and ongoing camera takes, seemed to show a little more self-importance than perhaps you would normally associate with such a person. The conspiracist in me almost wonders if this was a "Regiie Perrin" type exit, the main reason behind it was the lens cap being kept on, when the whole attack was taking place. The killing of the Culprit was against everything the film should have stood for.

• Conner R

  
  It really isn't a documentary on Timothy Treadwell's life, but the videos he made leading up to his death. On the one hand it's really interesting and effective, a lot of the found footage is unbelievable. As far as Herzog's contribution, it is almost a mocking… More
  It really isn't a documentary on Timothy Treadwell's life, but the videos he made leading up to his death. On the one hand it's really interesting and effective, a lot of the found footage is unbelievable. As far as Herzog's contribution, it is almost a mocking attack on Treadwell's ego and stupidity for living in nature. It seemed that he had no respect for the man and did everything he could to poke fun, even if it was simply keeping the camera rolling after an interview was over. The little shred of humanity he produces feels forced and corny. I really don't know what Herzog wanted to do with this, but it was certainly confusing to pick out a direction with all of his conflicting views.

• Dan S

  
  An arresting and incredible documentary concerning a delusional grizzly bear observer who put his life in harm's way in order to bring himself closer to the animals he loved so much - a decision that ultimately cost him his life in the fall of 2003. Herzog has crafted a fine… More
  An arresting and incredible documentary concerning a delusional grizzly bear observer who put his life in harm's way in order to bring himself closer to the animals he loved so much - a decision that ultimately cost him his life in the fall of 2003. Herzog has crafted a fine motion picture, as he studies someone who you at first kind of admire and find to be lovable, but as the film goes on, the madness, and sheer insanity is brought out in ugly fashion, and you can't help but feel sorry for this sad, pretentious figure. It's not a perfect documentary by any stretch of the imagination, but it ends on an appropriately haunting note, making this a film that will definitely stick with you for years to come.

• Sophie B

  
  A really good film with the footage taken by Timmy and the director. Timmy is such a funny guy it was really entertaining to watch him. It's sad that he died. In some parts the film did tend to make Timmy look crazy and a bit insane really.

• Anthony L

  
  An astonishing insight into a troubled human being who sought and found comfort living with wild bears before being killed by one. Watching Treadwell's videos and knowing what eventually happens to him can make for uncomfortable viewing but with Werner Herzog's realistic and… More
  An astonishing insight into a troubled human being who sought and found comfort living with wild bears before being killed by one. Watching Treadwell's videos and knowing what eventually happens to him can make for uncomfortable viewing but with Werner Herzog's realistic and unbiased approach and choice of real footage makes this one of the most amazing and incredible documentaries I?ve ever seen!

• Stephen M

  
  Even though the director and star of this film never met, it's impossible to watch <I>Grizzly Man</I> without recasting Timothy Treadwell - mauled to death by one of the grizzly bears he was 'protecting' (in an Alaskan National Park!) - as another of Werner… More
  Even though the director and star of this film never met, it's impossible to watch <I>Grizzly Man</I> without recasting Timothy Treadwell - mauled to death by one of the grizzly bears he was 'protecting' (in an Alaskan National Park!) - as another of Werner Herzog's crazy dreamers, the sort that Klaus Kinski used to play. My one gripe would be that there's something strange and unnatural about some of Herzog's supplementary interview material. In particular, the scenes with Treadwell's ex-girlfriend and the coroner who examined his remains after the bear attack feel like they've been rehearsed beforehand. Check out the scene where the coroner gives the ex-girlfriend Treadwell's watch back and you'll see what I mean. Otherwise, I thought this was a superb documentary with a lovely score by Richard Thompson.

• danny d

  
  ive seen this film 3 times now and each time it entertained the heck out of me. herzog is obviously a master filmmaker, but treadwells story is also so interesting that it doesnt get old. the man was insane, but to see a man believe so much in what he was doing is oddly inspiring.… More
  ive seen this film 3 times now and each time it entertained the heck out of me. herzog is obviously a master filmmaker, but treadwells story is also so interesting that it doesnt get old. the man was insane, but to see a man believe so much in what he was doing is oddly inspiring. a sad but thoughtful look into the mind of a crazy bear man.

• Jason S

  
  Excellent but haunting look into the life of a man who was clearly not all there. The insertion of this man's footage into the movie gives that voice from beyond feeling to it that adds to the loss of his life. He truly thought the bears would never harm him... This doc is… More
  Excellent but haunting look into the life of a man who was clearly not all there. The insertion of this man's footage into the movie gives that voice from beyond feeling to it that adds to the loss of his life. He truly thought the bears would never harm him... This doc is perfectly made and the decision of the filmmaker to not air the audio of the actual attack is classy and respectful. The story is sad enough without having to add the shock and exploitative nature of the death sounds. The whole thing is tragic. A must watch for anyone in to documentary films.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man is a lot more than just a simple compilation of images of some guy talking to bears, in the hands of the german filmaker this becomes a fantasy-shattering look at the coldness and indiference of nature. It's also a look at the life of a lonely man… More
  Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man is a lot more than just a simple compilation of images of some guy talking to bears, in the hands of the german filmaker this becomes a fantasy-shattering look at the coldness and indiference of nature. It's also a look at the life of a lonely man (Treadwell) that, leaving aside all his more than clear mental issues, was above anything else loyal to his goal, as insane as said goal could have been. Herzog is no stranger to stories about people dedicating their lives to wild dreams, the man himself shares this trait with Treadwell (not in the same way certainly) and it makes perfect sense that Herzog got attracted to this story. In the hands of any other director this would have been nothing but a freak show easily mocking Treadwell, which indeed is just a very easy target. But in the hands of Mr Herzog the whole story adquires different layers of complexity. Oh sure, Treadwell was a nutcase, no doubt there, but a very interesting nutcase to watch. Herzog presents the crude cold facts, nothing more.

• Julie B

  
  I know no one "asks" to be eaten by a grizzly bear, but seriously, this guy was freakin nuts. (Wait, was I supposed to say "spoiler alert"??)

• Lenny M

  
  Great Documentary, captures the eccentricities of z Grizzly Man, that's how Herzog would say it.

• Curtis L

  
  Pretty good. Sad, but good

• Tim S

  
  Herzog's narration is hilarious.

• Lafe F

  
  A tragedy not caught on film, with as much anticipated morbid-curiosity as The Blair Witch Project had. Timothy Treadwell is a deluded individual who thinks he can live freely with Bears; as if there's some sort of mental bond. He spends a lot of time with the bears in Alaska.… More
  A tragedy not caught on film, with as much anticipated morbid-curiosity as The Blair Witch Project had. Timothy Treadwell is a deluded individual who thinks he can live freely with Bears; as if there's some sort of mental bond. He spends a lot of time with the bears in Alaska. Eventually they eat him and his girlfriend. It's sad. The footage doesn't show the attack. A park ranger describe what they found afterwards, and a coroner describes things vaguely. There is an audio recording of it, but the woman with the tape won't let us listen to it. The footage of Treadwell throughout shows him as a fun, carefree individual who didn't get along with humans very well.

• Leigh R

  
  This guy was insane but I liked his work.

• Antony S

  
  With his eye-opening documentary, Werner delivers a favourable comanion piece to My Best Fiend, in his examination of a man who, like Kinski, was extremeley passionate about what he did, but perhaps lived too far on the edge. Timothy Treadwell's final few years are shown to us… More
  With his eye-opening documentary, Werner delivers a favourable comanion piece to My Best Fiend, in his examination of a man who, like Kinski, was extremeley passionate about what he did, but perhaps lived too far on the edge. Timothy Treadwell's final few years are shown to us via his own amateurish videos, in which we can learn much of his charming, perhaps even naive, philosophy, tenderness, humour and moments of anger. He faces not only the prospect of mortal injury from the creatures he attempts to befriend (he admits this himself more than once), but also defamation, hate mail and threats from poachers. But throughout he maintains an electic but fascinating individual. One of the film's greatest strengths is in it's ability to sidestep any over-sentimentality. Indeed, audio footage of his demise is available, but Herzog chooses to avoid manipulating his audience, indeed, the words of the people who knew him are enough to paint the picture for ourselves. The closest we get is footage of Werner listening to the audio, his tearful reaction far more respectful than the shock value of throwing it in our faces. This in turn is aided by the sensitive score, all delicate guitar picks as opposed than forceful strings or choral arrangements.

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