Grizzly Night Review – A Somber Look at a Real-Life Tragedy

I recently had the chance to watch an early screener of Grizzly Night, a new film based on the true story of two separate grizzly bear attacks that occurred in 1967 in Montana’s Glacier National Park, just nine miles apart.

Made on a relatively modest budget of around $3 million, the film features a mostly lesser-known cast, with familiar faces including Oded Fehr (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns) and Matt Lintz (Ms. Marvel). If you’re going into this expecting a full-on creature feature, though, it’s probably best to reset those expectations right away.

Grizzly Night is not a horror movie in the traditional sense. This isn’t trying to be the Jaws of killer bear movies, and it doesn’t approach the story in a sensational or exploitative way. The attacks themselves are never shown directly, and the violence is kept fairly restrained. The focus here is much more on the people involved and the broader circumstances surrounding the events.

I was generally familiar with the real-life story going in, though I’m sure the film isn’t 100% historically accurate. One of the central themes the movie explores is just how naive park officials and visitors were at the time when it came to interacting with wildlife, especially when it came to feeding practices. From a modern perspective, some of these behaviors can feel almost unbelievable, but that really speaks to how much our understanding of wildlife safety has evolved since the 1960s.

The first half of the film leans into that lack of awareness, often in ways that can feel frustrating to watch with present-day knowledge. As the film moves into its second half, the tone shifts significantly, becoming much more somber as the real-world consequences of these events are explored. The filmmakers’ decision to use real bears rather than CGI adds a level of authenticity to the atmosphere, and the closing moments in particular leave a heavy emotional impression.

That said, the film does have its limitations. The budget constraints are noticeable at times, and while the main performances are serviceable, some moments feel uneven. A few scenes may stretch believability for modern audiences, even when they’re rooted in historical context.

On a personal level, I found Grizzly Night to be a pretty heavy watch. Consider this a content warning for anyone who may be sensitive to themes involving animal harm, even when that harm is mostly implied rather than shown. The film also touches on the aftermath of these attacks, including how they contributed to widespread fear and hunting of grizzlies that nearly pushed the species toward extinction in certain areas, an element that adds another layer of tragedy to the story.

While this isn’t a movie I see myself revisiting often, I do think the story itself is an important piece of wildlife history that’s worth knowing. Even if you end up skipping the film, I’d recommend reading up on the real events and the policy changes that followed in the years after.

Grizzly Night feels like a sincere attempt to tell a difficult true story within its budgetary limits. It isn’t aiming to be a traditional creature feature, and while it didn’t fully land for me personally, I do appreciate the grounded approach it takes. The film arrives on Digital and DVD on February 2nd.

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