This review originally appeared on the now-defunct site, Ghastly Grinning.
So, full disclosure before I start this review, I adore found footage movies (including hybrid ones). Not only that, I love horror movies that take place in the woods. There is just something so creepy about being in the middle of nowhere in a place where you can easily get turned around. With that being said, it was pretty much a sure thing that I would enjoy Hoax. Did I actually like it? You bet I did!
In Hoax, “an investigative team travels deep into the wilderness after a group of young campers is viciously murdered and linked to Bigfoot. The highly specialized crew searches for evidence and fights to survive the powerful beast. If they work together, they may live to prove the existence of Bigfoot, but what they discover may be more unexpected and dangerous than anything they could have imagined.”
Hoax’s story is nothing groundbreaking. We have seen it before in just about every found footage film. What Hoax did right was that they kept it interesting. There is a good mix of humor and scares throughout the film. People actually screamed at the showing I was at. Despite mostly figuring out the ending (which I won’t spoil), I still enjoyed the ride. The landscape photography in the film is stunning. The aerial shots do a great job of setting the tone for just how far out in the wilderness the characters are. 
The casting of the film was alright. The acting is a bit over the top, but perhaps intentionally so. It didn’t hinder me from being able to get into the movie and have fun with it. The best performance in the film is Adrienne Barbeau’s cameo. Even though her performance isn’t long, I love seeing her on screen. Also, some fun nods to her past performances include her character’s name being Wilma, as well as an indirect mention of The Fog by some other characters in the film.
Overall, as the title suggests, Hoax is a fun romp in the woods. I think this is definitely a movie for people into Bigfoot movies or Found Footage, as opposed to a casual horror fan. It would actually make for a great double feature with Eduardo Sanchez’s Exists. I will definitely be adding this one to my library and can’t wait to watch it again. HOAX is available ON DEMAND and BLU-RAY on August 20th.
My ranking: 3/5