Movie Review: Mt. Adams Paranormal? It sure is in this Movie

Recent chatter about a door opening up on Mt. Adams in an area where the glacier has melted and supposed paranormal activity is occurring- a possible UFO hanger? - provide interesting timing. Our man of Reviews’ Jim Drake just happened upon a film of the same subject matter. He even interviewed the directors and found out a little bit about their odd forest experiences. - Tom Peterson

By Jim Drake

Last week I was watching a YouTube channel called Movies&Sue. Sue lives in Connecticut and besides giving concise, straightforward reviews of movies, she travels around to different department stores and buys movies for her home collection. Imagine my surprise when she encountered a DVD in her local Walmart called “Mount Adams.” The artwork depicted dinosaurs and UFOs surrounding the iconic shape of our local landmark. I think she commented “well, this looks interesting,” but she did not buy the movie. She often comments on how many new under the radar independent movies appear in the store every week, and her channel is focused on mainstream releases.

I, of course, was intrigued by the title, and I challenged myself to find out more about what was going on. After all, I can see Mount Adams from my back window. And, we all know that the mountain is visible from the Hood River Walmart parking lot.

Although it took several days of web searching, phone calls and emails, I tracked down filmmakers Phillip and Tim Wade. They live near Salem, Oregon, and the brothers were more than happy to talk about their background, the movie and the challenges they faced in this years-long production.

Our un-edited Zoom conversation is HERE.]

Since I found out about the movie, I’ve been to our local Walmart, twice, to see if they had the movie. And twice, I’ve struck out. That’s ironic, and frustrating because the Wade’s say they found their movie in several locations in the Willamette Valley. As I mentioned before, (start rant) YOU CAN SEE THE MOUNTAIN FROM THE PARKING LOT. THIS MOVIE, WHETHER IT’S GOOD OR BAD, SHOULD BE ON YOUR SHELVES.(end rant).

The Gorge is known for so many special qualities and unique recreational activities. The scenery, the agriculture, the wind and water sports, the wine and beer. The Mount Adams movie, although not the first to feature the Gorge in a film, represents another reason why we need to preserve all the beauty that’s here. It inspires people. The Wade’s have made a movie that has put the name of the local mountain in front of a lot of people. And who knows, that could open up the lore and history of the area to a whole new audience.

Review

If you’re looking for an in-depth understanding at how a UFO investigator solves the mystery of an alien presence in the land that is home to storied legends like Bigfoot and Sasquaches, Mount Adams is not that film. 

But it is a film that does exactly what the producers said it does: it depicts the fight for survival of a team of UFO investigators as they are attacked by the very creatures they’re trying to understand.

So why is this a problem?

It’s a problem because the special effects and depiction of the prehistoric creatures and alien UFOs that are making Mount Adams their home are impressive, especially for an indie film. They are so interesting, in fact, that I found myself wanting to know everything - from the background of why they were there, how did they get there, can they be communicated with - you know, investigative questions! 

Unfortunately, what we got was a wilderness survival story that leaves more questions than answers.

Mount Adams is a science fiction drama by Oregon filmmakers Phillip and Tim Wade. The Mount Adams wilderness area in southwest Washington is the backdrop for the story involving UFO investigators who travel to the base of the mountain to investigate reports of strange phenomena including unexplained red lights in the sky, sightings of monstrous creatures and the disappearance of various persons. 

Glen Craven (played by Tim Wade) is the leader of a six-person team, which includes his wife, Lily (played by Emily Sweet). The plan is to spend three days interviewing locals and capturing on camera the reported alien phenomena. A park ranger is hired to help guide the way. On the first day, after several cryptic interviews with local residents, the group makes it up to an ideal viewing spot at the mountain’s base and manages to capture a brief film of a spaceship flying by. But when the group returns to camp, things start to go horribly wrong.

From here, the team must focus on surviving attack after attack from creatures that would look perfectly home at Jurassic Park. As all hope of answering any investigative questions fade away, the story somewhat evolves into showing how the group leader must put away his fears and try to deliver sound advice on how to work together and best protect the remaining team. 

The group’s cameraman (played by Phillip Wade) adds to the mystery of the mountain, as his role gives some frustrating clues into the Red Light phenomena.

Obviously, a lot of effort went into making this project - this was certainly not a shaky hand-held production. Anyone familiar with the wilderness area should get a kick out of seeing how the film uses the mountain, and the high aerial shots of the roads highlight the dramatic scenery.

Had more dialog been devoted to the scientific research questions and discussion about the alien presence on the mountain, I think Mount Adams would have been a more cohesive film. Most Comforting Movie Fact: “No extraterrestrial creatures were harmed in the making of this film.”

(1 hr 34 min, Rated 18+ Adult)