Cry Wilderness

During a field trip to the Natural History Museum, Paul lingers by a statue of Bigfoot while the rest of the class moves on. He tells headmaster Mr. Douglas that he met Bigfoot last summer and that the creature loves Coca-Cola, even gifting him a radio. This moment sets up the clash between childhood belief and grown-up skepticism.

Mr. Douglas admonishes Paul, insisting he's too old to believe in fairy tales and orders him to rejoin his class. He threatens to expel Paul if he continues talking about Bigfoot, highlighting the adult disbelief surrounding the myth.

A mysterious man arrives at Will's cabin and introduces himself as Morgan, a big-game hunter hired by the sheriff to hunt the large animal. The four of them prepare to pursue the creature, shifting from suspicion and fear to a planned hunt. This marks a turning point toward danger and human conflict.

Convinced by Bigfoot's warning that his father is in danger, Paul leaves the dorm and hitchhikes toward the park. He reunites with his father Will and meets Jim along the way, forming the core team for the coming hunt. This decision marks Paul's commitment to his family and belief despite fear.

The group discovers a ruin filled with crushed Coke cans and a radio still playing rock music, echoing Paul’s last summer clues about Bigfoot. Paul's agate amulet glows orange, linking the park’s mysteries to his magical encounter. Jim remains skeptical but curious about the tangible evidence.

The team finds a sick bird and takes it to Helen, the park’s veterinarian, whose outdoor cages reveal the park’s unusual animal collection. They later learn a cougar enclosure has been torn open and the cougar is missing. The animal disruptions escalate the sense of danger in the park.

A Bengal tiger escapes from the circus and begins roaming the park, forcing the group to adjust their plans and pursue the animal. The tiger’s presence raises the stakes and tests their resolve as they move through the park’s rugged terrain. The threat of wildlife adds a tangible danger to their mission.

They track the tiger into an old mining town and descend into its tunnels, where Will shoots the animal with a tranquilizer. Paul climbs toward the ruins where Bigfoot is said to live and tells him to run away to the mountains. The hunt grows more perilous as the environment traps them.

A tunnel collapses and rocks bury Will, while Paul cries out for help and Bigfoot arrives just in time to pull the rocks off and save Paul. The event amplifies the bond between Paul and the creature, strengthening the legend. Morgan realizes Bigfoot is real and prepares to pursue him more aggressively.

Morgan seizes Paul to join the hunt and tracks Bigfoot to the lake where Paul first met Red Hawk. Red Hawk appears with his agate amulet glowing orange, temporarily blinding Morgan. Red Hawk’s pet eagle claws Morgan’s eyes out, permanently blinding him. The rescue allows the group to continue on with renewed caution.

Paul, Will, Helen, and Jim share a meal and reunite the baby raccoons with their mother, who takes them back into the wild. The moment brings a sense of normalcy and closure after a night of peril. It also reinforces the bond among the group and their respect for the park’s wildlife.

Back at school, Paul hands in his final exam as Mr. Douglas reads Will’s letter confirming that Bigfoot was real and Paul spoke the truth. Douglas admits he loves fairy tales but once believed adults couldn’t believe them, a belief changed by Paul’s story. Paul explains that only kids can see Bigfoot unless adults believe hard enough, and his amulet glows orange as Bigfoot appears in a cloud of purple smoke.