Three young couples decide to go camping deep within the wilderness of Utah, unaware that a bear roams the area and an elderly couple has disappeared. The region was once home to Scandinavian settlers, and local folklore speaks of a berserker demon who preys on people descended from Vikings. The central question is: what’s responsible for the killings? "Berserker” (1987), also known as “Berserker: The Nordic Curse,” falls into the low-budget slasher category, drawing comparisons to films like "Friday the 13th" (1980). It shares some similarities with "Without Warning" (1980) in its initial setup. Although it’s classified as a slasher film, the violence isn't excessive; fans of wilderness creature features such as “Day of the Animals” (1977) and "Into the Grizzly Maze" (2015) might appreciate this one, provided they are comfortable with independent films made on a limited budget and the frequent use of fog machines. Beth Toussaint delivers an impressive performance among the female cast members; she bears a resemblance to Linda Hamilton but possesses her own unique charm. Viewers may recognize her as Tasha Yar’s sister in the 1990 "Next Generation" episode “Legacy.” The movie does suffer from some unnecessary scenes that slow down the pace, occasionally making it feel drawn out. However, the actors are believable in their roles and create a sense of realism—with one exception. Bart the Bear is particularly memorable; he was a frequently used bear in many films throughout the 80s and 90s needing a dangerous animal for scenes, including “The Edge” (1997). I also found the unsettling music and dreamlike atmosphere during the film’s latter portion to be effective. The movie has a running time of 1 hour, 25 minutes and was filmed at Flying Birddog Ranch, Hailstone Junction, Utah, located east of Salt Lake City in the mountains—likely somewhere near Big Cottonwood Canyon. GRADE: C+/B-

Source on TMDB