Spirk Suggests: Primeval
Well ok ‘suggests’ is a bit strong. Primeval is not a masterpiece by any stretch but it had it’s own appeal as well. Based ‘loosely’ on real events and betrayed totally wrong on TV spots and theatrical Trailers Primeval isn’t the story of a serial killer in the most honest sense. It’s actually a film about a man eating crocodile who has killed over 300 people in the swamplands of Africa.
The story is set to the backdrop of civil war torn Burundi where a killer crocodile is devouring people on a regular basis. A news director at a fictitious television studio decides to send in a team to film and capture the crocodile in time for sweeps.
The team is led by Tim Freeman played by Dominic Purcell (Gravedancers) with his wise cracking friend Steve Johnson played by Orlando Jones (Double Take, Evolution). Along with Brooke Langton (The Benchwarmers and the Net TV show) as Aviva Masters, a reporter looking for her big story to make her career. They head off to the bush to find a ‘dragon’.
Of course no movie where there is crocodile hunting is complete without a Steve Irwin Ripoff. (Played by Gideon Emery who is pretty much a video game voiceover guy before this movie) and the Great White Hunter played by veteran screen actor Jurgen Prochnow (Air Force One, In the Mouth of Madness).
Once the group gets to the little war torn African country the subplot kicks in as we learn about the Warlord that rules the area that the team is to go into and how evil the man is. Suddenly this is not just a catch the monster movie but it’s a political tale about the senseless slaughter in this third world war torn nation. Thankfully the Crocodile starts eating people not long after to help alleviate the sermonizing.
An interesting movie with plenty of gratuitous blood and guts thanks to the 25 foot croc and some decent one liners from Orlando Jones the movie serves it’s purpose well as a filler film that will tide over the gore fans until Halloween comes out in August. Is Primeval in my top ten? No. Is it worth seeing? Sure. It’s not like it’s an Uwe Boll movie.
Until next time this is Spirk saying don’t mind the popcorn on the floor I’m sure someone will sweep it up once the theater has closed.
Richard Carroll is an avid movie viewer and all around fanboy. You can probably find him at his computer playing Guild Wars when not watching,writing, reading or roleplaying something (Oh and then there’s the real world and work). Check out some of his written works at www.ficofthedead.com. A website in need of a webmaster to ensure it gets updated. (Any takers? Anyone? *grins*)