Primeval is one of my favorite kinds of films, the kind that sneaks in educational material under the guise of action/horror, which is one way to get the masses to understand something that’s not occurring right outside their door. For those who missed, say, Hotel Rwanda, Primeval tells just enough about the atrocities in Africa to inform those who might not otherwise be informed.
The plot centers around a 25-foot, man-eating crocodile that is ravaging the African jungle. And while at first glance the plot might sound a bit, um, silly, it’s not. It’s based on true happenings, and the crocodile in question is even dubbed “Gustave” by the locals.
Directed by Michael Katleman (who has a lot of television directing credits under his belt), the film stars Dominic Purcell (one half of TV’s infamous Prison Break brothers), the always-hysterical Orlando Jones (previous credits include The Replacements, Runaway Jury and Office Space), Brooke Langton (of TV’s Melrose Place and the film The Replacements), and Jurgen Prochnow (film credits include The Da Vinci Code and The Celestine Prophecy).
Rated R and presented in 2.35:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, the film runs approximately 94 minutes and also includes English, French and Spanish subtitles and audio in both English and Spanish. Bonus features include “Crocumentary: Brining Gustave to Life,” three deleted scenes and audio commentary with the director and various cast and crew.
There’s lots of political and social commentary peppered throughout the film, as well as unlikely heroes, great action sequences, and fabulous special effects. The fact that the film is also shot where the true events happened only adds to the overall look and feel of the film, as well as its authenticity.
Primeval hits all the right marks, combining history, special effects, great acting, a bit of horror and humor to create an entertaining 94 minutes — and that’s more than a lot of films can boast these days.