Review: Primitive War (2025)

Ever see a movie that wildly exceeded your expectations?  Because Primitive War not only surpassed my expectations, but this is a legitimately good film in a way that several movies of this genre don't even try to be.

When first viewing the trailer for this movie, I was sold pretty quickly (anything with dinosaurs is a pretty easy sell to me, if I am being honest).  My expectations weren't exactly high though, due to some dodgy CGI in the trailer, plus some extremely cliche music choices - albeit a choice that fit the trailer well.

If I may digress a bit, there are movies where the special effects stop mattering after awhile.  Probably the best example of this is Jaws.  Nowadays, most of the audience agrees the shark is not very realistic looking, but that doesn't change the fact that the movie is a classic because the story is so gripping that the 'realism' of the shark is secondary to what is happening onscreen.

Primitive War, while not on the same level as Jaws by any stretch (which is not a knock against the film, very few movies are on the same level as Jaws), also accomplishes the feat of the CGI not mattering after awhile.  And the CGI is not bad - it definitely has a few weak moments in the film, but that is the exception and not the rule.

What works best is that this is a war movie that happens to have dinosaurs and writer/director Luke Sparke treats it as such.  We spend some time with the soldiers before they are sent off on their mission, and while it is brief, it is enough to establish the characters and show the camaraderie amongst the Vulture Squad.  We care about these characters before they are put into danger, which adds a level of tension throughout the entire movie.

Credit has to be given to the cast.  I always found it strange that Ryan Kwanten never really took off in the US during or post-True Blood and this film is a good example why: He ably carries the bulk of the emotional weight of the movie.  It makes me hope that he gets more opportunities like this one in the future.

Amongst the supporting cast, I imagine Tricia Helfer and Aaron Glenane (as Sofia, a Russian scientist and Logan, a sniper for the Vulture Squad) will get the most accolades, but I was most impressed by Anthony Ingruber as Keyes.  The character's relationships with the other members of the Vulture Squad - particularly that of Logan - add a richness and depth that the movie didn't ask for, but which greatly elevated the film as a whole.

Director Luke Sparke also does a fine job with the action of the film.  Interesting shots are scattered throughout, with a scene inside of a cave particularly noteworthy for how claustrophobic he manages to make the viewer feel.

My only real criticism is that I can tell that the novel was greatly cut for this adaptation.  Several characters feel like they should have been larger or more important than the end result and perhaps could have been trimmed or combined with other characters.

Overall, this is a solid movie with much better-than-expected direction and acting that I would expect for an independent film with a B-movie premise.  I'd easily recommend it.

8 out of 10