Review: 'Primeval' humors with charming effects

Directed by: Michael Katleman

Starring: Dominic Purcell, Brooke Langton, Orlando Jones, Jurgen Prochnow, Gideon Emery, Gabriel Malema, Dumisani Mbebe

Rated: R

“Primeval” announces that is was “inspired” by true events, a phrase that is becoming all too common nowadays. It is, I suppose, somewhat less than “based” on a true story but more than merely “made up.”

The ads for the film lead the audience to believe that it’s a story about the hunt for the world’s most prolific serial killer. In a way, I guess that’s true. But don’t expect any Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy characters running amok. This serial killer, a resident of the poverty-stricken, war-torn country of Burundi, is Gustave. He’s a giant crocodile.

The inspiration for the screenplay came from a PBS documentary about a man-eating crocodile in Burundi.

The rest of the story came straight from a dozen other movies, and the characters direct from central casting. There’s a seasoned vet who’s in trouble with his superiors, the altruistic scientist, the wisecracking sidekick, the grizzled, cynical guy in it for the money and the novice out to prove she’s got what it takes.

The woman’s name is Aviva Masters. She’s the animal reporter for a cable news network. She wants to prove her mettle and become a serious journalist so her boss assembles a team featuring the characters listed above. They are going to Burundi to capture Gustave, who has just been in the news for killing another Western newswoman.

Orlando Jones plays the wisecracking sidekick. He’s the cameraman on the crew, and has the film’s best line. Noting that most of the world didn’t care much about Gustave when he was merely chomping on Burundians he remarks, “He’s like O.J. Simpson. He messed up when he killed that white woman.”

When the crew arrives in Burundi, they find much more killing and chaos than that wrought by Gustave the crocodile. The country is in the midst of a bloody civil war. One faction is led by a mysterious figure known as “Little Gustave.”

The crew is told they will be safe as long as they don’t get involved in political matters.

The cameraman makes a grave mistake, however, and films the brutal execution of a shaman, his wife and child. The news people try to keep the footage a secret, until they get back home, but the jungle has 1,000 eyes. Word leaks out, and Little Gustave is soon hunting the Westerners.

The political subplot tries to become the main story but never quite makes it. Although we do find out who Little Gustave really is.

We see glimpses of the croc throughout “Primeval” but – as in “Jaws” and “Alien” – we never see too much of the monster. Until the last 15 minutes.

Gustave isn’t exactly rendered in state-of-the-art digital animation. Unlike the dinosaurs portrayed in the “Jurassic Park” series, no one will ever marvel at this reptile.

That’s one thing I liked about “Primeval.” Old-fashioned cheesy effects are charming these days and actually easier to stomach than low-budget attempts at state-of-the-art digital effects.

I think the filmmakers realized the movie wasn’t going to be Oscar material and decided to pay tribute to the B-horror movies we all love from our younger years.

As for cheesy, have you seen the original “Star Wars” lately? Its effects look borderline campy.

On the other hand, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” released nine years earlier, still holds up nicely.

If you don’t take “Primeval” too seriously, it’s a fun 94-minute diversion.

In the past few years, there were several movies that had me longing for the glory days of the drive-in theater. “Primeval” joins that list.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician. He can be reached at info@wunderlesound.com.