Primatologist Davis Okoye shares an unshakable bond with George, an extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla that's been in his care since birth. When a rogue genetic experiment goes wrong, it causes George, a wolf and a reptile to grow to a monstrous size. As the mutated beasts embark on a path of destruction, Okoye teams up with a discredited genetic engineer and the military to secure an antidote and prevent a global catastrophe. (1)
Review
Subscribe to my blog via email HERE and share with your friends.
Hello, Movie Buffs!
Video game to film adaptations have been known to have minor success despite a large fan base but recently, in this year alone, two video games have been adapted to film with better success than others. Perhaps this is the start of a new era of video game based films.
Now Rampage (2018) is loosely based on the classic 1986 arcade game of the same name and contains a simple story with characters that are not too complex. I’ve never played the game but I read up on it and from what I found is that the game is vastly different from the film. In the game, players would take control people that could turn into one of three creatures George (the ape), Ralph (the wolf), and Lizzie (another character) and go on a rampage through various cities. So while some game fans may not like the film for its vast difference, director Brad Peyton (San Andreas) has created a wild film that is big, loud, and delivers exactly what the trailers promised.
The action is insane, every moment faced with the genetically enhanced creatures is thrilling and intense, with the final half hour being the most intense part of the whole. As expected with any Dwayne Johnson (Skyscraper) film the humor will leave you chuckling non-stop, with the comedy coming primarily from Johnson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Walking Dead). Their dialogue together is sharp and well-timed. The special effects are comprised of smooth and realistic CGI that uses some originality for the makeup of the three creatures that pays homage to the sheer power of these beasts. The special effects team also delivered in regards to the massive fight that takes place in downtown Chicago. They used pyrotechnics and visual effects to craft the big fight and it was impressive. And the cinematography (Jaron Presant ) was well executed.
In a film about giant creatures rampaging around downtown Chicago, the performances of the humans are pretty solid. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson delivers his standard hero performance but his chemistry with the ape George (Jason Liles – The Clinic) is something I haven’t seen from him yet. Naomie Harris (Collateral Beauty) is great at expressing fear for the end of the world and her chemistry with Johnson is good but beyond that, she was a more minor character. Malin Akerman (Billions, 27 Dresses) has mastered the vicious corporate tyrant with the ice-cold stare of a perturbed woman but she kind of flops towards the very end. Her companion (brother? husband?) played by Jake Lacy (Miss Sloane) is great as the cheesy villainous man-child from the typical corporation who creates deadly experiments for their own gain. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is charming as Agent Russell, the sarcastic and modern-day cowboy agent whose mannerism and wide smile bring a comedic spark to the film.
Overall, Rampage (2018) is an entertaining film that is loosely based on the 1986 arcade game, of the same name. The story is a bit cheesy at times but the overall plot concept has everything you could ever want in film about three giant creatures/monsters. The action is intense, the humor is good, and the special effects are impressive. The characters are great, Dwayne Johnson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan deliver the better performances, while the rest of the cast perform supporting roles effectively. While it is not a cinematic masterpiece, it defiantly delivers everything it set out to do. I recommend seeing this film whilst in theaters and for ages 13+ due to some suggestive content/language and violence.
"Of course the wolf can fly."
- Davis Okoye
Final Vote
Worth Seeing: 8 of 10 stars
Worth Buying: 8 of 10 stars
I hope you liked this post, subscribe to my blog via email HERE, send in your comments, and watch Rampage (2018)
Movies Similar
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Planet of the Apes(1968) |
Planet of the Apes, Beneath the (1970) |
Planet of the Apes, Escape from (1971) |
Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the (1972) |
Planet of the Apes, Battle for the (1973) |
Planet of the Apes (2001) Planet of the Apes 7, Rise of the (2011) Planet of the Apes 7, Dawn of the (2014) Planet of the Apes 7, War for (2017) |