I've had quite the reading list as of late. It's filled with a lot of classic fiction, both fantasy and sci-fi, pillars of the modern genres. These stories involved the thrilling adventures of such characters as John Carter and Conan the Barbarian, men put out into unknown territory and the monsters that dwell within. That sense of exploration and wonder coupled with danger is a thrill that will never die out in the hearts of men, and that has continued to the horizons of our current knowledge even as we learn more. Such is the appeal of the Jurassic Park novels and their adaptations, though none of those are in my list currently; instead in their place is a 2017 novel by Ethan Pettus known as Primitive War.

While one could compare Primitive War to other dinosaur fiction like Jurassic Park or Lost World, I would actually say that it is closer to the first Predator film. There is a good amount of Vietnam alt-history at work here that sets up the tone going forward, and through that the dinosaur action is inserted as naturally as one could do with such a premise. While I don't think this film hits its marks as well as Predator does, I would still recommend this to dinosaur fans as a very fun summer flick with great dinosaur thrills and a likeable cast.

Personal Score

this criteria uses the DecentFilms rating formula.

Letter-Grade Recommendability: B
Artistic/Entertainment Value - ★★★★☆
Moral/Spiritual Value - +2
Age Appropriateness: Teens & Up

I will start with the story here, because as one would expect from a dinosaur action movie the least interesting link is arguably the characters. This is compounded by the fact that while there are plenty of dinosaurs to go around the movie treats itself as a war movie first, giving us exposure to Vulture Squad through an operation against the Viet Cong. Fans of Predator like I am should recognize this setup, but I think what makes it not work as strongly here is that the cast isn't nearly as memorable. I think Vulture Squad has more nuance to them than Dutch's task force does, which helps to sell these guys as an experienced Vietnam unit, but in a way this actually makes them less colorful than the vibrant personalities of the Predator crew. Comparisons aside, however, I did think there was good chemistry between everyone here and I became somewhat invested in their personal stories, like the sniper's schizophrenia and the team leader's responsibility to his men, and this made me feel for them when the horrors start.

The premise is again similar to Predator with missing Green Berets that have gone missing in the jungle, and its up to our guys to find them and what they were doing out there. The mystery of why exactly there are dinosaurs in Vietnam in the first place is addressed and explained, and while I have heard some complain about how this plot unfolded I actually did not mind it at all. The first act is very tight with solid characterizations and both military and dinosaur action out of the gate to set the tone, after which the second act slows down and allows our guys to breathe and grapple with the reality exposed to them through the female scientist they come across. The second act is arguably the weakest point but mainly because it again switches into a war movie mode of storytelling that involves the external front of the Cold War and how it influences the flow of intel, also throwing in a second squad on the opposing side who has run-ins with both Vulture Squad and the same dinos. I think the major complaints about this movie stem from the expectations of moviegoers that this is a dino movie, and the war-focused elements take screentime away from that. Fortunately for those people the third act shifts back into overdrive and cranks the dinosaur action up significantly, tying things up in a grand finale that is almost comical in its proportions. I actually consider the third act to be weaker than the second, as it becomes far more about spectacle in a similar vein to the Riddick movies, but I can't deny that it is very entertaining and quite cathartic to see the various factions collide.

I've gone on long enough without talking about the actual dinosaurs, so let's talk about them here. There are a lot of dinosaurs in this film, so many I am impressed that this was managed with a sub-$8 million budget. The effects range from decent to very good, too, with the Utahraptors and Deinonychus looking quite good right up in the faces of Vulture Squad. They also act like one could imagine these animals would in the wild, with the Deinonychus attacking as packs from the trees and tall grass, while the Utahraptors are stalkers that noiselessly steal away prey to rip into out of earshot. And rip into prey they do, because the sheer brutality of these creatures is very refreshing, particularly from the Utahraptors and Quetzalcoatlus who both deal some gory results to the people they attack. There is one scene where a member of Vulture Squad is rescued even after having his insides shredded, and the agony of this poor guy as they struggle to stabilize him with their limited medical ability is gut-wrenching (pun not intended). I think the dinosaurs had borderline flawless characterization as horrific monsters, though I will say that the finale somewhat diminished the menace. I do understand what the third act was doing in raising the spectacle and turning everything up to 11, but when most of the film had one or two dinosaurs be terrifying killers having a swarm charging the open isn't as scary; one could compare this to how a single xenomorph is a nightmare and more than three are fodder. The T-Rexes, on the other hand, had very consistent characterization throughout and while not as threatening to our heroes I did enjoy their presence in the film as more territorial animals than menacing hunters.

I had a really fun time with Primitive War, I went and saw it in theaters and actually consider this the best thing I've gone to see this year. Sure people can argue that something like Superman is a more intelligent film -- which it is not -- but for me this movie had the most heart. Luke Sparke did a fantastic job taking that meager budget and pushing it beyond what I thought was possible and I will look on with interest at any sequel plans.