Get ready for one of the most bizarre cinematic mashups of the year as Green Berets take on dinosaurs in the jungle thriller Primitive War, hitting UK and Irish cinemas this November.
Jungle Warfare Meets Prehistoric Predators
This adaptation of Ethan Pettus's 2017 novel throws an elite squad of soldiers into the Vietnam war with a terrifying twist. Set in the late 1960s during the conflict between US forces and the Viet Cong, the film quickly reveals that covert scientific experiments have unleashed an army of dinosaurs into the jungle.
The prehistoric creatures are happily munching their way through anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path. When one squad of Green Berets mysteriously disappears, the unorthodox Colonel Jericho, played with delicious over-the-top enthusiasm by Jeremy Piven, dispatches the elite Vulture Squad to investigate.
An Unprepared Squad Faces Ancient Dangers
Leading the mission is square-jawed Sergeant Ryan Baker, portrayed by Home and Away veteran Ryan Kwanten. His team represents what might generously be described as a wide range of intelligence levels, leaving them spectacularly ill-equipped for the prehistoric challenge awaiting them.
At least they're well-armed, which means much of the dialogue and background music gets drowned out by relentless gunfire. Speaking of music, the production has invested in some painfully obvious needle drops, including Creedence Clearwater Revival's Run Through the Jungle and Fortunate Son, just in case viewers forgot the 1960s setting.
Cheesy Fun Despite Technical Limitations
The visual effects, particularly the dinosaurs seen in full daylight, appear rather plasticky and unconvincing. However, the film compensates with surprisingly realistic representations of disgorged innards and a cheerfully cheesy gleefulness that propels the entire production forward.
Despite being deeply repetitive, Primitive War manages to be weirdly watchable, aiming squarely at viewers who love soldiers, gore, dinosaurs, and especially dinosaurs goring soldiers. The film was shot in Australia with a mostly Australian cast sprinkled with American actors, though it's supposedly set in Vietnam.
Primitive War charges into UK and Irish cinemas from 28 November, offering a unique blend of war movie tropes and prehistoric monster mayhem that's certain to divide critics but might just find its audience among B-movie enthusiasts.
