Movie review: Rampage

 

Rampage is a creature feature starring Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and a plethora of (not real) animals. Primatologist Davis Okoye teams up with a disgraced scientist/genetic engineer Doctor Kate Caldwell when animals are exposed to a pathogen that causes mutations. The pathogen that was secretly being worked on in a space lab was released after an accident caused the lab to explode, sending the experimental material down to Earth in three sealed containers, which of course broke on contact. An albino western lowland gorilla, named George, at the San Diego Safari Park, a wolf (Ralph) in a Wyoming forest, and a crocodile (Lizzie) in the Everglades are affected, growing bigger and mutating rapidly. It turns out the pathogen was created by a dastardly sibling business duo Claire and Brett Wyden, who are hoping to weaponize it and sell it to the military (of course) but with catastrophic results. George is no ordinary gorilla, however, having been taught sign language by Davis. George and his relationship with Davis are key to stopping the total destruction of the city of Chicago.

I am quite picky about choosing creature features, but the combination of Dwayne Johnson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, two seasoned actors heading up the cast, sold me on the movie. Johnson always gives an intense performance, no matter the role, so one can trust that he will deliver. Morgan has a laidback, lazy charm that works well in his portrayal of Harvey Russell, the government agent that works for ‘the other government agency.’ The plot has quite a grand scope with dangerous secret experiments by unethical business corporations, various people’s backstories, what went wrong and why. Johnson and Morgan get the lion’s share of screen time, but let’s not forget George, very ably enacted by Jason Liles in motion capture performance.

The storyline is familiar; creatures on the rampage, destroying the city, somehow there’s an antidote but how to get into the creatures, drama, more drama, and lots and lots of destruction. At some stage the fights between the three creatures, now enormous and very aggressive, do go on a tad too long. That’s when I start feeling sorry for whatever monster is getting the rough end of the beating. I cannot imagine what it feels like for an actor to act opposite a green screen supposed to represent a gigantic gorilla, but Johnson rises to the occasion and delivers. He and Morgan had a good onscreen camaraderie with underlying humour. I can’t say Harris wowed me with her performance, but she was needed to get into the facility to steal the antidote, so she fitted the part. The action is nonstop, and the special effects are spectacular. Fans of creature features and big screen block busters will love this movie, based on a video game. The movie made money, everyone was happy, and there’s even talk of a sequel. Pass the popcorn, please!