Primeval

Name: Primeval
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: January 12, 2007
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 35
Cast: Dominic Purcell, Orlando Jones

2007

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 42 Ratings

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5.2	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 42 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: January 12, 2007 | R

Starring: Dominic Purcell, Orlando Jones

Summary: In one of the most remote places on earth, a bloodthirsty serial killer has claimed over 300 victims, and is still at large to this day. Now, inspired by the true story of the world's most prolific killer, comes Primeval, a nail-biting horror-thriller that follows an American news crew determined to capture this terrifying murderer alive.In one of the most remote places on earth, a bloodthirsty serial killer has claimed over 300 victims, and is still at large to this day. Now, inspired by the true story of the world's most prolific killer, comes Primeval, a nail-biting horror-thriller that follows an American news crew determined to capture this terrifying murderer alive. (Touchstone Pictures)… Expand

Director: Michael Katleman

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 min

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Critic Reviews

Gregory Kirschling

Pit a reptile the size of a school bus against an American TV-news crew in war-scarred Burundi, and you get "Hotel Rwanaconda," a horror movie interested in cheesy scares and drawing attention to the plight of poor Africans. (So no, Primeval is not the '"serial killer'" film promised by the ads.) Read full review

Dennis Harvey

It's not exactly good, but it's not bad, and far from boring. Read full review

Mark Olsen

Strangely self-serious, and without covering the prerequisites of top-shelf nastiness that contemporary horror requires, this giant crocodile movie turns out to be neither fish nor fowl. Read full review

Jason Anderson

Though a few scenes drum up some intensity -- that green ham Gustave makes one last great appearance -- it's mostly grim, dull and ugly, three qualities that nobody wants in a piece of multiplex filler about a surly reptile. Read full review

Ty Burr

Primeval is a hoot if you're in the mood, though, and it gets points for trying to stuff a little globo-think into the minds of Friday night mayhem fans (who will probably rebel, since only one skull pops like a grape). Read full review

Scott Tobias

If there were a shred of sincerity to its straight-faced exposé of African strife, the film would be easier to forgive, but since it's really just a cheap horror-thriller about an ancient predator, the austere tone does it no favors. Read full review

James Berardinelli

By the end of the film, I was hoping everyone on two legs would die, preferably suffering as much on screen as I was in the audience. Read full review

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User Reviews

mykhawke

Sep 14, 2012

One of the most entertaining killer croc films i've ever seen.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

TriemanG.

Jan 12, 2007

Not really a horror movie like I expected. More of an action film. Suprisingly Orlando Jones is the only charcter you care about and he dies-so no sequel for this film..

0 of 0 users found this helpful

AlanR.

Jun 12, 2007

Hey, stop trying to intellectualize this film. It's fun. It's scary and the effects are better than average. And much better than any of the Jaws epics. Give the film a break. It doesn't take itself seriously. Why should the reviewers.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ChadS.

Mar 5, 2007

"Primeval" plays like a tribute to John Sayles. The war between the Rwandians and Hutus acknowledges Sayles' social consciousness he applies to his own films, while the giant crocodile addresses the auteur's Hollywood sidejob as a screenwriter of b-flicks like "Battle Beyond the "Primeval" plays like a tribute to John Sayles. The war between the Rwandians and Hutus acknowledges Sayles' social consciousness he applies to his own films, while the giant crocodile addresses the auteur's Hollywood sidejob as a screenwriter of b-flicks like "Battle Beyond the Stars" and "Alligator". Based on what "Primeval" has to offer, this is a dialectic(thank you, "Half Nelson") that doesn't translate into a successful entertainment. Since innocent Africans are being slaughtered in a civil war, the filmmakers were forced to make an earnest film about..., and this is the problem, a big-ass crocodile. To position the massacre that took place in Rwanda as an afterthought is tasteless. To see Rwandians being killed execution-style juxtaposed against a merrier brand of violence, being eaten alive by a reptilian anomaly, is indescribably off-putting and borderline amoral.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Sachi

Dec 14, 2011

Primeval is a very poor film that is a complete waste of time, I don't know what was going on in this film because it was so darn convoluted. The plot doesn't make any sense at all, I never realized it was about an alligator but I don't care either, the acting is bad and so is the dialogue.Primeval is a very poor film that is a complete waste of time, I don't know what was going on in this film because it was so darn convoluted. The plot doesn't make any sense at all, I never realized it was about an alligator but I don't care either, the acting is bad and so is the dialogue. The whole film is a mess of a horror movie although you won't understand anything in this movie and whatever message it has is drowned out by all this dumb movie plot. Don't watch this B-movie or should I say F-movie flick. Breakdown for "Primeval": Presentation: 2, Plot: 1, Acting: 2.7, Script: 2.4, Lasting Appeal: 1, Verdict: 2.2 out of 10 "Terrible"… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brett

Jan 13, 2007

What part of this movie is based on a true story? I'd really like to know. I bet it's the part where an ...... can sprint 50km/h across an open field for minutes at a time. A very bad movie that thinks it has something important to say.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SteveS.

Jan 12, 2007

One of the 15 or 20 worst movies I've ever seen. It could have worked as camp had the filmmakers not taken themselves so seriously, attempting to interject serious social commentary about the plight of Africa into a ridiculous film centered around a gigantic, man-eating ....... created One of the 15 or 20 worst movies I've ever seen. It could have worked as camp had the filmmakers not taken themselves so seriously, attempting to interject serious social commentary about the plight of Africa into a ridiculous film centered around a gigantic, man-eating ....... created with extremely low-end computer models. And to have Orlando Jones say slavery was a good idea to get people out of Africa because it's such a horrible place (who cares if it's a joke) is in the worst taste imaginable. See this movie at your own peril.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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