Director: Brad Peyton
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Duration: 107 minutes
Rampage (Blu-ray) – Movie Review
We’re quite sure that somewhat older gamers will have fond memories of the Rampage games, even while some of them may have never even touched these instant classics. There was nothing more fun than bashing buildings into the ground with overgrown animals, who occasionally loved to snack on a human. As many things in Hollywood nowadays, movies are either based on the success of older titles by creating a remake or a sequel, or in this case, by basing it on something that is already considered retro and unknown for the new generation(s). While the content wasn’t completely in line with the source material, we were more than happy to see George, Ralph and Lizzie again in their new HD jackets.
Rampage starts out with Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) and his team in a wildlife park. Davis watches the gorilla enclosure and more than everything he wants to keep these animals safe, with the albino gorilla George on the top spot. He saved the gorilla when he was only an infant, and the pair has grown to trust and befriend each other over the years. Sadly, before they know it, somewhere in outer space a space station is plagued by a monster roaming its corridors, and the only survivor tries to escape with the samples that created the monstrosity that killed the rest of the crew. While this researcher was able to make it safely to the escape pod, it still breaks down, and the samples are hurled to the Earth on three different locations, one being George’s enclosure. When the primate discovers the sample, he accidently releases its contents, and the next day he finds himself in the grizzly bear enclosure, twice his size with the grizzlies dead and gone. When the news spread that another creature has also been struck by the same quirky condition, the government can’t sit by idly anymore.
In the meantime we are presented with the two leading people behind Energyne, a company that developed said samples illegally in secret in space. While the one is more moderate than the other, they will have to do anything to regain the specimens, be it in their new host, dead or alive, before they can sell said formula or simply continue their research in secret.
The flow of Rampage is fairly pleasant, albeit somewhat predictable at times. The villains are a bit on the annoying side, but they match the setting perfectly, and provide the necessary information for what is going on. You’ll get more than enough background for what is going on, but it would have been nice to actually know more about the formula that has been developed and the precise usage of it. Nonetheless, the action follows the more quiet parts, but the movie could have easily been a bit shorter and a bit more action packed to spice things up even more. Not to worry though, the all-embracing flow and speed of the movie feel just about right, especially because you know what’s coming in the end: total mayhem.
Acting performances in this movie pretty much totally rely on Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and to a lesser extent on the two villains of the movie who are portrayed by Malin Akerman and Jaky Lacy. As expected, Johnson doesn’t have to stray off the path too much compared to his older flicks, which means he’s the ripped hero who saves the day, all with a fair maiden in tow and a proper stubborn co-star who creates the proper tension. The two villains feel a bit underdeveloped and childlike mostly because the way they act and how their characters evolve. Nonetheless, the movie is backed up by a proper cast, and it could have been a lot worse.
The Blu-ray edition of Rampage comes with a sturdy set of extras, ranging from where the movie came from, the game it’s based on, to a set of making of sequences and a gag reel. While this content doesn’t really elevate the movie as a whole, it’s fun to see how the movie was created, how the concept art looked and where the ideas came from.
Conclusion
Rampage is one of those movies that allows you to kick back and relax, without ever really putting your brain to the test. The movie might not shatter any records, it’s an enjoyable movie for action enthusiasts, as well as for those who still have fond memories of the source material this movie is based on. If you’re looking for a fun evening, or you simply have the hots for Dwayne Johnson, then this Blu-ray might be worth picking up.
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