What happens when a genetically enhanced gorilla, a Wolf and a Crocodile, nicknamed George, Ralph and Lizzie combine to wreck havoc on Chicago? What is the fate of the city, who is the last line of Defence? Rampage is a story of unlikely friendship between Davis Okoye, a primatologist, and George, a rare albino gorilla, and a test of their bonds when things go horrible wrong.
Energyne Genetic Mutation research station in orbit has failed in containing project RAMPAGE, an advancement to project CRISPR, the debris from the research lab's escape pod has made its way to earth, in the process infecting three animals, a Gorilla, a Wolf and a Crocodile. Chaos!!
Rampage is a movie that is all about the characters on display. The actors are the only saving grace for the movie. With names like Dwayne Douglas Johnson, Naomie Harris and Jeffery Dean Morgan, at least we were sure there could be no let downs with dialogue, on screen movements and emotional perfection, plus our much loved "Dwayne time" .
The plot is just ordinary, nothing out of the ordinary, the story may not have been told before in the exact same way, but it is nothing that Hallmark TV have not fed to us.
Whereas the movie tried eventually to compensate for a lack of character and storyline depth, we are still constrained to state that there was no character development in this movie, at least in the very beginning. We understand our Man Okoye is a primatologist, an animal rights sympathiser, and all of a sudden he is "an international man of mystery".
We are not impressed at the very least. Movie producers, directors and script writers are increasingly undermining the importance of character development in movies, but this is an aspect that cannot be overemphasised. Their feeble attempt at developing the character of Okoye half way into the movie was nothing more than a build up to the movie's final moments rather than an attempt at character development.
Everything seemed so convenient, right from the beginning to the end of the movie. We were not treated to highs and lows, it kept moving at the same frenetic pace, giving it a feel of a rushed low budget movie. Dwayne Johnson really became a superhero in this one, from absolute zero to hero, no breaks, no pause, no buildup.
From conveniently saving Harvey Russel( who works for an unspecified government agency) to forming an uncanny alliance with him, to appearing out of nowhere with the keys to the chopper to being at the right place at the right time to get the laptop from Brett Wyden. Absolutely convenient.
Quick pointer, why was it so convenient that the Wydens left a large cannister of the 'antidote' when they were apparently cleaning house? Shouldn't everything related to project Rampage have been destroyed? How convenient was it also that George the Gorilla hadn't all through the duration of his Rage never once ate a human, but conveniently ate Claire Wyden when she had the antidote? I mean he has been on rampage for hours and didn't eat anyone, hey he didn't even eat the Grizzly bear he killed.
All too convenient yea?
Our chopper that crashed, leaving death in its wake but still with enough juice for the turrets to spit fire!? Oh my God, a serum in such small quantity effectively calmed such a large beast? But they were constantly repeating that his rapid mutation will neutralise the tranquilizing agent being administered via an I.V line? Convenient!
The plot holes are just numerous, we just can't keep going.
Mind you, Malin Ackerman and Jake Lacy were abysmal with their performance. Portrayal of character was below par, we just could not relate with them in the very least.
At least a positive for the movie is the CGI, we can rate that above average. Plus we got a half hour of nonstop adrenaline pumping action. At least you won't have wasted your time or your money.
In the end, it was just a tale of great casting delivering the goods once again, Dwayne Johnson is as usual very good with his acting. He can salvage even the most mediocre from near obscurity. He has come to be known as the superhero saviour of mediocrity.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is brilliant at what he does, and Rampage is not an exception. His shift into character made it look as though he has always been a part of the Rampage scene, not minding that there never was a scene.
Naomie Harris we can rate at an average. Not a Stellar performance from a lead character, but we can manage what we get, at least some times.
Brad Peyton coming in to direct the movie certainly did a lot for the finished goods even though we felt he could have done more. We think he definitely succeeded in putting a little emotion this one.
If you have time on your hands, and you are not bothered about plots, plot holes and just interested in action sequences, this is for you.
FCA'S AppR : 7/10
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