New Release Birb: Rampage

Rampage
Starring: Dwayne Johnson and Naomie Harris
Directed by Brad Peyton
US Release Date: April 13th, 2018
My First Viewing: April 16th, 2018
image credit: movieposter.com

Dwayne Johnson's action-adventure-video game-blow 'em up resume grows with Rampage, co-starring Naomie Harris, Malin Ackerman, and Jeffery Dean Morgan.

Johnson stars as Davis Okoye, primatologist by day, and a sad loner by night. Davis' best friend is George, and albino gorilla Davis saved from poachers. At the San Diego Zoo, Davis has taught George how to communicate using sign language, as well as fist-bumping, flipping the bird, and the two-handed finger-in-fist sex gesture. When a growth hormone crashes at three different sites across the country, George finds one and grows to exponential size, causing havoc. Davis teams up with an ex-geneticist (Harris) and a cowboy government agent (Morgan) to get George under control before he and two other monster animals destroy Chicago.

This film, based off of the 1980's video game, follows the video game movie script of bad writing, a terrible antagonist, and action. Lots and lots of action. Malin Ackerman and Jake Lacy play Claire and Brett Wyden, who runs the company that created this growth hormone, and intentionally released it into the world. Lacy plays the Mutley to Ackerman's feminine Snidely Whiplash, who's motivations as to WHY they released this growth hormone into the ecosystem is as flawed as it comes.

Peyton, who no stranger to Johnson's resume of action, also directed him in Journey 2 and San Andreas, and has a comfort zone in unbelievable action sequences. The entire third act is a smorgasbord of destruction and mayhem, which by the end of it outstayed its welcome. The best parts of the film are the interaction between Johnson's Okoye and George the Gorilla, with Geroge being the focal point of all the best humorous and emotional moments.

A movie like Rampage could be described by some as big, dumb fun. For me, it lacked in the fun department.

Rampage is rated PG-13 for action violence and language. What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Follow me on twitter or facebook and leave a comment.

-birb

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