Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31333 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-03-03
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Synopsis
PRIMEVAL is the story of an American news crew sent to Burundi, Africa, by its network chief to hunt and capture the legendary crocodile Gustave, who stalks a local river in search of human prey. The small crew consisting of embattled producer Tim Manfrey (Dominic Purcell), reporter Aviva Masters (Brooke Langton), and their cameraman Steven Johnson (Orlando Jones) are joined by two animal experts: one a Steve Irwin-style croc hunter, the other a local named JoJo.


Gustave's screen time provides some genuine action-packed thrills, thanks to decent CGI work and the creature's absurd size. The movie's violence factor is taken to disturbing new levels, however, when the crew's cameraman films the execution of a tribal shaman and his family at the hands of a local warlord named Little Gustave. From there the movie divides its time between being a gruesome 'don't-go-in-the-water'-style horror movie, and an unsettling pop-political treatise on violence and suffering in post-millennial Africa. It is the death of a white aid worker that initially sparks the news channel's interest in Gustave, despite his killing of hundreds of Burundians, and there are disputes throughout the film as to the West's role in the continent's turmoil. It's debatable whether a horror movie about a killer crocodile has any business discussing the complex political state of the war-torn areas of Africa, but the metaphor is more than clear. As much as Gustave may wreak havoc on the people of Burundi--swallowing little children whole and tearing humble fisherman limb from limb--he is nothing compared to the violent warlords who stalk the region and the global apathy that continues to unwittingly aide their presence.

Customer Reviews

EXCELLENT! BUY IT!
I have seen many a monster movie, mostly low budget ones like the shark attacks and many others. This film though, takes what a B movie is and makes it into an A movie. It really is worth watching. The crocodile is georgous, while beeing scary, it also remained a crocodile - looking and acting normal - but also beng a super predator.
BUY IT, it had such a hard time getting released or rather not getting released, it deserves to make a bit of money.

Bit of a croc
Quite reminiscent of 'Anaconda' a hotchpotch of reporters, crocodile experts and locals endeavour to capture or kill a large crocodile that has been devouring villagers et al in war torn Burundi.
It was a very uneven film, somehow despite it's best efforts it never quite nailed the intensity and horror of a country in the throes of civil war nor the terror of a large man eating reptile on the rampage. The American reporters were a bit irritating especially the wise guy cameraman (Jones) always ready with a quip or 'amusing' response regardless of the situation whether it be indifference to cultural sensitivities or (sigh) giving the finger to the pursuing crocodile after it becoming momentarily lodged between two trees.
The cgi varied from passable to risible and a lot of the action happened so fast it was difficult to see what happened even on slow-mo. Considering the size and danger posed by the beast in question the cast were not deterred from entering the water at any opportunity; I didn't think the sub-plot with the warlord was presented very well, a warlord with ONE armed (as in firearm) companion!?!
The crocodile behaved rather inconsistently and crocodiles certainly don't roar like lions as was presented in the film. It wasn't bad, maybe over-ambition on a limited budget ultimately compromised the atmosphere it may have achieved if it had not straddled the stools of killer croc and civil war.
I had also seen the documentary a while back about 'Gustave' the crocodile on which this film drew its inspiration and it had a lot more bite than this film depiction.
Worth a watch certainly but it is another in an ever growing list of films I would not bother watching again. Two and a half out of five.

Probably the best killer-croc movie ever made

Considering that it suffers from a silly title, bad production values and rumors of development hell, Primeval KILL is actually very, very good. In fact, it's not just very good, it's excellent. I don't think I'm the only person who's failed to understand why it had such a limited cinema release- the acting is great, the chase choreography is utterly outstanding and the crocodile/gore effects are completely believable.

The plot has been described perfectly in other reviews -so I won't bother. Apparently Gustave's background was not fully exploited and some of the locations were not exactly accurate- however, if those were the 'bad' points about this film, hopefully you can make your mind up and join me in giving a two-fingered solute to those who say it's rubbish.

Primeval KILL looks like it's been made on a very high budget, but it actually wasn't. It's thanks to director Michael Katleman's epic approach, super-resourceful directing and incredible editing skills that make the film the visually stunning, ultra-realistic and intensely emotional masterpiece it is. I know all this sounds weird when talking about a 'killer-croc' movie which hardly anybody knows about, but it's true.

Watch it for the brutal fight scenes, watch it for the multiple body parts flying all over the place, watch it for the beautiful, color-saturated landscapes and photography, or even watch it for stars Dominic Purcell (Prison Break) and Orlando Jones (Runaway Jury), just make sure you watch the thing! I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed.

Primeval KILL is a devastatingly overlooked crocodile masterpiece. Watch it and spread the word -maybe then it'll eventually get another shot in cinemas.