Story by Grant Dillard, Staff writer
Graphic courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Not too long after the release of “Tomb Raider,” another video game movie was released. This time, it is “Rampage,” which is based on the 1986 arcade game of the same name. While it may not be as strong of a film as “Tomb Raider,” it is still a blast to watch, as well as one of the better video game movies out there.
Primatologist Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) has a special bond with a rare albino gorilla named George, who has been in his care since birth. A biological weapon ends up transforming George into a larger and more aggressive being, resulting in the ape running amuck and causing destruction wherever he goes. Even worse, the same biological formula also affects a wolf and a crocodile, and they, along with George, wind up in Chicago. Okoye has to team up with scientist Kate Caldwell (Naomi Harris) and government agent Harvey Russell (Jeffery Dean Morgan) to save Chicago, as well as George.
It is very important to know going in that “Rampage” is not a film that is meant to be taken seriously, as the tone of the movie is pure tongue-in-cheek goofy entertainment. Everything from the action, the humor and even some of the dialogue is completely over-the-top silly. But it still manages to have scenes with heart, most notably the ones involving Okoye and George. It is easy and endearing to see the friendship between Okoye and his animal friend when they communicate. Humor can still be found in their interactions, though.
Even while having an over-the-top tone overall, “Rampage” still has a few issues with tonal inconsistency. During the climax it shows civilians trying to escape Chicago while it is being destroyed, and it is shot in a way to make the audience feel like what is happening is a horrifying catastrophe. Yet there is also a scene in which the giant crocodile wrecks a ferry, inevitably resulting in the deaths of everyone on it, and Okoye just spouts out a one-liner about it. The inconsistencies are not present in every scene of the movie, but they still feel out of place when they appear.
Dwayne Johnson was absolutely perfect for the lead. Whether its “San Andreas” or “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” Johnson has a talent of making otherwise ridiculous movies seem more plausible just by being in them, and this film is no exception. Like these other films, he has the right amount of charisma and likability that makes his character all the more endearing.
Unfortunately, while Johnson is good enough as the lead, the supporting cast leaves much to be desired. Okoye’s co-workers are absolutely forgettable, with the worst being the character of Nelson (P.J. Byrne) who is only given either exposition dialogue or unfunny comedic banter. Even worse are the villains: Claire (Malin Akerman) and Brett (Jake Lacy) Wyden, who created the formula which affected George, the wolf and the crocodile. Aside from the film just needing a reason for the animals to grow huge and cause destruction in Chicago, the main motivation for the siblings’ plans is money. There’s absolutely no remorse, regret or sense of humanity for what they caused whatsoever.
There are still a few highlights in the supporting cast. Naomie Harris is really good as Kate Caldwell, a doctor and former employee of the company the villains own. She teams up with Okoye to try and cure George and stop the other animals. Joe Manganiello also stars as Burke, a mercenary hired to track down and capture the wolf. Unfortunately, he has around five minutes of screentime to leave an impression.
The best actor onscreen is none other than Jeffrey Dean Morgan who absolutely steals the spotlight every time he is on screen. Admittedly, his performance does feel very similar to his portrayal of Negan from “The Walking Dead,” whether it is the way he delivers his lines, or even some of the lines of dialogue given to him in this film. Morgan even does the signature leaning motion often associated with the character of Negan. Really, all that is missing is a barbwire bat to hit people with. With all that said, though, it is still an entertaining performance and makes it hard for anyone to take their eyes off the screen whenever he appears.
It is by no means a work of art, but “Rampage” provides entertainment for those looking for a fun and silly monster movie, with the climax alone being worth the price of admission. The film not only proves to be another perfectly serviceable video game film, but another success for Johnson as an action star, even though the monsters partake in more action than he does this time around. Whether full price or matinee, definitely give “Rampage” a watch.
