Based off of a 1986 arcade video game, ‘Rampage’ features stunning special effects and time-appropriate humor. However, this is mashed together with a ridiculous plot and unrealistic events.
With a 51 percent from Rotten Tomatoes and a 6.4/10 from IMDb, ‘Rampage’ had decently low expectations to meet.
Directed by Brad Peyton, the director of movies such as ‘San Andreas’ and ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,’ the movie was set to push the boundaries of the believable.
The cast was mainly composed of people Peyton used regularly in his films, and only had a few well-known actors. Dwayne Johnson, the main character of ‘Rampage,’ has been in many of Peyton’s films. The other main actors in the film were Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Naomie Harris.
Johnson plays a primatologist at the San Diego Wildlife Preserve who has a strong bond with an extremely rare and intelligent silverback gorilla named George. The bond between these two characters is extremely well done and produces one of the main conflicts of the plot.
The best part of the film was the displays of emotion on George, as every moment with him in the film allowed the viewer to experience his agony and humor.
Together with Johnson are Morgan, a government agent, and Harris, a fired scientist that created the bacteria that allowed the animals to grow to unfathomable sizes. All three work together in an attempt to give the animals an antidote that will eliminate their aggressiveness and stop the destruction of Chicago.
The acting is decent in this film, and Johnson portrays his character well. One of the continually strong points in this movie, however, is its use of CGI (computer-generated imagery). There are many scenes that use CGI which allow it to emphasize the destruction of Chicago by the three beasts.
One of the biggest faults of ‘Rampage’ though is the overall premise of it. Although nothing can be said of how the animals began to increase in size, what the characters endure as well as what happens to those trying to stop them is over the top.
As with any movie, there will be negatives and positives. ‘Rampage’ has no thought-provoking moments but is an entertaining movie that is sure to give a few good laughs.
