Primal

2019

Action / Thriller

110
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 23% · 46 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 23% · 100 ratings
IMDb Rating 4.9/10 10 12328 12.3K

jaguar assassin amazon affectation amazon rainforest cynical

Plot summary

A big-game hunter for zoos books passage on a Greek shipping freighter with a fresh haul of exotic and deadly animals from the Amazon, including a rare white Jaguar – along with a political assassin being extradited to the U.S in secret. Two days into the journey, the assassin escapes and releases the captive animals, throwing the ship into chaos.

Director

Nick Powell Photo
Nick Powell

Top cast

Nicolas Cage Photo
Nicolas Cage as Frank Walsh
Famke Janssen Photo
Famke Janssen as Dr. Ellen Taylor
John Lewis Photo
John Lewis as Harrison
Michael Imperioli Photo
Michael Imperioli as Paul Freed
720p.BluRay 720p.WEB 1080p.BluRay 1080p.WEB
864.97 MB
1280*534
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 6
861.07 MB
1280*534
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 3
1.52 GB
1920*800
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 9
1.52 GB
1920*800
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 37 min
Seeds 14

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by IonicBreezeMachine 5 / 10

A B-movie that that provides just enough trashy thrill to justify itself.

If you took The Ghost and the Darkness, First Blood, Under Siege, and a dash of Snakes on a Plane you'd most likely get something like Primal, an okay action thriller that succeeds despite its low budget and shaky FX. Nicolas Cage plays big game hunter Frank Walsh who books a freighter to transport his illegally acquired exotic animals(including a white jaguar worth a small fortune) but his plans hit a snag when some U.S. Marshalls piggy back on his ship to transport rogue Black Ops killer Loffler played by Kevin Durrand. Needless to say Loffler escapes, releases franks menagerie of exotic animals and the fight for survival ensues. If there's anything to be said in Primal's favor it's that it's never boring. Despite the dodgy CGI and some phoned in performance, the action moves at a quick enough pace to keep you engaged and Cage is having fun playing a professional hunter now trying to use his skills against a crazed black ops mercenary. What makes the film stumble unfortunately is its obvious budget limitations and a lack of menace from Durrand as Loffler. Aside from a few moments, the movie downplays the threat of the exotic animals and focuses more on Loffler who just doesn't feel threatening despite his earnest attempts. There's also a tracker Walsh is in possession of that I thought would be used for Alien style suspense, but despite it being brought up, it never comes into play in any meaningful fashion. Primal is a serviceable rental, it'll kill 90 minutes and you'll never think of it again. And for DTV thrillers you can certainly do worse.
Reviewed by asnyde 6 / 10

Surprisingly Decent

First things first: Primal is carried entirely by its lead and antagonist. With Kevin Durand performing as his typical unhinged villain, Nicolas Cage channels his best Bogart and proves he still has the chops for an action movie. The remainder of the cast is at best forgettable and at worst irritating, but the script mercifully keeps their screen time brief (before killing most of them off entirely) and reserves the majority of the movie to be carried by Cage and Durand. The tension stays relatively taught despite a couple lulls, and the plot is simple but coherent. About as much as you can ask for from an offering like this. Thankfully Cage maintains his trademark commitment and energy till the end, and Durand makes an entertaining, if recognizable, foil. Plus there is a scene with killer monkeys...Decent late night fare.
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