When a spacecraft carrying research samples from a shady corporate gene-editing experiment explodes in the atmosphere scattering its tainted shrapnel across the U.S., George, a wolf and a crocodile are infected with the stuff. It causes them to grow to an enormous size and act out aggressively.
Hoping to save his friend, Davis links up with a disgraced genetic scientist, Kate (Naomie Harris), and barges right into the middle of the operation to take down these monsters that are threatening to level Chicago, Godzilla-style.
The script smashes through rapid-fire character introductions, each bigger and broader than the last. But it’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan, in fine fettle, who does as much structural damage as the monsters do, chewing the scenery as a swaggering cowboy of a government agent, replete with pearl-handled pistol on his hip. He relishes every sweet, honey-accented line delivery, but he too, is even upstaged, by the SuperCroc, who makes possibly the most memorable entrance of the year.
All these characters make for a movie that never slows down, but among all the mayhem, Johnson is completely lost. He doesn’t get a chance to truly show his comedy chops or acting skill, and his character is the least developed. He is, in fact, dwarfed by George, and every other hammy performance on screen. As a stupefyingly silly throwback monster movie, “Rampage” romps, but as a Johnson vehicle, sadly, it flops.
MOVIE REVIEW
“Rampage”
Grade: C
Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Naomie Harris. Directed by Brad Peyton.
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, action and destruction, brief language, and crude gestures. Check listings for theaters. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Bottom line: It's fun as a silly throwback monster movie
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