DVD Review – Rampage

Director: Brad Peyton

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Year: 2018

When your only real and necessary goal is to be better than San Andreas, you’ve succeeded in placing the bar so low that almost anything you produce will be a stunning hit by comparison.  And I’m only knocking San Andreas slightly; it was an entertaining disaster flick, though not even close to a commendable disasterpiece.  Rampage only had to be marginally better, only needed a slightly better script, only had to cast slightly better actors to work alongside the natural charisma that is The Rock, in order for us to stand and applaud.  I’d say it got about halfway over the line it was aiming to cross before falling limply on its side and passing out, which is just another way to say that Brad fixed some problems from he and Dwayne’s other attempts, but not all, not by a long shot.  Rampage is still problem-ridden, and yet still a good time; this genre is frustrating if only because audiences are programmed to enjoy the destruction, we just wish the destroyers would do a better job.

The Movie

Davis Okoye is a primatologist in San Diego working with gorillas, some of which he saved directly from the poachers traps.  Animals are his passion, and he finds that he has a difficult time relating to people; how they lie, how they ruin, how afraid they are, how quick to anger.  His best friend is an alpha male named George, who he rescued as a baby, and who he can talk with though a series of signs.  When a corporate experiment in space goes haywire and destroys its station, some of its pieces crash back down to Earth, one of them right in George’s enclosure.  Suddenly, this peaceful creature is now an aggressive monster, one that is growing in size every hour.  Davis and a disgraced scientist, Dr. Kate Caldwell, will have to figure out what changed George and how to halt his growth before he’s too big to stop.

Two more animals were affected by this debris as well: a wolf from the northern Badlands and an alligator from the Everglades, each responding to the experimental formula in a unique and deadly way.  When the owners of the corporation responsible realize what has happened, they call the creatures to them using a high-tech device, intent on harvesting the internal biological technology from the animals and selling it to the highest bidder.  Davis and Kate need to race against time if they want to reach Chicago first before George does, before the ever-growing animals destroy America’s cities in their ever-blossoming rage.  Soldiers are on their way to do what they can with the weapons at their disposal, but their firepower may not be enough, and we all may already be screwed.

I played Rampage as a kid; it was one of my favorite NES games.  My sister and I would rent it from the local store, play for hours, and then we’d have to leave it on all night, because at that time there wasn’t a save function.  When we got back on the system in the morning, it would be red-hot and buzzing badly, but we’d finish the game, take over the U.S., and feel pretty accomplished.  She was always Lizzy, I was George, so this movie speaks to that kid in me, that nostalgic piece that will always remember the good times I had with this game.  The film version does a great job of recalling the destruction and the chaos surrounding the game play; climbing buildings, punching holes in them for no reason, stomping tanks, dodging airplanes, crashing down with the rubble.  I even spotted the arcade version in the office of the villain, so good on the filmmakers for letting me relive a sliver of my childhood.

Now for the movie, which is basically so bad it’s good.  San Andreas was cheesy and unbelievable; Rampage is more fake, which makes it more fun.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a terribly simple and ridiculous plot filled with some of the worst dialogue you’ll ever hear, but it’s also full of goofy moments and pure mayhem that make the experience of watching worth the time.  Some of the worst lines were saved for Malin Akerman, who was the cunning head of the evil corporation.  She and all of her words were so bad you’d think George wrote them; I would swear that someone was sabotaging her career, but I’ve already seen her in enough to know that her talent level has done that itself.  The Rock was cool, as always, he was a good hero, he and George worked together as characters, and, again, the plot was so silly and easy and linear that it kinda worked.  Buildings fall, Chicago is attacked by a crocodile, people are eaten; not a bad way to spend an evening, especially if you are a fan of the original content and are ready to root for a little absurdity.

The Blu-ray

Video – With an aspect ratio of 2.40:1 (16×9 1080p HD) and shot using an Arri Alexa 65 camera, an Arri Alexa Mini camera with Panavision Primo, Primo-V, G-Series, T100, T150, AWZ, and ATZ lenses, and an Arri Alexa SXT camera with Panavision Primo, Primo-V, G-Series, T100, T150, AWZ, and ATZ lenses, the video quality of this Blu-ray disc is pretty phenomenal.  The picture was clear and cool in theaters, but it lost nothing in translation to video.  The creatures were animated with stunning detail, they’re better than I could have possibly imagined they would be, all those years ago; this team should be very proud of their entertainingly over-the-top film.

Audio – The Blu-ray was done in Dolby Atmos-True HD, with choices of English DTS-HD Master Audio, English Descriptive Audio, and French, Spanish, and Portuguese dubbing.  Subtitles are also available, in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.  The audio of the film is strong as well, with a score that smooths the transitions between scenes.  The balance between action and dialogue is nice, and the music really is pretty well-orchestrated, so points for the technical aspects.

Extras – There are a ton of bonus features on this disc.  Not Just A Game Anymore, a 6-minute look at the adaptation of the video game.  Deleted Scenes, a 10-minute bonus footage segment.  Gag Reel, a 2-minute bloopers show.  Rampage: Actors in Action, an 11-minute behind-the-scenes peek.  Trio of Destruction, a 10-minute feature on the creatures.  Attack on Chicago, a 10-minute breakdown of the big action scene.  And Bringing George to Life, a 12-minute motion capture education.

Final Thoughts

Recommended.  If you loved the old arcade or NES game, this movie is for you.  Literally, it was made with you in mind, the people who used to play the game, who used to knock San Francisco flat just because they could.  It’s a fun adaptation, they got the spirit just right, and Dwayne Johnson was the perfect choice for the lead role.  His charisma works with b-movies like this, that are trying to be so bad they become good.  He can’t always do it on his own, but his skill is enough here, because the pieces around him are just solid enough as well.  The action works, the animation is cool, and the Rock rocks; what more do you want?  Rampage isn’t spectacular, obviously, but it is a little awesome, if you can find it in yourself to enjoy this type of nonsense.  The video is well done, the audio actually works, and there are a boat-load of extras, so the technical side of the film deserves a high five.  I’ve seen this movie a couple times now, and it improves when given the chance; I recommend that you do just that.

☆ ☆ ☆ – Content

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ – Video

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ – Audio

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ – Extras

☆ ☆ ☆ – Replay