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Primeval (2007)

tomatometer

19

Average Rating: 3.6/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 42

Primeval is a low-quality horror film, which due to the inane political messages does not even qualify as campy fun.

15

Average Rating: 3.5/10
Critic Reviews: 13
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 11

Primeval is a low-quality horror film, which due to the inane political messages does not even qualify as campy fun.

audience

35

liked it
Average Rating: 2.7/5
User Ratings: 63,054

My Rating

Movie Info

An American news crew travels to one of the most remote locations on the planet in hopes of capturing the savage serial killer rumored to have claimed over 300 lives in this white-knuckle horror-thriller starring Dominic Purcell and Orlando Jones, and based on actual events. As the intrepid documentarians cautiously make their way upriver, they soon find that the brutality inflicted on man by his own kind pales in comparison to the relentless viciousness of mother nature's most resilient

Jun 12, 2007

$10.4M

Buena Vista Pictures

Cast

All Critics (54) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (46) | DVD (23)

Essentially Jaws moved to Africa.

January 16, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For some insane reason, the makers of Primeval attempted to create a film that blends Anaconda with Hotel Rwanda, and they failed miserably.

January 16, 2007 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comment
San Francisco Chronicle
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Can't a killer-crocodile movie just be a killer-crocodile movie?

January 13, 2007 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | Comment
Globe and Mail
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Primeval is one of several recent movies to bill itself as 'inspired by true events.' So was this review, though in both cases 'inspired' may be too strong a word.

January 13, 2007 Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

How capturing an animal found in every zoo constitutes a scoop is beyond me, but when you expect the trio to be knee-deep in blood they are instead wading through politics.

January 13, 2007 Full Review Source: New York Post | Comment
New York Post
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In the end, broader messages get beaten down by genre.

January 13, 2007 Full Review Source: Boston Globe | Comment
Boston Globe
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Grisly croc tale lacks any meaningful bite.

July 17, 2008 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

Primeval is a slick-looking movie that lacks the gritty goodness of old-fashioned exploitation and is too silly to take seriously as a mainstream thriller.

July 7, 2008 Full Review Source: ESplatter | Comment
ESplatter

...a thoroughly awful, downright irritating piece of work...

August 16, 2007 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment
Reel Film Reviews

The possibility of commentary is raised but it ultimately is glossed over with cliches and very little substance.

August 13, 2007 Full Review Source: Calgary Movies | Comment
Calgary Movies

Laced with pseudoserious undertones, the movie makes "Anaconda" look like a modern-day classic.

July 26, 2007 Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | Comment
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Primeval is a bad film which disappoints on so many levels that it's got to be worthy of a 'Razzie' or two.

July 25, 2007 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

Primeval walks a fine line between action, humor, and having half a conscience.

June 25, 2007 Full Review Source: IGN Movies | Comment
IGN Movies

The commentary is a good natured conversation, which provides some interesting insights on the combination of on-location filming in South Africa and CGI animation.

June 10, 2007 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | Comment
Apollo Guide

Less than the sum of its parts. There are too many small errors and lost opportunities, and it's just not scary. Even a B movie can't succeed when that's the case.

June 10, 2007 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | Comment
Apollo Guide

When the action does come, it's predicable, unlikely, and mundane.

June 9, 2007 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

The subplot turns what might have been a fascinating true-life adventure into a lurid, stereotypical melodrama.

June 9, 2007 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

As it tries to be two things at once -- a gory monster movie and a dramatic social commentary -- what it mostly succeeds at is being dull and repetitive.

June 8, 2007 Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | Comment
EricDSnider.com

It's rough going when our heroes have us longing for the complexity of the riverboat crew from 'Anaconda.'

April 27, 2007 Full Review Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas) | Comment
Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)

Primeval is bad, but it's never boring, and you can't say that about many of its peers.

March 24, 2007 Full Review Source: UGO | Comment

Solidly well-told and breathtakingly shot.

March 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Film Journal International | Comment
Film Journal International
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Primeval

As far as giant croc movies it's not the best, but it's definitely a solid entry in the genre with nice production value. It also features the most croc on land attacks of any others ive seen. Not as good as Lake Placid, Dark Water or Rouge

April 19, 2007
kenstachnik

Super Reviewer

I didnt know it was inspired by the true story of prolific serial killer before watching it. Just trusted my friends review and I was not tiny bit of dissapointed

December 17, 2009
ScoopOnline
Wahida K

Super Reviewer

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