Rating (1.5 out of 5)
This was the new movie on HBO this week. My wife watched this on one of her trips. She said Rampage is truly awful but suggested I should decide for myself. I think she had a good laugh at my expense, because, oh and it is truly awful.
Plot: 3 animals have been infected by a gene altering chemical that fell from a space lab. The animals have grown to enormous size, developed a super aggression, regenerate at phenomenal speeds, and other power. The 3 animals are heading for Chicago and only the Rock can save them.
What I Liked: They showed how smart gorillas are and their ability to communicate through sign language.
What I Didn’t Like: The rest of the film is pretty much a disaster. The story line and characters are basically unredeemable, and the writers should be embarrassed by what they wrote. From the very opening scene, where the canisters fall to earth, to the Rock being the only person to run around the streets of Chicago helping his gorilla friend George battle the 2 other creatures, the script is just nonsense.
Not one character is written well. I am trying to recall something good and I come up blank every time. The bad guys were thin and superficial, the government officials were worse. The plot points to move the film along were contrived and lacking in any creativity. The worst was when George the gorilla eats Claire Wyden (Malin Akerman) in order to get George the formula to end cure his aggression. I don’t recall him eating anyone before that.
Conclusion: I didn’t think there could be a Rock film worse than Baywatch or San Andreas. Once again I have been proven wrong.
Why is it worse than San Andreas? At least the characters were likable in San Andreas and some what realistic. In Rampage all the characters are the worst stereotypes of those archetypes. In San Andreas the actions scenes bordered on the unrealistic versus Rampage that went all the way to fantastical.
Why is it worse than Baywatch? Baywatch is just so silly you at least laugh. The stunts are silly and the plot is a little thin, but you smile more which is more than I can say about Rampage.