Komodo

It's not really an awful movie, but it is pretty bad. At least, the plot and acting are pretty mediocre at best and downright terrible in places. The effects are surprisingly good for a movie this cheap. In fact, I was favourably impressed by them. There are one or two obviously bad animatronic moments, but on the whole the dragons look good to the eye.

This isn't a movie which will win anything, but it's reasonable fare for a rainy day when you're bored. Or a beer-night with friends. Don't expect Jurassic Park in terms of acting or effects, let alone story, and you might actually think this movie isn't half bad. No, wait....the story is still too lame. Ok, think of it as a tolerable film if you're desperate.

Watch out for the flaregun effect right at the end. I was quite surprised to see this effect in a low-budget flick that it stands out as a "Wow!" moment. One of the more original effects I've seen on film. In fact, the effects are what saves this movie from being a real turkey. Watch it for them.

First off let me say one thing... B horror and drama are the only two genres that really don't mix at all. That said, Komodo, one of the few films to actually try to combine those two genres, isn't all that bad of a movie. The special effects are in fact pretty impressive for a straight to video cheesefest, and the cinematography is definitely worth noting. The cinematographer somehow made Komodo look like a big budget studio piece, with some very inventive camera angles and my favorite... a LOT of movement. I don't know why... I'm just a fan of camera movement.

The acting, though it wasn't great, was decidedly above average for a film such as this. Jill Hennessy, star of TV's Law and Order, put forth a decent performance, but her... errr... assets seemed to have a lot more screen presence than she ever will. Kevin Zegers, one of the most talented actors of his generation, showed little of that talent here, sleep walking through his role with ease. The remainder of the supporting cast was average, with the exception of Patrick's grandmother (I think), who was just begging to be eaten. Remember that one moment in Deep Blue Sea when Samuel L Jackson got chomped up by the shark? Remember how you felt when that happened? Were you cheering? I thought so. That's exactly how you'll feel when she gets swallowed whole by the Komodo Dragon (cue cheesy Dum Dum Dum sound), and trust me, you'll be wondering why Jill Hennessy even bothers to try to save her. And thankfully it's in the film's first twenty minutes.

Well, all that said, the movie did have it's share of problems, and then some. First off, THERE WAS NO CLIMAX!

The biggest one however, was the movie's tremendous lack of focus. Many movies do have trouble focusing, but never has that been more evident than in Komodo. First off, the movie can't seem to decide whether it wants to be a Jurassic Park-esque sci fi horror flick, which it hints at in a few scenes, a Carnosaur-esque Jurassic Park rip off, which it also hints at, or a full fledged character study/drama, which I actually wish it had turned into, and also... yea, you guessed it... hints at that. It had the promise, starting off a subplot where Jill Hennessy's character has to crack through the veritable shell Kevin Zegers has created around himself, shielding him from reality. But, alas, that subplot was thrown out halfway through the movie, the main plot with the killer lizards taking over.

Secondly, the movie doesn't want to decide on who the main character is. It starts off with the focus on Kevin Zegers, shifting to Jill Hennessy, back to Zegers, then staying on the two for a while. Then, about an hour through, Zegers is completely forgotten about for over twenty minutes, not a second on screen during that time, until the end, where he's brought back for some reason. If you're gonna have a main character, you can't throw them off to the side?

I made my own Jurassic Park rip off (well, technically it was a spoof), a couple of years ago titled Catastrophe: Jurassic Park (With Cats), and I did the same thing. That was before I knew anything about filmmaking. Now that I do, I watch a Hollywood film like Komodo do the same thing and I'm blown away. Have these people even gone to film school?

Bottom line: Komodo is an entertaining B flick, but little else. But hey, if the considerably worse Bats made it to theaters, why didn't this?

***/*****

I know, I know, you're thinking not ANOTHER Komodo Dragon movie. But trust me, this one doesn't disappoint. Clearly it's not good, but that's what makes it great. The Giant Dragons actually looked decent, and the acting was not as bad everyone would think. The plot was crazy and not what a sane person would call realistic, but therein lies the beauty. What's not to love about an island full of crazy Komodo Dragons on a blood thirsty rampage? Nothing, that's what!

If you are looking for an intellectual thriller, I have a feeling Komodo is not your cup of tea. On the other hand if you like having a few drinks with friends while trashing a very watchable movie this one is right up your alley. Dare I say, Komodo-riffic? Yes, I think I do.

Whether the komodo dragons are depicted with animatronics or computer graphics, they look top notch and scary - when you see them. (You don't see them as much as you might think.) However, the rest of the movie is A MESS! The characters were murky and unlikable, and the story was at times so lacking in key details, I am positive that the movie was either handed to the most incompetent editor alive, or that they didn't have enough money to shoot everything. (I don't think anyone could be that dumb to have chosen to film the script if it had actually been written the way the movie progesses onscreen.) Not enough gore or action for the red meat crowd anyway.

While I wouldn't call Komodo a classic by any means it is the most fun direct-to-video movie I've stumbled across in some time. The direction is pretty good, the acting is tight, and the lizards look great, especially when you take into account how low the budget was on this film. While the story is a bit lacking, it still comes across as reasonably entertaining. I recommend Komodo for a weekend rental. It won't change your life but its a fun way to spend an hour or so. You might also want to check out the DVD edition which has some neat features.