Post by slayrrr666 on Oct 24, 2005 13:39:47 GMT -5
For my last new review, a new classic from Sci-Fi:
"Pterodactyl" isn't all that bad for a Sci-Fi Channel flick.
**SPOILERS**
Along the Turkish/Armenian border, a series of earthquakes has stirred a clutch of prehistoric eggs, hatching Pterodactyl's from their sleep. Unknowingly, a Paleontological expedition is on the way to study the volcano that houses the eggs. Led by Professor Lovecraft, (Cameron Daddo) and his students Serling, (George Calil) Angie, (Mircea Monroe) Yolen, (Ivo Cutzarida) and assistant Kate Hienlen (Amy Sloan) they head out to investigate. While getting to the volcano, they decide to stop and pitch camp. Angie decides to go swimming, and is attacked by a Pterodactyl. When she comes back to camp, no one takes the story seriously, but they promise to investigate. Turning up nothing, they leave they next morning to get to the volcano. On route, they are attacked by more Pterodactyls, and they finally believe Angie's story. While trying to get away, a special army task force, led by Captain Bergin, (Coolio) stumbles upon the group and whisks the survivors away to safety. Hampered by the fact that Professor Lovecraft wants to study the creatures and Bergin's mission to bring in a terrorist (Petr Jakl) to justice, they form an uneasy alliance to fend off the flying creatures, who have them trapped in a giant valley with no easy way to escape.
The Good News: I know there is good reason why this film is the highest-rated original program for the Sci-Fi Channel: it is a good film. It is very fast-paced, features a nearly gratuitous scene of a woman in a bikini and less, plenty of gore, and a clichéd storyline with only a few twists to differentiate the film from others with similar plots. The action starts off in a hurry as we watch Bergin's squad shoot it out with a gang of terrorists in a small jungle clearing. Opening with a gunfight is a great way to open a film, and it was a shock to see something like that when the film is a horror film about giant prehistoric reptiles. Once we get away from them, we get to meet Dr. Lovecraft's team, and the amount of character development is right for the type of film that it is. You all know the stereotypes in this kind of film: the spoiled rich girl, the nerdy guy, the silent one who really does nothing, and the assistant with a crush on the teacher. Perfect for the quick kind of film that it is, and nobody wasn't really expecting anything different, were they? The small team meets the military team very early on, and we get several attacks before they do meet up. The first pterodactyl attack is impressive, as the birds come from out of nowhere, flying down into the group close enough to touch, then pulling away and becoming vicious in the search for food. They fly in and start killing, or take away the unfortunate few to their children back at home. That brings up the gore content in the film. As is usual with their films, the Sci-Fi Channel has unloaded a fair amount of it in the film. We get a decapitation, (arguably the best death in the film) several arm amputations, a disemboweling, claws marks scratching up their arms and chest, and one where a man was eaten alive by the baby pterodactyls, with most of his skin missing, but still alive. There is also carcasses cut open and the pterodactyls feasting on the bloody innards. Plus, we get bloody cuts and bruises on nearly everyone here. This is certainly one that will please the gore-hounds. Also of mention is perhaps one of the best endings in the long and glorious tradition of Sci-Fi fake-outs. I won't say too much, but talk about ending the film with a bang. It is one of new favorite fake-out endings. As for the Pterodactyl's themselves, they're all right. The puppets used in several scenes were as always more believable than the CGI counterparts, but this really didn't deter much of my enjoyment of the film, since I've become numb to this kind of thing.
The Bad News: There is really one thing that bothered me about the film: the military is especially helpless in dealing with the creatures. There is only one method that proved especially useful in dealing with them, but it is used so rarely that you do forget that it is an option for them. There was tons of creatures in the film; killing off a few of them wouldn't be a bad thing. Plus, it would've made the scenes of them being beaten more believable and scary, as we would've known that they were capable of stopping them, and their death would've meant that there is one less person capable of killing them around. That adds to the suspense of the story, which definitely needed a boost. There was only one cool scene in a hut in the middle of nowhere that provided any suspense, namely from totally ripping off "Night of the Living Dead." It would've helped.
The Final Verdict: Despite some strong need for some suspense, this isn't all that bad a movie. It has some good gore, convincing creatures, great action and the hot Mircea Monroe in a bikini for several minutes. For the kind of movie that it is, you can't go wrong. Recommended for Sci-Fi Channel enthusiasts and anyone interested in prehistoric carnage.
Rated R: Graphic Violence, Adult Language, and Brief Nudity
"Pterodactyl" isn't all that bad for a Sci-Fi Channel flick.
**SPOILERS**
Along the Turkish/Armenian border, a series of earthquakes has stirred a clutch of prehistoric eggs, hatching Pterodactyl's from their sleep. Unknowingly, a Paleontological expedition is on the way to study the volcano that houses the eggs. Led by Professor Lovecraft, (Cameron Daddo) and his students Serling, (George Calil) Angie, (Mircea Monroe) Yolen, (Ivo Cutzarida) and assistant Kate Hienlen (Amy Sloan) they head out to investigate. While getting to the volcano, they decide to stop and pitch camp. Angie decides to go swimming, and is attacked by a Pterodactyl. When she comes back to camp, no one takes the story seriously, but they promise to investigate. Turning up nothing, they leave they next morning to get to the volcano. On route, they are attacked by more Pterodactyls, and they finally believe Angie's story. While trying to get away, a special army task force, led by Captain Bergin, (Coolio) stumbles upon the group and whisks the survivors away to safety. Hampered by the fact that Professor Lovecraft wants to study the creatures and Bergin's mission to bring in a terrorist (Petr Jakl) to justice, they form an uneasy alliance to fend off the flying creatures, who have them trapped in a giant valley with no easy way to escape.
The Good News: I know there is good reason why this film is the highest-rated original program for the Sci-Fi Channel: it is a good film. It is very fast-paced, features a nearly gratuitous scene of a woman in a bikini and less, plenty of gore, and a clichéd storyline with only a few twists to differentiate the film from others with similar plots. The action starts off in a hurry as we watch Bergin's squad shoot it out with a gang of terrorists in a small jungle clearing. Opening with a gunfight is a great way to open a film, and it was a shock to see something like that when the film is a horror film about giant prehistoric reptiles. Once we get away from them, we get to meet Dr. Lovecraft's team, and the amount of character development is right for the type of film that it is. You all know the stereotypes in this kind of film: the spoiled rich girl, the nerdy guy, the silent one who really does nothing, and the assistant with a crush on the teacher. Perfect for the quick kind of film that it is, and nobody wasn't really expecting anything different, were they? The small team meets the military team very early on, and we get several attacks before they do meet up. The first pterodactyl attack is impressive, as the birds come from out of nowhere, flying down into the group close enough to touch, then pulling away and becoming vicious in the search for food. They fly in and start killing, or take away the unfortunate few to their children back at home. That brings up the gore content in the film. As is usual with their films, the Sci-Fi Channel has unloaded a fair amount of it in the film. We get a decapitation, (arguably the best death in the film) several arm amputations, a disemboweling, claws marks scratching up their arms and chest, and one where a man was eaten alive by the baby pterodactyls, with most of his skin missing, but still alive. There is also carcasses cut open and the pterodactyls feasting on the bloody innards. Plus, we get bloody cuts and bruises on nearly everyone here. This is certainly one that will please the gore-hounds. Also of mention is perhaps one of the best endings in the long and glorious tradition of Sci-Fi fake-outs. I won't say too much, but talk about ending the film with a bang. It is one of new favorite fake-out endings. As for the Pterodactyl's themselves, they're all right. The puppets used in several scenes were as always more believable than the CGI counterparts, but this really didn't deter much of my enjoyment of the film, since I've become numb to this kind of thing.
The Bad News: There is really one thing that bothered me about the film: the military is especially helpless in dealing with the creatures. There is only one method that proved especially useful in dealing with them, but it is used so rarely that you do forget that it is an option for them. There was tons of creatures in the film; killing off a few of them wouldn't be a bad thing. Plus, it would've made the scenes of them being beaten more believable and scary, as we would've known that they were capable of stopping them, and their death would've meant that there is one less person capable of killing them around. That adds to the suspense of the story, which definitely needed a boost. There was only one cool scene in a hut in the middle of nowhere that provided any suspense, namely from totally ripping off "Night of the Living Dead." It would've helped.
The Final Verdict: Despite some strong need for some suspense, this isn't all that bad a movie. It has some good gore, convincing creatures, great action and the hot Mircea Monroe in a bikini for several minutes. For the kind of movie that it is, you can't go wrong. Recommended for Sci-Fi Channel enthusiasts and anyone interested in prehistoric carnage.
Rated R: Graphic Violence, Adult Language, and Brief Nudity
