Austrailian's seem to be making good horror films nowadays, with "Wolf Creek" and "The Loved Ones" to name the best. But, like any country, they've got to slip up somewhere and here it's Josh Reed's "Primal" which is more "Vegetabal" to be honest with you. It has no intelligence, no drive and is as brain dead as the zombies!
Like almost every horror film it starts with about 5 friends going on a trip into the wilderness and ends up into a fight for survival with a concept that could've actually been pretty good, but instead turned clichéd and unexciting. "Primal" should've been cool, but from the first look of that bad puppet rabbit with the sharp teeth, you know it's going to be a little bit naff, and it was.
The set-pieces were on of the low-lights of the film, it was obvious that the actors were struggling with keeping the massive fangs in their mouths, so why have them? All the characters were annoying, there was not one you couldn't warm to until they turned into zombies. It's OK to have one or two unlikable characters, but if you can't warm to anyone then there's no excitement if they're running for survival because you can't root for them! Also,you can't feel bad for them when they do turn which is really bad! Likable characters are the key link to a good slasher/survival horror film.
The film didn't go anywhere, it had no drive and resorted to annoying people acting annoying standing around panicking instead of doing something. The majority of the film was the characters arguing about what to do so the film was ultimately stalled. Don't get me wrong it started off OK with the kids trying to trap the zombie friend, but then it feel apart about as much as there plans.
Also, the directing and editing was really bad. It seemed to resemble an 80's pop video at times and tried to cram too much style into it. At times the camera was shaking like a drunk at a wedding which I find incredibly annoying. So basically, the screenplay, directing and editing were all bad and considering this Josh Reed bloke wrote, edited and directed the film. He should stick to his day job.
Then the film turned horrendously bad at the end, confusing an already mashed genre (slasher/horror/survival) with another element! I won't spoil it for you but it's just plain weird and makes no sense what so ever! "Primal" is like a really old battered car with no steering wheel. It doesn't look nice and it doesn't go any where. It's another example of a film with a nice concept but executed in the poorest of ways, with a lazy script, bad editing and grotesque directing. I would stay clear from these woods.
Like almost every horror film it starts with about 5 friends going on a trip into the wilderness and ends up into a fight for survival with a concept that could've actually been pretty good, but instead turned clichéd and unexciting. "Primal" should've been cool, but from the first look of that bad puppet rabbit with the sharp teeth, you know it's going to be a little bit naff, and it was.
The set-pieces were on of the low-lights of the film, it was obvious that the actors were struggling with keeping the massive fangs in their mouths, so why have them? All the characters were annoying, there was not one you couldn't warm to until they turned into zombies. It's OK to have one or two unlikable characters, but if you can't warm to anyone then there's no excitement if they're running for survival because you can't root for them! Also,you can't feel bad for them when they do turn which is really bad! Likable characters are the key link to a good slasher/survival horror film.
The film didn't go anywhere, it had no drive and resorted to annoying people acting annoying standing around panicking instead of doing something. The majority of the film was the characters arguing about what to do so the film was ultimately stalled. Don't get me wrong it started off OK with the kids trying to trap the zombie friend, but then it feel apart about as much as there plans.
Also, the directing and editing was really bad. It seemed to resemble an 80's pop video at times and tried to cram too much style into it. At times the camera was shaking like a drunk at a wedding which I find incredibly annoying. So basically, the screenplay, directing and editing were all bad and considering this Josh Reed bloke wrote, edited and directed the film. He should stick to his day job.
Then the film turned horrendously bad at the end, confusing an already mashed genre (slasher/horror/survival) with another element! I won't spoil it for you but it's just plain weird and makes no sense what so ever! "Primal" is like a really old battered car with no steering wheel. It doesn't look nice and it doesn't go any where. It's another example of a film with a nice concept but executed in the poorest of ways, with a lazy script, bad editing and grotesque directing. I would stay clear from these woods.