In the realm of dinosaur cinema, if there is such a thing, Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" is the unquestioned king. It's not unlike how Spielberg's "Jaws" is the unquestioned king of all shark movies. Everything else is just gunning for second place. When it comes to dinosaur motion pictures, though, it's largely been a distant second, and most people would probably just put their second-favorite "Jurassic" film in that number two spot. At long last, however, a non-"Jurassic" contender has entered
the arena. That contender is "Primitive War."
Hailing from director Luke Sparke and based on writer Ethan Pettus' novel series of the same name, we first learned about the "Primitive War" movie in 2022. It promised something totally different: a cross between a dinosaur film and a Vietnam War movie. Here we are in 2025, and Sparke has now delivered his entry in the dinosaur cinema canon, which is currently playing in theaters as part of a limited engagement through Fathom Events. I am here to say that it is quite possibly the greatest dinosaur movie ever made without "Jurassic Park" or "Jurassic World" in the title.
The movie takes place in Vietnam circa 1968. There, a recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They quickly discover they are not alone, though, and must face the most terrifying creatures to ever walk the Earth. That's right, dinosaurs in Vietnam, baby! Oh, also, there are evil Russian scientists. That is important.
Mind you, I don't say any of this lightly. I am a "Jurassic" super fan. The original "Jurassic Park" is my favorite film of all time, and I adore the first "Jurassic World." And as I've said many times, "Jurassic Park III" is the worst movie I've seen the most times. But I've also long wondered why Hollywood hasn't taken more stabs at big dinosaur films.
Read more: 12 Best Unofficial Movie Trilogies Of All Time, Ranked
Primitive War Finally Offers An Alternative Dinosaur Blockbuster Experience
I've searched high and low for other franchises to scratch this particular itch with little success. I enjoy Adam Driver's "65" quite a bit. It's a solid movie. But I haven't just watched the rare, big dinosaur movie that big studios offer up every so often. Sure, I like Peter Jackson's "King Kong," but that's a monster movie that happens to have prehistoric creatures in it. I've watched low-budget trash like 2021's "Claw." I've tried to enjoy the below B-movie thrills offered by DTV stuff like "Raptor Island."
All of this to say, I'm not singing the praises of "Primitive War" as someone who's only seen a few dinosaur movies. What Sparke and the folks at Spark Films have done is finally offer up the balls-to-the-wall, gonzo, and perhaps even by some standards ill-advised dino-centric blockbuster that Hollywood seemingly refuses to make. It's also bats*** wild.
I can't accuse it of being a well-acted movie. The cast, which includes the likes of Ryan Kwanten ("True Blood"), Tricia Helfer ("Battlestar Galactica"), and Nick Wechsler ("Revenge"), hams it up. It's a cheesy Vietnam war movie, almost like the film they were trying to make in "Tropic Thunder" actually happened, but then a whole bunch of dinosaurs enter the picture. And when I say a whole bunch, I mean it.
Despite being a lower-budget affair, somehow, Sparke managed to inject more prehistoric beasts into this project than anyone could've possibly predicted. It's genuinely ridiculous. If one is hoping for an exercise in restraint, look elsewhere. If "Jurassic Park" is "Jaws," then "Primitive War" is the "Deep Blue Sea" equivalent as the second-best entry in its respective genre.
Primitive War Is Everything Jurassic World Can't Be
This is a movie that throws everything at the wall, and then it throws even more. It feels like it should be 90 minutes with credits, but it's actually a whopping two hours and 15 minutes. It's epic in scale despite not having the $200 million budget of the latest "Jurassic World" movie. But what's perhaps most impressive is, despite the limitations, many of its visual effects are damn impressive. Audiences shouldn't have to concern themselves with budgetary constraints but, for the most part, Sparke stretched every dollar and put it where it counts: into the dinosaurs.
For those who have been disappointed with the likes of "Jurassic World Dominion," this is the antidote to such things. To put my cards on the table, I liked "Jurassic World Rebirth" just fine, but it felt safe, like its creatives were treading water. Sparke and his collaborators, on the other hand, had no interest in being reserved. This is the big, outlandish, excessive dinosaur movie Universal Pictures can't make. It's unrestrained and over-the-top in the way the best "Fast & Furious" movies are, but without their major resources.
What Sparke has delivered here is akin to the greatest, most irresponsibly expensive Syfy original movie never made. It's so cheesy, overflowing with dinos, and well over two hours. It's pure popcorn entertainment of the highest order. Don't go in expecting Oscar-level acting, but with the right expectations, there is a blast to be had. If you're one of those people who've said, "Just give the dinosaurs in the 'Jurassic' movies guns already," then this is for you.
"Primitive War" is now playing in theaters.
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