The biggest appeal of Primitive War is its undeniably fun premise: the Vietnam War, but with dinosaurs. On a special mission to retrieve a missing US Army platoon, Sergeant Baker and his men, known as the Vulture Squad, find themselves battling ancient creatures deep inside the forests of Vietnam. From terrestrial to aerial to aquatic, the squad encounters every kind of dinosaur. Every action set piece, line of dialogue, and character arc feels like an answer to the question: “How would a cheesy 80s Hollywood action film handle this scene?” That, in fact, is one of the film’s greatest strengths. It is unapologetic about its influences. Even the visuals and lighting recall 80s jungle actioners like The Predator, and instead of feeling outdated, they add a sweet tinge of nostalgia.
The film is a glorious parade of familiar clichés. The most obvious example comes right at the beginning: US Army helicopters soaring over lush jungles to the quintessential Vietnam War anthem. From there, it is one action-movie cliché after another: a character sacrificing themselves for the group; a squad made up of pure tropes, from the wisecracking loudmouth to the clueless newbie; a mission that turns out to be fake before escalating into a fight to save the country or planet; a montage of memories before death. Instead of making the film predictable, these well-known clichés accentuate its cheesiness.
Primitive War knows its strengths and commits to them, which is commendable for a film about dinosaurs in the middle of the Vietnam War. But at times, in that pursuit of conviction, it takes itself too seriously. There are indulgent stretches that test our patience. Suddenly, the film feels compelled to discuss the politics of war and how soldiers are mere pawns, which may be true, but it lands awkwardly when it follows a scene where a Russian paleontologist explains her morphine addiction while revealing that her government accidentally brought dinosaurs back through wormholes. And it’s often hard to tell whether the dialogue is intentionally corny or just plain bad.
Even with its modest budget, the film does its best to bring the dinosaurs to life in all their terrifying glory. The distinct hollow thud of a T. rex snapping its jaw is one of the most memorable technical nuances. It hits its peak in the finale, as the survivors face off against hundreds of ravenous creatures with nothing but a barrage of bullets. If Primitive War had embraced its own absurdities instead of taking itself so seriously, it could have been more entertaining. What we get instead is an overlong celebration of action clichés weighed down by self-seriousness, built on what is essentially a wacky premise.