PRIMAL

US, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Famke Janssen, Kevin Durand, Jeremy Nazario, Michael Imperioli.
Directed by Nicholas Powell.

This is very much a film for Nicolas Cage fans – and for those interested in hunting of exotic animals in the jungles destined for zoos, for an action show. It was directed by Nicholas Powell who has over 150 credits over several decades for stunt work.

The film opens in the jungles of Brazil, Nicolas Cage is Frank perched on a stand, with animal bait for a Jaguar, a white Jaguar which he traps, along with other animals.

The main action of the film takes place on the ship sailing back to the United States. He meets military personnel who are accompanying a hired assassin, Kevin Durand, back to the United States. He is military trained, claims he was killing on behalf of the American government. Famke Janssen and Michael Imperioli are the officers in charge of him (and a terrible distraction throughout the film is Famke Janssen’s face, looking like a mask rather than skin and complexion).

Needless to say, the prisoner escapes, a big tall man, ruthless, eliminating many of the crew, taking charge of the ship, turning it around. There is some resistance from members of the crew and some ambiguous behaviour on the part of the official played by Imperioli. And, again needless to say, some of the animals get loose, there are threats to the life of one of the crew, his teenage son in peril,

Most of the time, with the many fights, the assassin towering over Nicolas Cage, Cage is frequently bashed, some brutal encounters. We can guess that the white Jaguar is going to come into action for the climax of the film, the assassin trapped, hanging upside down, target for the Jaguar.

A time-passer for those who like action shows and for those who enjoy the many, many Nicolas Cage action films each year.