DNA (1997) (V)

User Rating:

2.7/10   

Director:

William Mesa

Writer:

Nick Davis (writer)

Release Date:

7 March 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Don't Mess with Mother Nature!

Plot:

An evil scientist's DNA experiment on the bones of a mysterious jungle creature brings the carnivorous beast to life.

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | Stabbed In The Throat | Entire Title Is Capitalized Acronym | Spinning Axe | Helicopter

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Mark Dacascos	...	Dr. Ash Mattley
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Dr. Carl Wessinger
Robin McKee	...	Claire Sommers
Tom Taus	...	Matzu
Roger Aaron Brown	...	Loren Azenfeld
John H. Brennan	...	Hatton
Mark McCracken	...	Sergeant Reinhardt / Balacau
Joel Torre	...	Taka
Susan Africa	...	Nurse
Cris Aguilar	...	Kasala
Aniceto 'Chito' Fulminar	...	Fulminari Chief
Rudy Castillo	...	Headhunter Warrior #1
Jhun Sodela	...	Headhunter Warrior #2
Nash Espinosa	...	Fighting Warrior #1
Rudy Vic Del	...	Fighting Warrior #2

Also Known As:

Genetic Code (Europe: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and gore, and for some language.

Runtime:

105 min | Canada:97 min

Country:

USA | Philippines

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Subic Bay Freeport, Subic Bay, Olongapo City, Zambales, Luzon, Philippines

Company:

Interlight

Movie Connections:

References Jurassic Park (1993)

Predator, anyone?

I thought the first half of this movie was bad - there's a monster that's created by combining an ancient skeleton with the DNA of beetles, or maybe it's a space alien? Both explanations are given. A mad scientist (Jurgen Prochnow) has created this thing as a military weapon (oh yeah, the old completely uncontrollable monster as a weapon gag). A CIA agent and a local doctor / scientist / jungle guide / warrior guy try to stop them. There's just one plot hole after another. At one point the multi-tasking guy and the CIA agent are locked up in a drainage pipe, but escape simply by going to the next exit. They put a guy in a cage to act as bait for the monster, but there are people running around all over the place. Why would they assume the monster would go after the guy in the cage? And on and on.

But the second half of this movie is just a really cheap Predator rip off, scene-by-scene. You get two people laying motionless on a beach, and a monster's-eye view of them - he can't see them because, well, he's 99% blind I guess. The Predator couldn't see Schwarzenegger because he was covered in mud which masked his infra-red signature, but these folks aren't covered in mud. Apparently the creature saw Predator and realized that he shouldn't be able to see them. Then there's the scene where the Indian takes off his shirt and rubs something across his chest, preparing to do battle. And the scene where a big piece of tree trunk is hoisted into the air for a trap. Just for variety, they throw in a scene where a helicopter crashes behind our "good" characters and rolls towards them as they run away, very reminiscent of Aliens. Except the scene in this movie is comically bad. I don't see how anyone could watch it without laughing out loud at that special effect. There's also a drawn out death scene that drags everything to a complete halt just when it had finally started moving.

Anyway, this movie has nothing to recommend it. Prochnow's evil scientist character is really the only one that's developed to any degree, and of course, he's the one we're not supposed to like.