Primal Force (1999)

Rescuers try to reach plane crash victims that are trapped on an isolated Mexican island populated by mutant baboons. Ron Perlman stars as a troubled guide hired to lead the mission.

Director:

Nelson McCormick

Writer:

Michael Thoma

Stars:

Ron Perlman, Mark Kiely, Roxana Zal

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ron Perlman	...	Frank Brodie
Mark Kiely	...	Scott Davis
Roxana Zal	...	Tara Matthews
Kimberlee Peterson	...	Kelsey Cunningham
Guillermo Ríos	...	Eddie Mendoza
Richard Fancy	...	Deutsch
Julian Sedgwick	...	Stan Kovacs
Jimy Hefner	...	Pilot
Bruno Danza	...	Captain
Ramiro González	...	Boat mate (as Ramiro Gonzales)
Lola Noh	...	Baboon patriarch (as Lorene Noh)
Gustavo Tecuapetla R.	...	Baboon player 1
Lincy Anahy Avila G.	...	Baboon player 2
Claudia Acosta A.	...	Baboon player 3
Artemio Arzate H.	...	Baboon player 4

Storyline

A private plane carrying the daughter of a rich businessman crash-lands on the uninhabited island of San Miguel off the coast of Mexico, an island regarded by the locals as cursed. The businessman's Chief of Security, Scott Davis mounts a high-tech mission to rescue the survivors, and in his search to find a guide, comes across Frank Brodie, a man who was on the island ten years previously. Davis finds Brodie to be a brooding, reclusive drunk, haunted by his experiences on the island, and Brodie tells Davis that it isn't worth mounting a rescue mission as the survivors will, by now, be dead. Brodie, however, decides to tag along, bringing along a veritable arsenal of weapons and a fatalistic attitude, ridiculing Davis' plans as naive. Accompanying them is Tara Matthews, a young woman purporting to be a medic, and Davis' second-in-command, Eddie Mendoza, a down-to-earth practical man who very quickly realizes Brodie knows what he is doing and is inclined to believe what the man says. ...

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Plot Keywords:

island | mission | mutant baboon | experiment | baboon | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wild World

Filming Locations:

Ixtapa, Guerrero, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Singer/White Entertainment Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

As Davis walks along the track he gets caught by a loose branch around his boot. After disentangling himself, he asks Brodie how far away the plane is. Brodie informs him that it is about a kilometer away, and they won't make it before dark. At this point Brodie's jacket buttons are on the left side of his jacket. Cut back to Davis, who says they will make it. When the camera cuts back to Brodie, his jacket buttons are now on the right side of his jacket. The shot is in reverse.

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Quotes

Frank Brodie: [the team has just encountered the first mutant baboon] Bet you won't see that in National Geographic.

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Connections

References Planet of the Apes (1968)

User Reviews

Formula monster movie done extremely well

No mistake, this is a formula movie. The cynic imposed upon to go on a dangerous quest, teaching the others about the dangers. But it done exceptionally well. Ron Perlman has earned a lot of respect. He gives what could have been a stereotype a lot of character, but it isn't all him. Credit must also be given to the writers, director, and rest of the crew. It was a good team effort. The result is a fun, riveting film that leaves you hanging. The monsters in the case are mutant savage primates on an island. Perlman has dealt with before, and doesn't feel any impulse to deal with them again. He is coaxed into it, however. The story is good. The action well directed, the danger well defined. It lacks the silly blood and gore all over the place all the time that more comically inclined movies have, so you take it much more seriously. The reactions of the characters are well filmed. Stands out in the B monster movie genre.