I was very curious about this film since it seemed very simple in concept to those of some of the best movies in the past decades. Not to mention having phenomenal actor Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs, who wouldn't watch it? After finishing the movie, I can at least say the movie was a competent and engaging watch, but wasn't as exciting as the trailers made it out to be.
First of all, Adam Driver is fantastic in this movie. Despite the simplistic and somewhat predictable narrative, he's still engaging to watch as a desperate man trying to survive and rescue the only other survivor, a young foreign girl. And Props to Ariana Greenblatt for pulling off a helpless girl with a language opposite of the lead and still having good chemistry.
Other than that, the movie doesn't really utilize it's concept that well with the battle of scientific technology and prehistoric creatures. There are only a few instances where we can see him use strategy and the use of various gadgets to take them down. While those scenes are fun, it's very little throughout the movie.
I was worried that this movie could have been awful since it gave me very similar vibes to After Earth, and I'm sure you don't need me to explain why. But I can at least say that writer and directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods didn't drop the ball that badly. I can also respect that they want to bring Hollywood back to basics with concepts that are simple, yet effective. While slow paced, and at times underwhelming, I can at least say I enjoyed myself while watching.
