Primal: Tales of Savagery

This was breathtaking, gritty and absolutely hair raising.

'Primal: Tales Of Savagery (2019)' is a compilation of the first four episodes of Genndy Tartakovsky's 'Primal (2019-)', which essentially makes it an anthology of loosely connected short stories. It's set in the often-seen but entirely fictional period of pre-history in which man and dinosaur roam side by side, focusing on the unlikely bond formed between one member of each species. Because of its nature, it doesn't feel like a traditional film. Its arcs are limited to each segment and the overall narrative doesn't feel entirely complete (primarily because it isn't). Having said that, the 'episodes' themselves are typically rather entertaining. There isn't any spoken dialogue and the thing is actually really good at visual storytelling; it impressively manages to convey some relatively complex emotions and inner thoughts simply though action. There's a good mix between quiet character moments and brutal, chest-beating action, which keeps things feeling relatively fresh throughout. The set-pieces are exciting and the animation is minimalist but effective. It's a good in-the-moment experience, even if it doesn't amount to an entirely cohesive experience overall. It's probably not the best way to watch 'Primal (2019-)', which is clearly meant to be viewed in 22-minute chunks, but it's a decent time nevertheless. 7/10

Everything you expect from tartakovsky but it feels like greater by the minute.

I loved every second of it. Amazing movie. An epic bond between animal and man.

Primal is a re-imagining of the dawn of man, as it struggles to get a start in an unrelenting and merciless world of dinosaurs, and various other hostile threats. We follow "Spear", a gruff Paleolithic man, as he eventually joins forces with "Fang", an adult female T-rex. Both are bonded (albeit, not right away) by shared hardships, and upon realization that survival is better attainable through teamwork, this unlikely duo is formed, and traverses the brutal world together.

The animation is absolutely mesmerizing. It is as fluid and ambitious as the storyline itself, and audiences can find themselves immersed rather quickly. Despite no verbal communication between the main characters (aside from grunts and roars), a relationship forms between them, creating fascinating new moments that can be surprisingly emotional, wildly intense, or even downright hilarious. Each episode exhibits new challenges for our protagonist pair, keeping the story constantly fresh and unpredictable.

Tartakovsky and the rest of the production company deserves much praise for creating this gem. Using the most ancestral image of our humanity, it is a fine representation of adversity endured, and overcome, for our species. And to share it with a completely different (and fun) species in a fantastical setting, it simply becomes pure joy to behold. I hope this series gets enough attention to go on for a while!

While viewers are encouraged to unleash their inner dino-loving child, one must also be advised that this show is NOT for children. The atmosphere and setting of the series is violent and bloody, and can easily be upsetting for kids, despite being animated.

Long live 2-D animation!