JURASSIC VALLEY (aka Kingdom Of The Dinosaurs) ** UK 2022 Dir: Scott Chambers. 80 mins
Welcome to Jurassic Valley, a thrilling horror/adventure set in the year 2030. As nations drift further apart, the world teeters on the edge of catastrophe. Amidst this chaos, government funding for the war effort has led to an extraordinary breakthrough – the resurrection of dinosaurs! However, these are not your friendly herbivores; we’re talking about the fearsome flesh-eating creatures. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more intense, World War III looms, threatening to plunge the world back into the primitive era.
Fast forward two years, a chosen few seek refuge in an underground bunker. Unfortunately, supplies began to diminish, forcing the group to divide. Some members bravely set out on a rescue mission to find supplies to guarantee the safety of all. Despite the perilous decision to confront these prehistoric creatures, the mission was deemed vital. However, those assigned to the task seemed unaware of the true dangers that were to be upon them and a mission to find supplies quickly turned into a mission to stay alive.
Firstly, I want to say the film’s narrative and plot was incredibly impressive and original. It showcased the potential of the horror genre by portraying characters who consistently made poor choices which was certainly reminiscent of your typical horror flick. There were moments where you couldn’t help but want to shout at the screen, warning the characters of the imminent danger they were about to face, which added an exhilarating and suspenseful element to the film.
There seems to be a lack of empathy for the characters throughout this film. Perhaps, a little more background to each character and an explanation of the reason each of them were selected to be the “chosen ones” would have helped develop more of a connection with the audience. Despite the acting in this film being a little “hit and miss” the film was still quite enjoyable and entertaining to watch. The CGI in this film at times was a little unrealistic but it certainly had its moments of genius too.
Even though Jurassic Valley left it open for a sequel, the film’s abrupt ending left a sense of incompleteness, and it could have benefited from an additional 20 minutes or so to provide a more satisfying conclusion. Ultimately, after watching this film, I was left with a sense of wanting more, although not necessarily for the best reasons but arguably not for the worst either. If you are a fan of dinosaurs and potential end-of-world flicks then this is definitely worth a watch. I rate this film 2 out of 5!
Review by Andrew Schisas (aka Cujo the Conqueror)
JURASSIC VALLEY (aka Kingdom Of The Dinosaurs) is out now on DVD in the UK and to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video in the UK courtesy of High Fliers Films.
The film is out in the USA under the title KINGDOM OF THE DINOSAURS and is available on DVD and to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video in the USA.