11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Quirky, Sly, And Actually Works, October 1, 2006
This review is from: Anonymous Rex (DVD)
I'll admit that when I first saw this film promoted on the SciFi channel a couple of years ago, I laughed it off as just another bad SciFi channel flick. Let's be honest here, dinosaurs attempting to live amongst humans by disguising themselves to look like humans sounds pretty silly. Dinosaurs, or at least the popular ones, are supposed to be these large, man-eating monsters. The vegetarian dinosaurs, like the stegosaurus and the triceratops, have been built up as gentle giants by pop culture.
In this story, however, the dinosaurs are private investigators, doctors, lawyers, eco-warriors, Faye Dunaway, Isaac Hayes--you name it. They've surpassed the "apes" in a number of categories, including, as far as this story is concerned, forensics. A murder occurs that directly affects Vincent Rubio (Sam Trammell), a dino who's having an image problem. His P.I. buddy, gamely played by Daniel Baldwin, has a couple of problems of his own. One involves a potential girlfriend and the other involves his daughter. As the dino duo begin to break down the murder mystery, they uncover the plot of a renegade dinosaur to destroy the human race and once again let the lizards rule the Earth.
It's all done with tongue-in-cheek attitude and plenty of sarcastic humor. Unlike another reviewer, I found this film to be quite funny. It's not dark at all, unless you count the bits where the lighting is toned down to hide the obvious CGI shortcomings. The story is what moves this film along, not the special FX. I don't really care how bad the CGI is if the story is strong enough to overcome it.
I've never read any of the books. In fact, until I saw this movie, I didn't even know the books existed. Perhaps I'll check them out in the future. Until then, I'll gladly say that this film is a decent flick to watch on a rainy afternoon. It won't advance you intellectually, but it will pass a good ninety minutes without leaving you feeling cheated.
Rent this one today if you want an offbeat take on a murder mystery. It's actually a pretty good flick sprinkled with a little silliness and attitude. Mildly recommended.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It aint the book , but it IS worth watching, February 12, 2008
This review is from: Anonymous Rex (DVD)
Having only read the first book in the Eric Garcia trilogy (Anonymous, Casual and Hot & Sweaty - great titles when accompanied by Rex), I cannot say how this tracks against the other 2 books, but it definitely is NOT the plot of the first book. Also, some of the supporting characters are different and the subplots are twisted around a good bit. So, if you liked the book, do not watch this expecting a faithful rendering into cinema.
Instead, think of it as inspired by the book(s) and watch it for the sheer goofy fun of it. Sure, some of the gimmicks are pretty, well, gimmicky, but that just makes it more enjoyable, IMHO. Sci-Fi Channel just does not have the budget to make a first-rate movie, but this is one heck of a second-rater!
In short, it aint the book, but it IS worth watching.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
More than imagine..., April 13, 2010
This review is from: Anonymous Rex (DVD)
Being a fan of Sam Trammell, I purchased this film not knowing what to expect. I enjoyed it so much, I bought copies for 3 of my friends. The concept does seem cheesy, but the acting is so good, and the script so well-written that we are all inside the jokes. Daniel Baldwin and Sam have a great on-screen chemistry, and I thoroughly enjoyed the film and its conceits.
It's also worth noting that the movie is mostly family-friendly, and my 10 year old daughter, Josie, loved it as well.
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