Everyone's a critic: 'Primeval'

Three stars (out of four)

This one had me on the edge of my seat. As a matter of fact, if you sit two rows up and the sixth seat over, you will find where I gripped the arm rest so hard that I left an impression.

"Primeval" takes place in Africa where there is a civil war going on. Two reporters (Dominic Purcell and Brooke Langton) and a small film crew go in search of a bloodthirsty serial killer only to find that it's not human. But in the midst of the hunt, the camera man (Orlando Jones) inadvertently films a brutal execution of a village shaman.

There are some really tense and mind-blowing moments. With heads being lopped off and lots of bullets flying, you will be right in there with them. There are some scenes that are stress relievers that will set you up for the next "Get out of the way, it's coming!" moment -- and believe me, you will say it. I had my 17-year-old son and his friend with me, and they jumped, too.

If you like violent, gory, scare-me-out-of-my-mind suspense movie, then this is the one for you.

-- Verbal Walter

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Two stars (out of four)

Director Michael Katleman transforms the story of the man-eating crocodile Gustave into a classic American horror-thriller movie that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. "Primeval" uses the power of cinema to recreate an expedition of journalists and naturalists set out to capture the 25-foot, 2,000-pound reptile. Actor Jurgen Prochnow leads the cast of stars (Orlando Jones, Brooke Langton and Dominic Purcell) through the civil war-torn Rwandan/Burundi border in search of the mighty beast. The action ensues as the expedition is not only hindered by the giant amphibian, but by a Burundi war lord named "Little Gustave." While this film may be filled with predictable attributes, I must give it some kudos for creating a story that illuminates the true evil during the Burundi civil war.

-- Jerry Swan