The last time that Dwayne Johnson and director Brad Peyton teamed up was San Andreas, which was loads of popcorn fun (my review). This time Johnson plays the primatologist who’s unusually close with a particular gorilla. When a genetic anomaly infects him (and a wolf and an alligator), they grow enormous, turn violent and rampage thru Chicago. This is when it turns into a modern take on the Godzilla concept: mutant monsters destroying everything in sight. Almost single handedly, Johnson saves the day, but his charisma can’t save this preposterous plot. While it’s obviously designed for mass market action appeal, it lacks the clever approaches or exciting filmmaking that made their previous team up so enjoyable.
(2 / 5)