Movie Review: “Rampage” proves that bigger isn’t always better

Movie Review: “Rampage” (PG-13)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of the biggest stars on the planet, and the man has enough charisma and pure star power to elevate the joy factor in just about any movie. Look no further than 2017’s infectiously likable surprise hit, “Jumanji.” Hell, even the Rock vs. Earthquakes epic “San Andreas” had a certain charm about it that took the silly proceedings a notch above routine disaster flicks like “The Day After Tomorrow,” and a lot of that had to do with Johnson’s sheer star power.

Admittedly, the idea of the Rock starring in an old-fashioned monster movie probably sounded like a good one on paper. But ultimately, the new film “Rampage” is enough to drive even the biggest haters of “Skull Island” and Gareth Edwards’ “Godzilla” (two films that I greatly enjoy) to reevaluate those pictures and recognize the good in them. Yes, “Rampage” is that boring and that forgettable, and that’s all the more disappointing given that Johnson is headlining this thing.

In “Rampage,” loner primatologist David Okoye (Johnson) must spring into action and save the city after a tainted piece of debris falls from space and causes an abnormal growth spurt in his best friend, a rare albino gorilla called George. With this growth spurt, which takes George from average primate size to the size of King Kong in a very short amount of time, comes uncontrollable anger issues. Making matters worse, other animals are also infected, and before long, these massive beasties are wreaking havoc in Chicago.

“Rampage” was directed by Brad Peyton (“San Andreas”), and it’s clear that the name of the game here is fun. Unfortunately, though, “Rampage” is a mostly joyless affair. Even the priceless image of a gorilla flipping The Rock the bird and the added sight of gigantic monsters making the city of Chicago their bitch do surprisingly little to up the fun factor.

To Johnson’s great credit, he puts forth an effort. But his natural likability is ultimately squandered here. Likewise, a generally outstanding Naomie Harris is a blank as a geneticist aiding The Rock in saving the city as we know it. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the single reason that AMC’s “The Walking Dead” is even remotely worth watching anymore, is also along for the ride, and I swear, I can’t look at this guy and not think “Neegan” anymore. That’s a true testament to his overall effectiveness on “The Walking Dead,” but in “Rampage,” it’s a bit of a distraction.

For the most part, the cast in “Rampage” is upstaged by everything you’d expect: special effects! While the visuals are passable, none of these monsters really have the personality to carry the movie on their abnormally large shoulders. George comes close, but close doesn’t cut it.

We don’t really need to delve too deeply into the plot here. “Rampage” is what it is, and it seems virtually pointless to gripe about the boring and comically bad villains, the dullsville military men who are dispatched to put a stop to nature gone wrong, and the surface-level story of a guy who learns to trust again after having an obvious aversion to people in general. This stuff all plays second banana to monster mashing, and while I’m always down for a big, dumb, mash-em-up monster movie, this one is simply too routine and lacking in energy to offer up a recommendation.

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