Jurassic Park meets Platoon in the Aussie jungle—here’s how a mad idea turned into 2025’s most ferocious, fun, and surprisingly heartfelt film.
In a cinematic year dominated by reboots, prequels, and multiverse mayhem, one film has stomped its way into the conversation with claws out and M16s blazing. Primitive War, directed by Luke Sparke and based on Ethan Pettus’ cult-favorite 2017 novel, is a Vietnam War-era dinosaur bloodbath that’s as bonkers as it sounds—and according to the cast, it shouldn’t work. But it does. Gloriously.
“It shouldn’t be as good as it is,” admitted Roswell alum Nick Wechsler, who plays recon soldier Eli Taylor. “I was reading the script on a plane, waiting for it to get bad—and it never did. I mean, it’s dinosaurs in Vietnam! That shouldn’t work. But somehow, it really does.”
Set in 1968, Primitive War follows the Vulture Squad, an elite recon unit sent into an isolated jungle valley to recover a missing Green Beret platoon. But instead of just facing the opposition, they run into a far more prehistoric threat: de-extinct Soviet-bred dinosaurs. Yes, really.
“It’s Full Metal Jacket meets Tyrannosaurus Rex,” joked Jeremy Piven, who plays the cigar-chomping Colonel Jericho. “That’s also my stripper name—Full Metal Tyrannosaurus. Still workshopping that one.”
Director Luke Sparke (Occupation, Red Billabong) has long been known for genre mashups, but even for him, Primitive War was a beast. “I was captivated by the imagery surrounding Ethan’s book,” Sparke said. “It had that gritty war film texture, but with horror and sci-fi all rolled into one. I wanted it to feel like the characters walked out of Platoon and into the jaws of the greatest predators to ever live.”
Filming took place in the jungles of Australia’s Gold Coast—no green screens, no comfy sound stages. Just mud, bugs, rain, and grit. “We were in it,” said Tricia Helfer, who plays mysterious operative Sofia Wagner. “Trudging through the jungle, dealing with spiders, leeches, you name it. That physicality helped ground the chaos—even if we were imagining dinosaurs.”
Of course, the dinosaurs themselves are CGI—this isn’t Jurassic Park circa 1993. But the visual effects team worked closely with Sparke to bring a new level of realism. “It’s the first mainstream dino movie to feature feathered raptors,” Sparke proudly noted. “We wanted accuracy, but also terror. The Utahraptors are like velociraptors on steroids. And we’ve got a lot of them.”
Even the cast got in on the dinosaur fanfare—when asked which dino they relate to most, actor Adolphus Waylee (Sgt. Xavier Wise) didn’t hesitate. “Utahraptors. They just go crazy,” he laughed. “Unpredictable. Fierce. That’s my vibe.” Ana Thu Nguyen, who plays local guide Con Nhen, went a different direction. “Brontosaurus,” she smiled. “They’re gentle, elegant… I tried to bring that grace to my role, even if I was spraying myself down with insect repellent every 10 minutes.”
To ensure military authenticity, Sparke brought in legendary advisors Freddie Joe Farnsworth and Dale Dye—the latter having worked on Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. “You couldn’t even call it a gun,” said Wechsler. “It’s a weapon. If you pointed it the wrong way, you got chewed out. By the end, we actually felt like a unit.”
That camaraderie became one of the film’s strongest assets.
“Ryan [Kwanten] really brought everyone together,” said Waylee. “It surprised me. You don’t always get that with leads, but he made sure we all felt like a squad.” Kwanten, best known for True Blood, leads the cast as Sergeant First Class Ryan Baker. For Sparke, he was the glue. “He brought this courage, this grounded leadership that elevated the whole thing,” Sparke said. “Not just on screen, but behind the scenes too.”
Kwanten returned the praise: “Luke’s work ethic was next level. Writing, directing, producing, editing—he’s a machine. He’s fearless. This is an ambitious movie, even from a studio standpoint, let alone an Aussie independent. You can’t help but be inspired when your leader is outworking everybody.”
While the movie packs explosive set pieces and enough blood to make a T-Rex blush, Primitive War also delivers unexpected emotional beats. “It’s fun and action-packed, but it also has heart,” said Nguyen. “It deals with war trauma, moral gray areas, human fragility—even when you’re facing monsters.” And yes, it’s R-rated. “They say the bad words,” Piven teased. “It’s gritty, it’s period-accurate, and it doesn’t pull punches. It’s not sanitized, and that’s what makes it real.”
Premiering with buzz at San Diego Comic-Con—the first Australian film ever to headline a panel there—Primitive War hit theaters on August 21, 2025, via Rialto Distribution and Fathom Events in the U.S. The reaction was met with roaring approval. Literally.
“This is a movie we all gave our blood and sweat to—literally,” said Helfer. “And I hope audiences can feel that. It’s not just a dinosaur movie. It’s an experience.”
Whether you come for the dinosaurs, the explosions, or the strange joy of seeing Vietnam War soldiers shout profanities at feathered predators, Primitive War delivers one thing above all: Pure, unhinged, dino-sized entertainment.
