Varanus Priscus is a 2021 Chinese monster movie about a TV crew that comes across giant battling beasts on an uninhabited island.
Directed by Yifan Li, the movie stars Shi Nan, Yuan Fufu, Yang Jinci, Congxi Li, Jia Zichen, Wang Xinyao and Na Duo.
Plot:
On a deserted remote island, a film crew is filming a movie called ‘Supergirl versus Alien Monster’. Unfortunately, the manic director and self-obsessed producer are persuaded to overuse explosions for dramatic effect; they inadvertently blow up half a mountain and an ancient giant lizard is awakened.
They also encounter thousands of killer bugs and a mammoth snake. Eventually, the latter engages in a battle to the death with the giant lizard…
Our review:
Despite some typically clichéd characters such as the villainous producer, Varanus Priscus is one of the better monster movies to emerge from China in the last couple of years. The producers clearly spent more money on the CGI, there is a couple of effective jump scares, a suitably bombastic score and the action only stops briefly for some unnecessary sermonising. Creature feature fans should definitely give this one a watch.
Ade Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Technical specs:
1 hour 25 minutes
Original title:
巨蜥
Notes:
Varanus priscus aka Megalania is an extinct species of giant monitor lizard that inhabited Australia during the Pleistocene era.
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