The Dinosaur Project (2012)

Director:
Sid Bennett

Starring:
Richard Dillane, Peter Brooke, Matthew Kane, Abena Ayivor, Stephen Jennings, Andre Weideman, Natasha Loring

Running time:
83 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
Jurassic Park, Chronicle, Anaconda

Jonathan Marchant (Dillane) is a renowned explorer who heads off, with his film crew and stow-away son, to investigate claims of mokele mbembe, the Congo’s version of the Loch Ness monster. When their plane crashes then explodes, they discover that a mythical plesiosaur isn’t their only cause for concern in the jungle.

Having found The Dinosaur Project for only $7, I was convinced someone had been paid for the quote on the back of the cover saying ‘the CGI is top notch’. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The CGI was very good and the dinosaurs were a sight to behold.

I must admit, dear reader, I went into this thinking I would be watching a cheesy monster movie full of terrible acting, bad special effects, and atrocious dialogue. When I read that it was a found footage film, my cheese radar hit limburger.

What I found was an interesting plot with believable dialogue, decent acting and special effects that brought to life these creatures in a way that hasn’t been done in a very long time.

I would recommend The Dinosaur Project to fans of the found footage genre and documentary style movies. I wouldn’t consider this a horror or a monster movie, though it does have elements of both. If you’re looking for a straight up science fiction/fantasy movie, then count yourself in!

Rating: 5/5