Komodo vs. Cobra


release year: 2005
genre: giant monster horror/action
viewing setting: home DVD, 10/1/06

synopsis: A small group of activists goes to a remote island to find and expose a secret Army project, but unfortunately, the project got out of hand and ate all the Army personnel.

impressions: This is the latest in a parade of direct-to-video monster movies from the last few years. It's pretty bad, but entertaining nonetheless. The plot is basic, with some holes; the CGI is passable at times and terrible at others; the acting is generally inferior. Yet, for all that, I do like these movies. My main gripe about a plot hole involves characters who know (and have pointed out) that small-arms fire doesn't work on the giant monsters...yet they still use it, and act like it's going to have some effect. Also, the pistols never seemed to run out of ammunition. Another thing: if you're going to "pulverize" an island with bombs, do a thorough job or else who knows what weird monsters might survive and escape.

things to watch for: at the end, the komodo and cobra finally square off for a fight (unlike in Boa vs. Python when they never really fought)

something this movie has that no other movie has: Normally, I would have said "giant komodo slobber that mutates humans" but then I remembered that this actually happened before, in Curse of the Komodo...so I now have to go with "a giant mutated cobra that swims in the ocean and stalks prey on the beach."

acting: Michael Pare has come far from the days of Streets of Fire, as he plays a tough, few-words type here. At least his character has some common sense, as does the head scientist girl, Michelle Borth. Every other character is stupid and has no survival sense, including Ryan McTavish (who plays an idealistic kid), Renee Talbert (who plays his lovestruck girlfriend), Jerri Menthey (who plays a stop-at-nothing-to-get-footage/story reporter), and Glori-Anne Gilbert (who plays a character with no stated purpose.) Glori-Anne Gilbert was also in several other movies of this type. Paul Logan, who plays a short-lived special forces leader here, was the head crook in Curse of the Komodo...wow, it's a small world. Rod McCary plays the evil general, who is intentionally very unlikeable.

final word: decent cheap monster movie

back to the main review page