[Fantasia 2023] THE PRIMEVALS -- The Completed Work of a Lost Master Serves as a Relic of the Past

Review by Sean Boelman

Visual effects maestro David Allen, who worked on films like The Howling and the Puppet Master series, passed away before he was able to complete work on his fantasy feature The Primevals. Decades later, the movie has finally come to fruition, and while it’s a bit scant narratively, it’s a great joy to see the work of a master completed.

The film follows a group of archaeologists who go on a voyage into the mountains in search of the legendary Yeti after the remains of an organism that seemingly resembles one are discovered, only for them to discover there are even more creatures than they could have imagined. It’s very much a throwback to classic adventure flicks, of which this maybe would have become one had it not been mired by tragedy.

The movie’s origins as an unfinished passion project are evident in the pacing, which is incredibly choppy. At times, it can get difficult to determine which shortcomings can be attributed to the film’s troubled production history, and which are simply a product of the genre — but the final product doesn’t make a ton of sense, and is better enjoyed as a vibe piece than for its story.

As is the case with many movies that are made primarily as an exercise in technique, the film is somewhat lacking in substance. Allen always wanted this to be a showcase for his stop motion abilities, and the world-building that goes along with them is interesting. However, one almost expects there to be either an environmentalist or anti-colonialist message here, and neither is particularly pronounced.

The character development is very archetypal, but considering that the movie is essentially a throwback to what was already intended to be a throwback, it makes sense that the characters are not particularly distinctive. It is a bit problematic, however, that the Asian characters in the film are completely underdeveloped.

Juliet Mills gives the only performance in the cast that actually knows what type of movie it’s in. She has the perfect camp factor, and manages to make the trope feel like it is her own. Richard Joseph Paul and Leon Russom both take their roles a bit too seriously and would have been served by being more tongue-in-cheek. 

Given that the production was initially started in the 1990s, the special effects feel very old-school — but that’s exactly the movie’s charm. It has a very Jason and the Argonauts-esque feel to it in terms of its blend of live action and stop-motion animation, and it gives the film an extremely fun vibe.

If you approach The Primevals for what it is — a relic of the past — it’s a good time. The generic nature of the story and characters will prevent it from becoming a cult classic like so many of the movies that inspired it, but it’s still amazing that this is finally complete.

The Primevals screened at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival, which runs from July 20 to August 9.

Rating: 3/5