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STUDIO: Disney
MSRP: $19.99
RATED: R
RUNNING TIME: 94 min.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Swallowed
The Pitch
“It’s
The Humans
Costas Mandylor (Fist of the North Star, Hitters), Charles Napier (3 Ninjas Knuckle Up, Supervixens), Joanna Pacula (Body Puzzle, Death Before Dishonor), Bruce Weitz (Half Past Dead, No Place to Hide), Jane Longenecker (The Coroner), Matt Borlenghi (Krocodylus, Kate’s Addiction)
The Nutshell
During their research into whatever, bioengineering corporation Gereco (run by science guy Weitz and Pacula’s obligatorily villainous CEO) find one of their reptilian DNA experiments on the loose and extremely hungry. As the creature grows and snacks on the town residents, Gereco enlists the services of an Aussie crocodile hunter (Mandylor) to join the local sheriff (Napier), animal control officer (Longenecker) and Random Guy (Borlenghi) to stop the mayhem.
"No, that’s not my lunch order, slapjack! That look like the brisket to you?"
The Package
The Dinocroc must’ve eaten all the special features, but the widescreen transfer is nice and the Dolby 2.0 audio works well enough.
The Lowdown
Dinocroc has exactly the ingredients you’d expect from a Roger Corman production: a slim script, sketchy acting and occasionally shoddy special effects, delivered with direction by FX pro Kevin O’Neill (a veteran of low-cost thrills from a Xena/Hercules tour of duty) that borders on competent.
Still, there’s nothing here you haven’t seen from countless monster-on-the-prowl cheapies – people get devoured, the heroes save the day through dubious means. It should be noted that the “expert” croc hunter proves virtually worthless, spending most of his time hanging around the local bar and trying unsuccessfully to romance our heroine (Mandylor’s Australian accent is shakier than a Michael Bay marathon, even though he’s originally from Down Under). It ultimately comes down to Random Guy’s welding skills and fortuitous knowledge of the train schedule to defeat the rampaging creature.
"I mean, who’da thought that fifteen years after Mobsters, that scrawny prick from Can’t Buy Me Love would have the best career? So like I was sayin’… think I could borrow twenty bucks?"
Dinocroc does get credit for thumbing its scaly snout at an unwritten horror movie rule – Random Guy’s kid brother makes a great meal in the flick’s finest moment of carnage.
5.7 out of 10