Earlier this year, the hilarious Kung Fury already showed that police officers don’t like to work with dinosaurs. It was, like the rest of the film, a bizarre moment. However, there is a feature-length film which has used that concept fully. I recently read about the existence of this film and the incredible story behind it. This is actually the most expensive “straight to video” movie ever made, with a price tag of $ 33.5 million. The film was planned to be released in cinemas, but because of various production problems (read this article ) the distributor didn’t want to do that anymore. It is a film that everyone involved, including lead actress Whoopie Goldberg, would rather forget. I would also like to add myself itself to that list.
The story of this film is as bizarre as its concept: In an alternative future, agent Katie Coltraine (Whoopi Goldberg) has to cooperate with tyrannosaurus Theodore Rex (George Newbern). Several dinosaurs have been killed and it is up to this unlikely duo to resolve the matter. It will eventually lead them towards a billionaire who plans to start a new ice age.
While watching the film I was thinking about the positive aspects of this film, but I totally failed in finding them. Straight from the start of the film the tone is odd. It feels a bit like the series Dinosaurs (early nineties) as the dinosaurs look similar. It tries to be humorous and be interesting to a younger audience, but when knocking over something with a tail isn´t funny the first time, it still won´t be if that happens the thirtieth time. The sets are colorful which doesn´t gel with its dark, bizarre characters and a murder investigation. It´s very hard to understand what the story is about and the only thing which was exciting to do was checking my watch to see how much longer I had to sit through it.
The story behind the film is a lot more interesting than the final result, but my curiosity was just too big to not see Theodore Rex. So this is what a 33.5-million-flop looks like…and it ain´t pretty.
You know, I think I vaguely remember watching this as a kid. Very vaguely. But then, as you say, I might be confusing it with Dinosaurs as he looks exactly like the dad in that!
Yeah, it does look the same and I must admit having seen it not that long ago I already mostly forgot it 😉
This…exists? Why do I feel like I’m being pranked?
Yeah, pretty hard to believe isn’t it…especially with a budget like that.