Komodo (1999)

This creature feature was keenly awaited by the entire Hot Spot team ever since we first read that it was going into production. When it finally premiered in Paris, we made sure we were there, joining a packed cinema to witness the Komodos make their long-awaited debut on the big screen.

It may not quite be Jurassic Park, but unlike Spielberg’s dinosaurs, Komodo dragons actually exist—and remain one of the world’s most remarkable and misunderstood predators. Tragically, like so much of the natural world, they too continue to suffer at the hands of human encroachment and environmental destruction.

Before discussing the film itself, it is worth pointing out that Komodo dragons are not creatures of fantasy. They are very real animals inhabiting a handful of Indonesian islands, growing to nearly ten feet in length and ranking among nature’s most formidable reptiles. Indeed, one named Fari lives just down the road from us, making the prospect of a Komodo horror film all the more irresistible.

The story centres on a clutch of Komodo eggs mysteriously deposited on a remote island somewhere off the American mainland. Years later the hatchlings have matured into enormous predators, having already devoured a dog and the parents of a young boy before his horrified eyes. Traumatised by the ordeal, the youngster later returns to the island with his psychiatrist in the hope of confronting his fears. Naturally, this proves to be a spectacularly bad idea. The island is now virtually deserted, and before long the small group find themselves under siege by a pack of hungry, salivating reptiles.

The screenplay comes from the writer of Anaconda, while the film is directed by Michael Lantieri, the Academy Award-winning special effects wizard responsible for much of the animatronics on Jurassic Park. The pedigree certainly raises expectations, and several scenes clearly attempt to evoke the atmosphere of Spielberg’s classic.

Unfortunately, the screenplay is by far the weakest link. Whenever the film pauses to develop its human characters, the pace slackens noticeably and the momentum begins to evaporate.

The simple truth is that we couldn’t care less about the humans.

The Komodo dragons are the real stars, and whenever they appear the film immediately springs to life. Their glistening scales, prehistoric appearance, lumbering power and saliva-dripping jaws are wonderfully realised. There are several genuinely effective moments—a twitching tail glimpsed through the undergrowth, dozens of glowing eyes emerging from the darkness, unsettling clicks and guttural growls echoing through the night—that remind us these creatures are not fantasy monsters but living descendants of a prehistoric world.

Sadly, the filmmakers never exploit their stars to the full. Too many of the attacks occur off-screen, and the script seems strangely reluctant to allow these fearsome predators to demonstrate exactly why Komodo dragons command such respect in the wild. Worse still, just when the film ought to be building towards an explosive climax, it rather fizzles out with a disappointing whimper.

Perhaps most frustrating of all, several thoroughly unpleasant human villains somehow escape becoming reptilian lunch. Considering that the Komodos are the endangered species—not mankind—it seems only fair that they should have been allowed a few more satisfying meals.

Despite these shortcomings, Komodo remains an enjoyable creature feature. The reptiles themselves are impressive, the atmosphere is often effective and there is enough entertainment along the way to satisfy admirers of monster movies. It may never challenge Jurassic Park, but as a modest giant-lizard adventure it certainly earns its place within the genre.