Primitive War (2025)” takes audiences on a heart-pounding journey where prehistoric terror meets modern warfare. Set deep in the jungles of Vietnam, the film reimagines the chaos of war with a deadly twist — soldiers facing not only enemies with guns but also creatures from another time. What begins as a covert military mission soon descends into a nightmarish survival story, as U.S. troops discover that the true threat isn’t human at all. Blending intense action, horror, and science fiction, Primitive War promises a cinematic experience packed with adrenaline and awe. With lifelike dinosaurs, gritty visuals, and raw performances, the movie delivers a fresh take on the survival genre — where evolution’s fiercest predators return to reclaim dominance over mankind.
Overview
Set during the height of the Vietnam War, Primitive War (2025) follows an elite U.S. military unit sent on a secret mission deep into enemy territory. Their objective seems simple — investigate the disappearance of another platoon — but what they uncover is beyond comprehension. The soldiers stumble upon a hidden world where dinosaurs have been brought back to life through a top-secret experiment gone horribly wrong. Trapped in the dense, dangerous jungle, they must fight not just for their country, but for survival itself.
As alliances crumble and the line between man and monster blurs, the team faces relentless prehistoric predators and the haunting truths behind their mission. The movie explores themes of fear, survival, and humanity’s obsession with power, all wrapped in a pulse-pounding spectacle of war and chaos. Primitive War turns the battlefield into a prehistoric nightmare where nature reclaims its throne.
Cast and Crew
Director: Luke Sparke
Primitive War (2025) is helmed by visionary Australian filmmaker Luke Sparke, whose previous works like Occupation and Occupation: Rainfall showcased his skill for blending grounded human emotion with explosive, high-concept action. Sparke takes Michael B. Haskins’ acclaimed novel and transforms it into a cinematic spectacle that fuses the chaos of war with the primal terror of prehistory. His direction focuses on realism within fantasy — capturing the raw grit of soldiers in combat while juxtaposing it against the unimaginable threat of resurrected dinosaurs. Sparke’s meticulous approach to world-building, military authenticity, and visual effects brings the Vietnam jungle to life as a haunting battlefield where humanity is no longer at the top of the food chain. His vision ensures that Primitive War isn’t just another creature feature — it’s an intense survival odyssey about courage, morality, and the limits of control.
Lead Actor: Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Kwanten stars as Sergeant Julius “Witch Doctor” Jones, the leader of the platoon sent on a mission deep into the jungle to recover a missing U.S. recon team. Known for his standout performances in HBO’s True Blood, Blunt Force Trauma, and Glorious, Kwanten delivers a deeply layered portrayal of a soldier haunted by the brutal realities of war. His character is a man of instinct and compassion, but as the mission spirals into chaos, his leadership is tested in unimaginable ways. Kwanten brings both physical intensity and emotional vulnerability to the role, embodying the archetype of a soldier who must confront not just the enemy ahead, but the monsters within. His dynamic performance anchors the film, making him the human heartbeat amidst the prehistoric carnage.
Lead Actress: Tricia Helfer
The brilliant Tricia Helfer takes on the role of Dr. Maren Kessel, a genetic scientist whose secret experiments hold the key to humanity’s most dangerous discovery. Known for her roles in Battlestar Galactica, Lucifer, and Van Helsing, Helfer brings poise, intellect, and inner conflict to the screen. Her character represents the moral center of the story — a woman burdened by guilt and scientific ambition, forced to witness her work unleashed in the deadliest of ways. Helfer’s portrayal adds emotional complexity to the film, contrasting the soldiers’ raw survival instinct with the haunting consequences of human curiosity. Through her, Primitive War explores how science and warfare intertwine, often blurring the line between creation and destruction.
Supporting Cast
The ensemble cast of Primitive War features an impressive lineup of talented actors who breathe life into the platoon and the surrounding conflict. Nick Wechsler (Revenge, Roswell) portrays a tough yet loyal soldier caught between orders and morality. Jeremy Piven (Entourage, Old School) brings sharp wit and intensity as a hardened commander determined to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. Anthony Ingruber (The Age of Adaline), Aaron Glenane (Snowpiercer), Carlos Sanson Jr. (Bump), Albert Mwangi, and Adolphus Waylee round out the team, each representing a unique personality shaped by the traumas of war. Together, their chemistry forms the emotional core of the story — men fighting not just dinosaurs, but fear, exhaustion, and each other. Their performances create a sense of realism that grounds the movie’s larger-than-life premise.
Music Composer: Frederik Wiedmann
The pulse of Primitive War is driven by the atmospheric and powerful score composed by Frederik Wiedmann, an acclaimed musician recognized for his work on Green Lantern: The Animated Series, The Dragon Prince, and numerous DC Universe animated films. Wiedmann’s music elevates the film’s tension, seamlessly weaving between moments of creeping dread and explosive warfare. The orchestral themes are layered with tribal rhythms and haunting ambient tones, evoking both the primal power of the dinosaurs and the psychological strain of combat. His score not only enhances the film’s suspense but also gives it a cinematic identity — a soundscape that feels both ancient and modern, perfectly reflecting the clash of timelines at the heart of the story.
Production Company: Sparke Films
Produced by Sparke Films, the Australian-based studio co-founded by Luke Sparke, the movie represents one of the most ambitious independent productions in recent years. Sparke Films, known for its commitment to strong visuals and high-concept storytelling, assembled an international team of artists, technicians, and VFX specialists to bring the prehistoric creatures to life. The film utilizes a mix of practical effects, lifelike animatronics, and cutting-edge CGI to craft dinosaurs that feel terrifyingly real. The lush jungles of Queensland, Australia, serve as the stand-in for Vietnam’s dense wilderness, creating an immersive environment that enhances both authenticity and tension. Backed by meticulous sound design, detailed set pieces, and war-time accuracy, Sparke Films ensures that Primitive War stands shoulder to shoulder with major Hollywood blockbusters despite being independently driven.
Run Time: 2 Hours 13 Minutes
The film runs for approximately 2 hours and 13 minutes, delivering a tightly structured yet emotionally charged narrative. Each act builds toward an escalating sense of danger and revelation, balancing the thrill of survival with the haunting questions of science, morality, and humanity’s place in nature’s hierarchy. The pacing allows viewers to absorb the scale of the world, the depth of the characters, and the shocking beauty of its prehistoric destruction — making Primitive War a cinematic experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
Budget and Box Office:
Primitive War (2025) was produced on an estimated budget of $7 million, making it one of the most ambitious independent sci-fi action films to emerge from Australia in recent years. Director Luke Sparke and his production company, Sparke Films, maximized the budget by combining practical on-set effects with cutting-edge visual effects, creating lifelike dinosaurs and large-scale battle sequences without the backing of a major Hollywood studio. The production’s resourcefulness and dedication are evident in its cinematic scope — from the dense, atmospheric jungles to the intense combat choreography. Despite its relatively modest budget, the film’s visuals and world-building rival those of much larger blockbusters, showcasing how far independent filmmaking has come in delivering high-quality spectacle on limited resources.
At the box office, Primitive War earned a worldwide total of approximately $1.22 million, with around $1.005 million from domestic (Australian and North American) markets and $219,000 from international territories. While the earnings may not reflect blockbuster figures, the film quickly found its audience among fans of creature features, war thrillers, and indie sci-fi. Its limited theatrical run was supported by strong word-of-mouth and growing popularity on streaming platforms, where it continues to gain traction. The movie’s financial performance highlights the challenges of independent distribution but also underscores its success as a cult favorite that thrives on creativity, passion, and genre innovation rather than sheer box-office scale.
Story
Set during the height of the Vietnam War in 1968, Primitive War (2025) begins with a top-secret mission assigned to a U.S. Army reconnaissance unit known as Recon 5. The team, led by Sergeant Julius “Witch Doctor” Jones (Ryan Kwanten), is sent deep into the uncharted jungles of Vietnam to investigate the mysterious disappearance of another platoon that vanished without a trace. Expecting to encounter Viet Cong resistance, the soldiers instead find a desolate war zone littered with torn bodies, destroyed camps, and strange claw marks on trees and metal alike. As they push further into the wilderness, communication fails, and the atmosphere grows eerily silent — until the jungle itself comes alive with roars from a forgotten age.
The soldiers soon uncover the horrifying truth — they have stumbled upon the aftermath of Operation Primogen, a clandestine experiment run by American and Soviet scientists to clone prehistoric creatures using recovered DNA samples. Meant to serve as a new biological weapon, the project spiraled out of control, unleashing dinosaurs into the heart of the war-torn jungle. Raptors hunt in packs, pterosaurs rule the skies, and a massive Tyrannosaurus stalks the ruins of the hidden base. The platoon’s military training proves almost useless against creatures driven by pure instinct and fury. Their mission transforms from search-and-retrieve to sheer survival, as each encounter exposes not only the danger of the beasts but also the corruption and recklessness of those who unleashed them.
As the story unfolds, tensions rise among the soldiers. Paranoia, exhaustion, and guilt tear at the group’s unity as they struggle to discern whether the real enemy is the prehistoric predators or their own command. Dr. Maren Kessel (Tricia Helfer), one of the scientists behind the experiment, is found alive and reluctantly joins them, revealing the full extent of the military’s secret — the dinosaurs were not just created, but bred for war. Her presence divides the team, as some view her as their only hope for escape, while others blame her for the horrors surrounding them. The platoon’s journey through the jungle becomes a descent into madness, where the sounds of gunfire blend with the thunderous footsteps of ancient beasts, and morality collapses under the weight of survival.
In the climactic act, Primitive War delivers both spectacle and tragedy as man and monster clash amid the burning remnants of the experiment’s hidden facility. Sergeant Jones faces his final test of leadership — confronting not only the towering apex predator that stalks his team but the military deception that started it all. The survivors must make an impossible choice: destroy the last remnants of the project to prevent another outbreak or escape and expose the truth to the world. The ending leaves behind a haunting message — in mankind’s endless pursuit of power, it is nature that always has the final word. The jungle, scarred yet alive, reclaims its dominion, reminding all who enter that some forces of evolution should never be disturbed.
Review
Primitive War (2025) emerges as a bold and visceral blend of war drama and prehistoric horror, offering a fresh spin on the dinosaur genre that has long been dominated by the Jurassic Park franchise. While Spielberg’s Jurassic Park captivated audiences through wonder, science, and spectacle, Primitive War takes a grittier, darker approach — trading polished laboratories for muddy trenches and moral dilemmas for pure survival instinct. Luke Sparke’s direction grounds the fantastical premise in the harsh realities of war, creating a haunting contrast between man-made destruction and nature’s untamed wrath. The film’s Vietnam War backdrop is not just a setting but a character in itself, amplifying the tension with its claustrophobic jungles and unseen dangers lurking in every shadow.
Ryan Kwanten leads the charge with a performance that anchors the chaos in humanity. As Sergeant Julius “Witch Doctor” Jones, he portrays a leader burdened by responsibility and trauma, caught in a nightmare where bullets are useless and strategy means little. His emotional depth contrasts powerfully with the unrelenting savagery around him. Tricia Helfer, as Dr. Maren Kessel, adds intellectual and emotional weight to the film. Her portrayal of a scientist wrestling with guilt and survival provides a crucial balance to the otherwise testosterone-fueled chaos. Together, their chemistry keeps the story grounded, ensuring that amidst the roars and gunfire, the human element never fades away.
Visually, Primitive War punches above its budget. The dinosaurs are impressively realized through a seamless mix of practical effects and CGI, lending the film a tangible sense of realism. Unlike Jurassic Park, where dinosaurs often symbolize scientific curiosity and lost wonder, the creatures here are pure instruments of terror — unpredictable, primal, and unstoppable. The cinematography captures the raw intensity of the setting, using dense foliage, flickering torchlight, and rain-drenched firefights to heighten tension. Sparke’s team makes the most of limited resources, proving that a smaller-scale production can still deliver blockbuster-level thrills with creativity and vision.
Frederik Wiedmann’s score further elevates the experience, infusing each scene with haunting percussion and orchestral dread. The music mirrors the film’s themes of chaos and control, echoing both the rhythm of war and the ancient pulse of the creatures themselves. The sound design — the thudding footsteps of a charging T-Rex, the rustle of leaves before an ambush, and the desperate breaths of soldiers — contributes to an atmosphere of relentless suspense. Unlike the awe-inspiring tone of John Williams’ Jurassic Park theme, Wiedmann’s score leans toward tension and survival, reminding viewers that this isn’t a park to explore — it’s a jungle to escape.
Where Jurassic Park introduced audiences to the majesty of resurrected dinosaurs, Primitive War drags that same concept through the mud and blood of human conflict. It explores what happens when scientific arrogance collides with wartime brutality, stripping away the sense of wonder and replacing it with terror and despair. The result is a film that feels less like an adventure and more like a descent into chaos — a raw, unnerving experience that redefines how dinosaurs can function within cinema. It’s a war movie at its core, but one that asks a haunting question: in the battle between man and nature, has humanity already lost?
Behind the Lens: Unveiling the Secrets of 'Primitive War'
In a groundbreaking move, Primitive War became the first Australian film to headline a panel at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2025. This unprecedented achievement not only highlighted the film's unique blend of genres but also showcased Australia's growing influence in the global film industry. Director Luke Sparke, known for his work on Occupation and Occupation: Rainfall, leveraged his extensive experience in historical military productions, including roles in The Pacific and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, to bring an authentic touch to the film's portrayal of the Vietnam War. His deep understanding of military history and costume design played a pivotal role in creating a realistic and immersive wartime atmosphere.
Despite initial rejections from major Hollywood studios due to its unconventional premise, Primitive War was independently financed with a budget of approximately $7 million. Filming took place on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, utilizing the region's lush landscapes to authentically represent the dense jungles of Vietnam. The production team employed a mix of practical effects, animatronics, and CGI to bring the dinosaurs to life, ensuring a tangible and immersive experience for the audience. This innovative approach not only enhanced the film's visual appeal but also demonstrated the potential of independent filmmaking to deliver high-quality productions.
Conclusion
Primitive War (2025) stands out as a daring and inventive fusion of war drama and prehistoric horror, pushing the boundaries of both genres. By placing dinosaurs in the midst of a Vietnam War battlefield, the film offers a fresh perspective on survival, leadership, and human vulnerability. Its combination of practical effects, CGI, and atmospheric storytelling creates an immersive experience that keeps viewers on edge from start to finish. Luke Sparke’s direction, paired with strong performances from Ryan Kwanten and Tricia Helfer, ensures that the movie balances adrenaline-pumping action with emotional depth, making it more than just a typical creature feature.
The film also highlights the creative potential of independent filmmaking, demonstrating that a modest budget can still produce visually stunning and thematically compelling cinema. While it draws inevitable comparisons to the Jurassic Park franchise, Primitive War distinguishes itself with its raw, gritty realism and war-time authenticity. By merging historical conflict with prehistoric terror, the movie delivers a unique cinematic experience — one that lingers in the imagination and challenges viewers to consider the fragile line between human control and nature’s relentless power.