Dwayne Johnson Brings '80s Video Game Blockbuster to Life in Latest HBO Max Streaming Hit
Posted by Jonathan Klotz | Published
For many years, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was the highest-grossing star in Hollywood. Between his appearances as Hobbs in the Fast and Furious franchise, multiple Jumanji films, and resetting the power stage in the DC Universe as Black Adam, it's easy to forget that he's turned forgotten IP into hits. in 2018 Rampage brings to life the classic Midway game from 1986 where you control a giant monster that destroys buildings, fights soldiers, and other monsters. Everyone knew what to expect when the movie was announced, and it's been a consistent streaming success for HBO Max ever since.
Everyone Loves Big Monsters
Rampage stars Dwayne Johnson as Davis, a paleontologist and former US special forces soldier, who works with George, a rescued monkey when the release of an experimental pathogen canister turns him into a great ape. Two more cans occur in the Everglades and Wyoming, which turn an alligator and a wolf into giant monsters. A twist on a video game that turns ordinary people into giant monsters, although their names, Lizzie and Ralph, don't change. And Ralph, the wolf, can shoot foam on his back and tail, which is very unlike a wolf.
Distracting from the whole reason for your view Rampage first of all the remaining human characters, including Naomie Harris as a geneticist, Malin Akerman as a corrupt CEO, while Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Joe Manganiello, and Jack Quaid all appear. Godzilla Minus One it's the only kaiju movie that does the human side of the story justice, too Rampage this is not the case. It's worth it for a big monster slugfest and George's problem solving may not be great but he gets the job done.
The Rise of Video Game Movies
When Rampage in theaters grossed over $420 million worldwide, making it comparable to Johnson's other hits of the time, including Black Adam. The familiarity of a 30-year-old game that was out of the public domain didn't matter. Johnson was his usual likable self and the focus on the three animals turned out to be a crowd pleaser.
Ironically, Warner Bros. didn't set out to deliberately make the Rampage the movie. The single rights came when they bought Midway in 2009, and of course, they already had the rights, at that point why not look to take advantage of an IP that probably wouldn't sell a lot of video games? Rampage Puzzle Attack for the Gameboy Advance was the latest version at the time of the movie, and came out in 2001. Rampage it's a classic arcade combo staple, but like many of Midway's 80s hits, it's a relic of a bygone era.
Today video game adaptations are taking over Hollywood. Super Mario Galaxy it was a disappointment, but even then it pulled in over $400 million and Nintendo is leading the way with a Legend of Zelda movie. Even Sonic the Hedgehog has a trilogy to his name, showing how the world has changed since then Rampage's 2018 debut. With video games hotter than superheroes, and the continued streaming success of film, it's possible Rampage: The World Tour happened the other day?
Rampage airs on HBO Max.
