Imagine a war movie where G.I. Joes collide with Jurassic Park. That’s Primitive War (2025)—an Australian sci-fi action horror spectacle directed by Luke Sparke, adapted from Ethan Pettus’ 2017 novel Primitive War: Opiate Undertow Wikipedia+1.
The film thrusts viewers into a gripping 1968 Vietnam setting where a US recon team—a motley crew dubbed “Vulture Squad”—must find missing Green Berets. Instead, they uncover prehistoric nightmares. Dinosaurs. Chaos. A particle collider gone rogue. Absolute mayhem.
The Storyline: Plot That Packs Punch
Set during the chaos of the Vietnam War, the film follows Vulture Squad as they’re deployed to rescue a platoon of Green Berets lost in a secluded jungle valley. What they discover is far from routine: a land populated by resurrected dinosaur predators—brought into the present by a malfunctioning Soviet particle collider experiment.
- Genre: Action, Drama, Dual Audio, Hollywood Dubbed, Horror, War
- Director: Luke Sparke
- Actors: Aaron Glenane, Anthony Ingruber, Carlos Sanson Jr., Jeremy Piven, Nick Wechsler, Ryan Kwanten, Tricia Helfer
- Country: Australia
- Duration: 133 min
- Quality: HINDI
- Release: 2025
- IMDb: 7.0
- Tags: Primitive War 2025, Dinosaur war movie, Vietnam War sci-fi, Luke Sparke, Ethan Pettus adaptation, Vulture Squad, Dino horror action, Film production Australia, Comic-Con indie film
What follows is an explosive mix of action, horror, and dark sci-fi: ambushes by raptors, dramatic sacrifices, alliances with a brilliant Russian paleontologist Sofia Wagner, and a desperate mission to shut down the collider before reality itself unravels.
Primitive War (2025) Cast & Crew
- Director & Co-Writer: Luke Sparke, also producer and editor — known for his hands-on, ambitious indie approachWikipediaDaily Telegraph.
- Screenwriters: Luke Sparke and Ethan Pettus, the original novelistWikipedia+1.
Main Cast:
- Ryan Kwanten — Sergeant Ryan Baker
- Tricia Helfer — Russian scientist Sofia Wagner
- Nick Wechsler, Jeremy Piven — as Colonel Jericho, the Vulture Squad’s commanderWikipediaThe Daily BeastBloody Disgusting!Reddit.
Supporting Ensemble: Anthony Ingruber, Aaron Glenane, Carlos Sanson Jr., Ana Thu Nguyen, Albert Mwangi, Adolphus Waylee, Richard Brancatisano, Marcus Johnson, Jake Ryan, among othersCinema Australia.
Plot at a Glance
- Mission Begins: Vulture Squad is ordered to locate a missing Green Beret platoon in a remote Vietnamese jungle in 1968Wikipedia.
- Prehistoric Encounter: The team discovers evidence of massive feathered creatures. A deadly pack of Deinonychus attacks, initiating a fight for survivalWikipedia.
- The Collider Threat: They link the dinosaur appearance to a malfunctioning Soviet particle collider that opened a wormhole to the prehistoric past. Scientist Sofia persuades them to shut it down, unless reality itself collapsesWikipedia.
- High-Stakes Finale: With dramatic sacrifices from the squad, explosive sabotage, and a T-rex assault on a Russian base, the collider is destroyed — but dinosaurs are already spreading beyond the valleyWikipedia.
Behind the Scenes: Novel → Film
- Origins: Originally a self-published novel by Ethan Pettus in 2017, the “Primitive War” series expanded with multiple sequels and a bestiary, building a cult following Wikipedia.
- Adaptation: In 2022, Luke Sparke acquired film rights. Pettus co-wrote the screenplay with Sparke, who also produced and designed the film, embracing a hands-on, indie-driven approach.
- Casting & Production: Filmed in Queensland’s Gold Coast, the cast features Ryan Kwanten, Tricia Helfer, Nick Wechsler, Jeremy Piven, among othersWikipediaMovie Insider. Sparke’s ambition? To blend gritty war cinematography with the feral spectacle of dinosaurs, envisioning scenes where characters seemed to step out of Platoon and into danger itself
Primitive War (2025) Release & Reception
- Premieres: The film had its Sydney debut on August 11, 2025, followed by wider releases in Australia and limited U.S. screenings on August 21, 2025Wikipedia.
- Comic-Con Highlight: In a milestone for Australian cinema, Primitive War headlined a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, a testament to its buzz and genre appealWikipedia.
- Reviews: Reception has been mixed:
- Rotten Tomatoes gives it ~54% positive critics’ reviews, though audience responses skew higher—some describing it as a “dino-berserker pageant” that delivers for what it promisesRotten Tomatoes.
- Reviewers praised the film’s ambition and dinosaur choreography—criticism targeted its tonal shift and occasionally uneven characters and pacing
Primitive War (2025) Conclusion
Primitive War (2025) grounds the bizarre in the believable: dinosaurs unleashed during the Vietnam War by a malfunctioning Soviet collider. It’s a bold, indie-spirit film with a dedicated cast, nostalgic yet fresh visuals, and enough sci-fi meat for genre fans,
FAQ Section
Q1: What is Primitive War (2025) about?
It’s a sci-fi war horror set in 1968 Vietnam, where U.S. soldiers encounter resurrected dinosaurs caused by a Soviet particle collider experiment.
Q2: Who directed Primitive War (2025)?
The film is directed by Luke Sparke, known for action-packed genre films.
Q3: Is Primitive War based on a book?
Yes, it’s adapted from Ethan Pettus’ novel Primitive War: Opiate Undertow.
Q4: When was Primitive War released?
It premiered on August 11, 2025 in Sydney and released in the U.S. on August 21, 2025.
Q5: What genre is Primitive War (2025)?
It blends action, sci-fi, war, and horror with a dinosaur twist.
What Is Primitive War?
Primitive War is a bold 2025 Australian sci-fi horror war film directed by Luke Sparke, adapted from Ethan Pettus’s 2017 novel Primitive War: Opiate Undertow Wikipedia+1. The story follows the Vulture Squad, a U.S. Army recon team dropped into a mysterious jungle valley in Vietnam, 1968 — only to realize they’re not dealing with Viet Cong, but prehistoric predators unleashed by a Soviet particle collider experiment Wikipedia
Premiere & Marketing Highlights
- San Diego Comic-Con 2025: Primitive War made history as the first Australian indie film to headline a major panel at SDCC, generating high trailer engagement (over 5 million views) Variety Australia.
- Sydney Premiere: On August 11, 2025, Hoyts Entertainment Quarter hosted the film’s glamorous Australian debut, drawing cast, crew, and industry acclaim for its cinematic ambition Premiering Now.
- U.S. Release Strategy: U.S. theatrical distribution by Fathom Entertainment, starting nationwide on August 21, 2025 — following success with trailer viewership and comic-con buzz Fathom Entertainment.
Reception & Critical Perspective
- Mixed Reviews: Critics note the film’s bold concept and R-rated gore as standouts. However, some point out its lengthy runtime (135 minutes) and tonal inconsistencies. The Vietnam War backdrop is seen as more aesthetic than thematic, with limited commentary on war itself The Daily Beast.
- Filmmaker Acclaim: Jeremy Piven likened director Luke Sparke to a modern-day Spielberg, praising his ambition, imaginative storytelling, and hands-on production style—from drawing storyboards to driving indie visuals Daily Telegraph.
Note: Some details in this article are based on early reports and may change as the movie’s official updates are released
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