DNA (1997)
DIRECTOR: William Mesa
CAST: Mark Dacascos, Jurgen Prochnow, Robin McKee, Tom Taus
REVIEW:
DNA is the product of two special effects technicians—-director William Mesa and screenwriter Nick Davis—-who developed loftier filmmaking aspirations while seemingly lacking the talent (or originality) to chew what they’ve bitten off. DNA is a patchwork quilt shamelessly derivative of other, better movies (most blatantly but not limited to the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action flick Predator). Its producers Interlight Pictures——heard of them? Me neither—-rather hilariously oversold it as “Alien meets Indiana Jones”. That said, DNA is still a fun little diversion (if one can forgive it for practically plagiarizing swaths of Predator along with bits and pieces of other flicks along the way including Jurassic Park) with a humble 97 minute runtime that doesn’t overstay its modest welcome.
The colorfully-named Ash Mattley (Mark Dacascos), a doctor in a small village deep in the jungles of Borneo (who also happens to be a martial artist and is somehow sporting a buff action hero physique with no apparent gyms around) is approached by the unsubtly villainous mad scientist Carl Wessinger (Jurgen Prochnow) supposedly to study some enzymes in a rare beetle that can cure disease, but the dastardly Wessinger really has his eye on resurrecting an extinct monstrous mythical creature. Two years later, Ash’s clinic is beset by a killing spree in the jungle, and he’s approached by CIA agent Claire Summers (Robin McKee), who enlists his aid to find Wessinger. Together with local boy Matzu (Tom Taus), whose sister was among the victims, they set out into the jungle. But there’s a bigger problem than Wessinger: namely the alien creature he’s grown as a bioweapon but then lost control over, now running loose in the compound and surrounding jungle.
Shot in late spring 1996 in the Philippines on the cusp of the monsoon season, Charles Wood’s production design and Gerry Lively’s cinematography add a little atmosphere to the proceedings. Any “human interest” is purely half-baked and perfunctory, like the woman CIA agent conveniently onhand to be a potential “love interest” and our precocious imperiled child, but Mesa handles the action sequences adequately if not masterfully, keeping the movie rattling along and boredom at bay (the brisk 97 minute runtime helps), although the few original touches the script comes up with don’t make any sense (the beetle enzyme with a thousand uses, including somehow regenerating aliens from fossil bones). For a while, there’s some human villains (the mustache-twirling Wessinger and some mercenary henchmen led by Mark McCracken), but they’re rather unceremoniously disposed of just in time for the movie to swipe its third act wholesale from Predator without even remotely trying to hide it (multiple scenes are virtually identical to ones in John McTiernan’s superior sci-fi action flick, such as when our hero dons war paint for his Mano-a-Mano and later dives into the water trying to escape the creature). The creature itself bears a suspicious resemblance to a more colorful xenomorph from Alien while having the camouflaging abilities and heat vision of The Predator. Shooting, screaming, boats, helicopters, rocket launchers, stuff blowing up, and general mayhem ensues.
Martial artist and B-movie action hero Mark Dacasco’s limited acting abilities are not challenged by a role requiring him (despite ostensibly being a doctor) to cosplay a combination of Discount Rambo and Discount Arnold Schwarzenegger-In-Predator. Robin McKee’s supposed CIA field agent is singularly unconvincing, taking about five minutes of generic tough-talking to turn into a sissy girly-girl who has to be rescued by the hunky action hero once they enter the jungle. Come to think of it, McKee’s Claire and Tom Taus’ Matzu feel like B-movie versions of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’s Willie Scott and Short Round. Jurgen Prochnow continues his tendency to be typecast as one-dimensional villains in Hollywood B-movies since the last time he was respectable (probably as the U-Boat captain in Das Boot sixteen years ago); he sneers a lot and snarls his way through a couple little monologues.
DNA is a silly, schlocky little B-level sci-fi action flick whose script feels like it’s made of taped-together pages from other movies, but for those looking for a schlocky little diversion with a brisk 97 minute runtime, you could do worse. Of course, you could also do better, like just watch actual Predator instead of Temu Predator…
* * 1/2