The Curious Case of “Rampage”: Why Do We Watch Bad Movies?
What kind of movies do you like to watch in theaters? Is it mind-bending thrillers, visually stunning spectacles, or simple and romantic comedies? The recently released “Rampage” (also known as “Prey” or “Uncaged”) offers a different answer.
Its plot and special effects are, to put it mildly, questionable. The entire film seems to be chasing after pure sensory stimulation. Yet, even with such flaws, some people are willing to pay for it. As one netizen put it, “Who needs a reasonable plot? It’s all about the thrill! It’s a decent popcorn flick.”
“The most exciting monster movie!” “The ultimate stress-relieving film of the year!” When these trending topics appear before you, wouldn’t you be tempted to satisfy your curiosity and buy a ticket?
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
If you walk into the theater expecting a Hollywood blockbuster experience, you might be in for a surprise. “Rampage,” currently playing in domestic theaters, is an imported film packaged as a “Hollywood-style blockbuster.” It was originally released abroad in 2016. Some viewers, after watching the film, lamented, “There are too many flaws to count. I feel like my intelligence has been insulted. If I wanted to see a lion, I might as well go to the zoo…”
Flawed Effects and a Plot Full of Holes
A ferocious lion, a bustling city, and a group of people with their own agendas – director Dick Maas uses his signature suspenseful thriller techniques in “Rampage.” This approach does create a decent sense of suspense and the musical score is well done. However, careful viewers will notice that beneath this deceptive sensory shell, the story of a “lion running amok in the city” is full of clichés and plot holes.
The story of “Rampage” is simple: In Amsterdam, the police discover the brutally murdered bodies of a family. With the case at a standstill, a zoo veterinarian suspects a large lion is responsible based on the wounds. As more victims appear, the police assign a team to hunt the lion in the city, leading to a deadly chase between predator and hunters…
According to the marketing for “Rampage,” the “ferocious lion” should be the film’s biggest selling point. However, after viewers experienced it firsthand, this lion, created purely with special effects, is “so fake it’s unbelievable.” The special effects are on par with some of the worst green screen work in domestic TV dramas.
The film also has countless plot holes: For example, the thrilling scene of a helicopter chasing the lion over the city streets ends with them losing track of it after a few blocks. And since the goal was to subdue the lion, why didn’t the helicopter have a sniper with a tranquilizer gun? Then there’s the hand-to-hand combat scene between the lion and a professional hunter. The lion could have easily finished the hunter off with one final blow, but for the sake of the plot, it lets him go. Finally, the hunter saws off his own leg and uses a trail of blood to lure the lion. But the lion, supposedly the smartest creature in the film, foolishly follows the scent of the blood, completely ignoring the hunter sitting right next to him with a bleeding wound. So many nonsensical actions make it hard to keep track of them all. No wonder some viewers said their “intelligence was insulted.”
The “Wild West” of Imported Film Market
“Rampage,” packaged as “the most exciting monster movie,” is actually a Dutch film that was released overseas in 2016, making it a “buyout film.”
A “buyout film” is one where the copyright owner sells the distribution rights for a specific period and region for a fixed price. The buyer bears all profits and losses, and the producer does not participate in the film’s box office revenue. It’s like a “betting is closed” situation. This is very different from imported blockbusters, where box office revenue is shared among various channels and stakeholders.
“The buyout film market really gained attention in China with the 2017 Indian film ‘Dangal.’ As a buyout film, ‘Dangal’ not only grossed over 1 billion yuan but also sparked widespread social discussion,” film critic Dark Knight said. Since then, a wave of Indian films has come to the Chinese market on the heels of “Dangal,” but it seems that none have achieved the same box office success.
“In addition to Indian films, Japanese films and low-budget European productions are also popular with domestic buyout film buyers. For example, the Japanese film ‘Shoplifters,’ which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival last year, was eventually released in China, but its box office performance was not outstanding. And then there are European films like ‘Rampage,’ but there really aren’t many buyout films with impressive box office results.”
Dark Knight believes that as the market cools down and the costs of buyout films and marketing continue to rise, it will be difficult for top-tier buyout films to emerge again. “Many buyout films have become cannon fodder for a ‘one-day tour’ of the market. Those buyout film companies that are trying to make a small bet and win big may never get their lucky break.”
The Domestic Market’s Craving for “Thrill Rides”
Despite all the criticisms, from a fair perspective, there is a market reason for “Rampage” to be released in China: the market lacks this type of film.
Although the domestic film market has developed rapidly in recent years, genre films are a weak link in domestic cinema. Low-budget suspense and thriller films are a “disaster zone” for bad movies. Over the years, when we think of domestic suspense thrillers, we still remember the same old titles. Although “Rampage” has a predictable plot and is full of loopholes, its atmosphere and suspense, and even its techniques for delivering pure visual sensory stimulation, are several levels above some domestic films. If there were outstanding domestic suspense films, our market wouldn’t need to buy buyout films from overseas to fill the gap.
Many people say that they go to the cinema to de-stress and relax. Some films are too mind-bending and serious, while these “thrill rides” are more comfortable. “Those in-depth films are better suited for watching at home with a laptop, where you can discuss your thoughts and questions with the comments section. Going to the cinema is all about having a good time.”