Mammoth

Mammoth (2006)

I do love me some cheese and they just don’t get much cheesier than this one. The story here revolves around a frozen mammoth that is being prepared for display in a museum. While drilling a core sample into the ice a scientist named Frank (Vincent Ventresca) accidentally activates a homing beacon. Before anyone realizes what has happened an alien parasite has zoomed to Earth and brought the mammoth back to life. It proceeds to tear thru town taking out the locals as it finds them. If that weren’t bad enough Frank also has to deal with some government agents (typical men in black stuff…) a very odd father (played by the always entertaining Tom Skerritt), and a teenage daughter. Together they must stop the alien possessed mammoth from doing any more harm and quickly because the government is ready to nuke the town!

This movie is a blast. Right from the start in the credit sequence it is obvious that the movie isn’t going to take itself too seriously. There is a definite old school ‘50s and ‘60s science fiction movie vibe, along with a playful attitude. Mammoth is the kind of movie that knows exactly what it is and is determined to have fun with it. The characters are likeable and really quite funny. This is helped by a script that is full of funny situations (the bit with the hand is great!) and dialogue that is quick and very witty at times. I wanted to again mention Tom Skerritt, who is clearly having fun playing the conspiracy theorist. When he mistakes the guy in the gorilla costume for and alien I was laughing my butt off! I also think that Ventresca does a great job as the Frank character and has the screen presence to carry the movie. Of course I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Summer Glau, who plays Frank’s teenage daughter Jack. Between the Terminator show and Firefly it seems she just can’t catch a break. Though she gives a good performance here at yet another quirky and likeable character.

I know that a lot of fans are going to be turned off by what is admittedly some less the great CGI effects. All of the shots of the Mammoth and all the kills are CGI. I guess with a movie like Mammoth the digital stuff doesn’t really bother me. When a movie isn’t trying to be realistic and is having fun with the situation I have a different set of expectations for it. If this were an old school creature feature I would have waiting for some silly looking man in a rubber suit to be playing the “monster”. So when it is instead a CGI mammoth I just kind of go along for the ride. I mean did anyone really expect realism in a movie that is about an alien parasite possessing and reanimating the corpse of a dead mammoth?

If you are in the mood for a silly bit of science fiction goodness then you could do a whole lot worse then Mammoth. I’ve watched it a couple of times now and each time I’ve had fun with it. If you can get it on the cheap and I’m sure you can, then I recommend picking it up.

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer