When I got about one hour into the film I noticed something. THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE PREDATOR! These people basicly lifted scenes right out of predator. i.e. the monster is invisible, the hero makes traps and then waits on a tree, the monster has heat seeking vision and the monster looks a lot like the predator. This film had a good creature costume and some good cgi for the it too. But near the end when the helicopter crashes, the effects are probably the worst you have ever seen. Rent it if you want a good laugh. But rent Predator first.

Rated 14A for some violence and some language (Canadian rating)

14A is like a PG-13 rating in the U.S.A.

The film starts in Sarawak , a province of North of Borneo where an idealistic doctor named Ash (Mark Dacascos of Double dragon). He mistakenly reveals his DNA theories to an evil scientific (Jurgen Prochnow , Das Boat) who utilizes on illegal genetic experiments , blending beetle and alien DNA . As a nasty scientist's DNA experiment on the bones of a mysterious jungle creature brings the carnivorous beast to life . Two years later , there appear various bodies dead and wounded ; one mutant , a giant insect-like specie with super powers , lurks in the lush forest from into perilous jungles , waiting for prey . The weird creature begins attacking one by one . Meantime , Ash along with a beautiful doctor( Robin McKee) are surrounded and both of whom set out to track it down.

This is a semi-remake to ¨Predator¨, told in terms of jungle warfare with an over seven-foot-tall monster on the loose . It's a brutal , exciting and violent Sci-Fi thriller with gory action and little logic . So we ought sit through the creature dispatch enemies one by one before the ending showdown comes , leaving the utter mechanics of the thing to keep our interest buzzing . The final confrontation is particularly exciting stuff , even though it makes no great sense . The result is thoroughly unpleasant but undeniably thrilling action movie . Acceptable special effects and special make-up by , nowadays famous , : Robert Kurtzman , Greg Nicotero , Howard Berger . Adequate cinematography by Gerry Lively and nice musical score fitting to action by Christopher Stone . The motion picture was regularly directed by William Mesa , he's usually visual effects supervisor (Dark Water , Deep blue sea) and occasionally cinema director . Rating : Passable and entertaining.

I stumbled upon the 1996 movie "DNA" here in 2021. And as I hadn't even ever heard about the movie, I didn't know what I was in for here, nor what to expect. However, I saw that the movie had Mark Dacascos on the cast list, and that was essentially all that was needed to make me watch the movie.

Writer Nick Davis didn't exactly manage to come up with an overly impressive or entertaining storyline. I mean, it borrowed a bit much from "Predator" and also have elements of "Rambo" in it. Perhaps Nick Davis was doing a sort of homage? I don't know. Regardless, then "DNA" just wasn't a spectacular movie.

Sure it was watchable, but it was a cheesy movie experience that didn't bring anything new to the table, not even back in 1996.

The creature was interesting enough in concept, but that was about it. The transition from concept idea to screen didn't go well, and the creature was rather poorly made and didn't really stand out as being a particularly menacing creature.

"DNA" is a very stereotypical action horror movie, though it ended up a bit too bland and mundane.

Mark Dacascos was enjoyable in the movie, and he was joined by the likes of Jürgen Prochnow. So if you grew up with movies in the 1990s, then you have some familiar faces at least to look at.

All in all, then "DNA" made for a subpar viewing experience. As such, then my rating of director William Mesa's 1996 movie lands on a four out of ten stars.