Turok: Son of Stone (2008) The supervising director is Tad Stones along with Dan Riba, Curt Gadea, and Frank Squillace who directed the different sequences of the film. The screenplay is by Tony Bedard who also wrote the Valiant comic, Turok, Dinosaur Hunter #17-19 (1994). Turok started in Four Color Comics #596 (1954) created by Gaylord Du Bois. It evenutally led to his own series, with Turok: Son of Stone #3 (1956), which featured painted covers that had Turok using his deadly bow against dinosaurs and others creatures. He appeared in the Valiant Universe during the “Unity” company wide crossover in 1992. The powerful Mothergod, she had a base in Turok’s Lost Land, was about to transform the Valiant Universe. She brought him and the bionisaurs into the modern world. He entered the Valiant Universe with the introduction of his series Turok, Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993).
It opens with beautiful mountains in the background and forests of pine. We see a Native American tribe of people playfully running. A young girl, Catori (Iyari Limon) races away from Nashoba (Matthew Yang King). Her hairclip falls into the river. Nashoba’s brother, Turok (Rick Mora), with the blue vest jumps in with Nashoba behind him. They swim after it, but end up splashing water on each other as a rival chief (with red hand print on his right chest) picks up the hair clip. Catori reaches the river bank. The chief throws his tomahawk, but Turok catches it. He sends his other warriors to attack them. Turok is struck and lapses into a berserk state of just white as he makes bloody slashes with the tomahawk. This is a truly bloody and violent animated movie so this is for older teens and adults. Nashoba tries to check on Turok who is still in the rage state. He is slashed across the chest and his face until Turok shakes off his anger and sees what he has done.
Later, Nashoba screams trying to recover from his stiched chest wound. The tribe’s elder (Graham Greene) argues for Turok. The shaman (Russell Means) can only see blood in Turok’s future and exiles him! It is “16 years later”, a young brave, this is Andar (Adam Gifford) runs with bow, quiver, and knife. Gifford voices Zuma in DC Showcase: Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth! (2021). He sees an older Turok (Adam Beach) skin an animal by the fire. Beach is in the drama, The Power of the Dog (2021). Andar explains that he is son of Nashoba, now chief, and they will need his help against a war party. He returns to his father (Gil Birmingham) and mother, Catori (Irene Bedard). The actress returned to voice Pocahontas in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). Nashoba gives him the blue marks of a warrior on his face. Catori gives her hair pin to her husband. In the mist, the warriors, move against the rival tribe led by Chichak (Robert Knepper) on his horse. Knepper is in the action horror movie WarHunt (2022).
It is a vicious conflict betwen Nashoba’s tribe armed with bows against Chichak’s warriors using rifles. Andar takes cover and starts to run from the slaughter. Chichak is about to kill him with a pistol, but his father saves him. Then, he is shot by Chichak! Andar and Turok see Nashoba bound to a tree bleeding, he wakes up gasping, and Turok cuts him free. Nashoba says that Chichak is headed to the village to kill all of the tribe. Turok vows to protect Catori and Andar. The hair pin falls out of his dying hand. Turok heads to the village and Andar follows. Chichak has the village burned, Catori runs, and is taken by the vicious chief. Turok appears and has the tomahawk which Chicak recognizes as used by his father. He cuts down two warriors and faces Chicak who draws his rifle. Andar knocks him down from the path of the bullet. Chichak rides away with Catori. Turok follows them on another horse.
In a canyon, the horse rears and throws off Chichak and Catori. Chichak holds a knife to Catori. A prehistoric Terror Bird leaps and Turok pulls Andar away from it. Turok slashes it with the tomahawk, then Andar puts an arrow into its side, Catori tries to warn her son, but is knocked out by Chichak and dragged into the cave. Turok slashes the monstrous bird with his tomahawk and then Andar drives it away with an arrow to its eye! They run into the cave and then find light from two openings like eyes. Turok immediately races across the grassland, Andar follows, but is stopped by Turok’s gesture. Andar lays on the ground to hear what he says is a herd. It is of course not buffalo, but Anklyosaurs! A volcano is in the distance. This is the Lost Land! The pace of the battle and the chase just throws the viewer into the action even through a prehistoric world! Turok picks up traces of Chichak and follows his trail, it leads through the herd’s path, and suddenly one rears sending them into a stampede!
He takes Andar up to an rocky overlook. They see Catori running from Chichak on horseback to the woods. Out from it comes the Carnotaurus! The horned, vicious Dino with a black hide with red patches on its head. Chichak flees on his horse, Catori is tossed aside by the Carnotaurus, Turok sees this and leaps into the stampede! The Carnotaurus looms over Catori and tries to chomp her. The Anklosaur herd tries to turn, but needs up in a pile up! Turok continues, Catori is about to be snapped up, but he leaps to pull her out of its way! Andar looses two arrows at it and then Turok points out a fallen tree trunk over a river. They manage to enter the trunk as the Carnotaurus plows its head into it! The trio manage to cross over to the other side. The Carnotaurus regards the tree and tries to cross, but is swept into the river. They manage to escape the Carnotaurus and end up using a log to make a journey down a river filled with strange wildlife. Turok believes it is the underworld. They start swimming with the log when a Pleisosaurus attacks them!
Turok uses his tomahawk on the the wounded Plesiosaur and it is torn away by a larger Tylosaurus,“there’s always a bigger fish.” Still, screeching is heard and Terror Birds emerge with warriors using them as mounts. Chichak has reached a network of caves. He finds savage Neanderthals consuming his horse! A bestial leader with horned headdress challenges him. Still, he falls to Chichak’s rifle! The tribe makes him leader. A Terror Bird mount takes the warrior girl, Aniwa (Mia Crowe), goes into a cave to tell about the srangers. Turok, Catori and Andar are taken by guards to the leader of the Cliff People (Cree Summer). The warrior, Koba (Jay Tavore), reports to Septino that the stranger, Turok, killed a Long Neck! Turok introduces them and Koba wonders if they came from the Land of the Fathers. Turok’s savagery has kept them alive, but followed him into the Lost Land. He has to control his violence even to deal with Chichak so they can find their place in this new world. It features an incredible Native American voice cast. Turok: Son of Stone is a violent, animated movie that has Native American warriors trapped in a prehistoric world straight out of the comics!
Five Hairclips out of Five!
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