Primeval (2007)
Primeval is fairly unusual in the horror genre, in that the serial killer is a giant crocodile named Gustave. The film is directed by Michael Katleman, is written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris, and uses the concept of Gustave – who is very real – to weave a tale that incorporates brutal civil war and the vain attempt of mankind to exert power in the face of nature.
In the film: A British forensic anthropologist is working with the U.N. to examine corpses found in a mass grave in Burundi, when she’s attacked by a large creature that drags her into the river and partially devours her. The creature is identified as being a giant crocodile, known locally as Gustave. In response to this breaking story, a disgraced television journalist (Dominic Purcell) is assigned to investigate, along with a reporter specializing in animal stories (Brooke Langton), a cameraman (Orlando Jones), and a herpetologist (Gideon Emery). The group is warned about a dangerous warlord operating in the area, who calls himself ‘Little Gustave.’
The journalists investigate the crocodile, while becoming entangled with Little Gustave and the violence caused by the civil war. They discover that crocodiles can continue to grow according to the level of food supply available to them, and Gustave has grown so big and so accustomed to the taste of human flesh because he feeds upon the victims of the civil war.
In reality: Gustave is indeed a legendary crocodile living in Burundi, and is credited with killing up to 300 humans. He is said to hunt along the banks of Lake Tanganyika and the River Ruzizi, and has never been caught. His existence is well-documented, however, and he is particularly known for having three recognizable, healed bullet wounds along his body, as well as a deep scar on his right shoulder – although it is not clear how these scars were acquired. He is estimated to be between 6 and 8 metres long, weighing over 900kg, and being between 60 and 100 years old.
