Let's be honest. Sometimes you just want to see a CGI dinosaur wreck a shopping mall. You aren't looking for Jurassic Park level philosophy on life finding a way; you want 88 minutes of pure, unadulterated chaos involving a flesh-eating reptile and some recognizable faces. That’s exactly what Asylum’s 2013 flick delivers. But when people start digging into the Age of Dinosaurs cast, they usually find a weirdly interesting mix of 90s icons and reliable character actors that make the movie a lot more watchable than it has any right to be.
It’s a specific kind of magic.
The movie follows a classic "science goes wrong" trope where a biotech firm regenerates dinosaurs using deep-tissue DNA (sound familiar?) and then, predictably, things go south in Los Angeles. While the script is what you'd expect from the studio that gave us Sharknado, the people on screen are actually seasoned pros.
Treat Williams: The Anchor of the Age of Dinosaurs Cast
Seeing Treat Williams in this movie is always a bit of a shock if you grew up watching Everwood or Hair. He plays Gabe Jacobs, a former firefighter who's basically just trying to save his daughter when the prehistoric hits the fan. Williams brings a level of sincerity to the role that feels almost too good for the genre. He doesn't wink at the camera. He treats the threat of a digital Allosaurus like it’s a genuine Shakespearean tragedy.
Sadly, we lost Treat Williams in 2023, which adds a layer of nostalgia to watching his work here. He was a guy who could jump from a high-prestige HBO series to a low-budget creature feature without losing an ounce of his professional dignity. In this film, he’s the emotional core. Without him, it’s just pixels hitting buildings. With him, you actually care if Gabe makes it out of the elevator.
His daughter in the film, Jade, is played by Jillian Rose Reed. Most people recognize her from the MTV show Awkward. The chemistry between Williams and Reed is actually pretty decent. They play that classic "strained father-daughter relationship" that only gets fixed by running away from extinct predators. It's a trope. We know it. They know it. But they play it straight.
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Ronny Cox and the Corporate Villainy
If you need a guy to play a corporate executive who has clearly lost his moral compass, you call Ronny Cox. Period. As Justin, the head of the Geneti-Sharp corporation, Cox is doing what he does best. He’s basically channeling a slightly less murderous version of Dick Jones from RoboCop or Vilos Cohaagen from Total Recall.
It is kind of wild to see him in the Age of Dinosaurs cast because he carries such a specific weight. When Cox explains how they used "flesh-knitting" technology to bring these things back, you almost believe him. Almost. His role is to be the arrogant architect of his own destruction, and he plays that beat with a refined, icy charisma. He’s the guy who thinks he can control nature with a spreadsheet and a lab coat. Spoiler: he can’t.
The Supporting Players and Cameos
The cast isn't just the big names. It’s filled with people you’ve seen in a dozen other things.
- Andray Johnson plays Ray. You’ve seen him in everything from ER to The West Wing.
- Jose Rosete shows up as an officer. He’s a veteran of the indie horror and sci-fi circuit.
- Max Ariane plays Craig.
The interesting thing about movies like this is that the cast often feels like a tight-knit community of actors who know exactly what kind of movie they are making. There’s no ego. There’s just the job of reacting to a green screen and making it look like you're about to be eaten.
Why the Casting Works for This Specific Movie
Usually, low-budget sci-fi movies fail because the acting is as wooden as the sets. That isn't the case here. Because you have veterans like Williams and Cox, the movie has "gravity." It’s a term actors use when someone's performance pulls the rest of the scene toward reality.
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Think about the mall scene. It’s absurd. There are dinosaurs in a mall. But because the Age of Dinosaurs cast reacts with genuine panic rather than "B-movie screaming," it keeps you engaged. It’s the difference between a movie you turn off after ten minutes and a movie you finish while eating popcorn at 1:00 AM on a Tuesday.
What People Get Wrong About These Productions
There’s a common misconception that actors in these films are "on their way down." That’s a pretty cynical way to look at it. Honestly, for a lot of these performers, it’s about the craft and the paycheck. Working with The Asylum is a rite of passage. It requires a specific skill set: you have to be able to work fast, hit your marks, and generate high emotion with very little physical reference.
Treat Williams talked in various interviews throughout his career about just loving to work. He wasn't a snob. If the script was fun and the location worked, he was in. That’s why his filmography is so diverse.
The Technical Reality of the 2013 Production
When you look at the Age of Dinosaurs cast, you also have to look at what they were acting against. The dinosaurs were created using 2013-era CGI on a shoestring budget. This means the actors often had nothing to look at but a tennis ball on a stick.
Jillian Rose Reed has mentioned in interviews that the experience was "crazy" but fun. For a young actress coming off a sitcom, it was a totally different world. No laugh track, just a guy yelling "Now the Raptor jumps!" while you try to look terrified. That’s a hard gig.
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The Legacy of the Cast
Is this the pinnacle of Treat Williams' career? No, of course not. Prince of the City probably holds 그 spot. But it’s a vital part of the ecosystem of Hollywood. These movies provide work for hundreds of crew members and give established actors a chance to play in a different sandbox.
The fans of this movie don't love it despite the cast; they love it because of them. There is a comfort in seeing Ronny Cox being a jerk or Treat Williams being a hero. It’s like cinematic comfort food.
Key Takeaways for Fans of the Genre
If you're diving into the world of The Asylum or just looking for a fun creature feature, here is what you need to know about the Age of Dinosaurs cast and the movie itself:
- Watch it for the "Treat": Treat Williams elevates the material. Pay attention to how he handles the more ridiculous dialogue; he makes it sound natural.
- The Cox Factor: Ronny Cox is a legend for a reason. His "villain" archetype is perfected here.
- Expect 2013 Visuals: Don't go in expecting Jurassic World. The charm is in the low-fi nature of the CGI combined with high-intensity acting.
- Check Out the Filmography: If you like Jillian Rose Reed here, watch Awkward. If you like Treat Williams, go back and watch Deep Rising—it’s another monster movie where he shines.
To get the most out of your viewing, stop comparing it to $200 million blockbusters. Look at it as a showcase for veteran actors having a bit of fun with a wild premise. The real value is in the performances that ground the absurdity.
If you're looking for your next "so bad it's good" or "surprisingly decent" weekend watch, track down the filmography of the supporting cast. You'll find a treasure trove of character actors who have been the backbone of the industry for decades. The next step is simply to queue it up, ignore the physics of the dinosaur leaps, and enjoy a veteran cast doing what they do best: entertaining us against all odds.