Jurassic World (Movie Review)

Rating:

The 1-4-0: #JurassicWorld is really an homage to the original. There are so many references. This is the real sequel using the blueprint of the first.

The Gist: This film takes place 22 years after the original (it ignores the 1997 and 2001 sequels) and John Hammond’s dream of realizing a fully operating dinosaur theme park is a reality. But when a newly developed killing machine of a dinosaur escapes, it’s up to Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard to find a way to stop it.

What Works: This is a proper part two, and like any legitimate franchise sequel, it is amped with more of everything – more action, more violent, more dinosaurs, more scares; it’s darker in tone and plays out more like a horror movie. This sequel is loaded with so much nostalgia and references to the original that it is hard not to be brought back to 1993 at times. It is no exaggeration that director Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) carries so much of the DNA of the original Spielberg film that it truly honors the spirit and legacy of the franchise, all the way from the portions of the John Williams score, the book photo of Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to an old friend making a climactic entrance in the denouement. The production is phenomenal as the set designers built a real Jurassic World theme park in New Orleans and even included a scene with an animatronic dino as a tribute to the artistry of Stan Winston.

What Doesn’t Work: For moviegoers, sometimes the familiar can play out two ways: it can transport you back in time to your fond teenage memories as a kid or make one feel like that franchise is creatively stagnant. As much as I liked the ingrained nostalgia, I did wish it could have push the storyline boundary to a different place. Also, unlike the memorable cast of characters from the original Jurassic Park, no one is really going to remember any these characters 22 years later. They lack distinct characteristics that leave a mark on you. Fortunately for the movie, the real stars are the dinosaurs and the action sequences.

Pay or Nay: Pay. Jurassic World will be the first Jurassic film released in 3D and IMAX in its first run and I can’t imagine seeing it any other way. From its wide-eyed wonder and seat-gripping thrills to its scope and intrigue, there are few films that can both provide an emotional nostalgic pull and overwhelm you with intense action and scares. Please note, that this movie is very violent at moments and not meant for children 5 years and younger.