Nothing can recreate the impact and significance that 1993's Jurassic Park had on the movie industry and popular culture in general. So when watching the sequel/reboot film Jurassic World, we must first realize what it's trying to do. It's not attempting to be ridiculously groundbreaking or make improvements upon the original. Instead, it's giving us more story and expanding the world which it's taking on.
In fact, the special effects in Jurassic Park were so ahead of its time that the ones used in this current film seem pretty evenly compared.
But effects aside, let's talk about story. Jurassic World doesn't try to fool us into thinking that this is the "new beginning" of the franchise. It pays homage to the original and remains self-aware of where our culture stands on seeing something new and groundbreaking. We've seen dinosaurs come to life on the big screen and it was amazing. However, after three movies we're almost jaded. Which is why the filmmakers are dead set on making sure we see a lot of new animals. They introduce manmade hybrid species which are scary in the sense that we've never read about them when we were kids and we don't know what they look like or how they act. It somehow manages to capture the '90s suspense of the original. The mystery is brought back to this film universe and Spielberg & Company have created another dinosaur movie that is really very scary.
Also, for the first time, we get the privilege to see the fully functioning theme park that we've been waiting for since the first film. It's breathtaking and immersive, and for a moment we wish that it were an actual place. But then, of course, we're reminded why this is all such a terrible idea.
In an age where films are boosting our confidence and telling us how smart we are, Jurassic World reminds us that we're kinda stupid a lot of the time too.
If you're a fan of the original, you should enjoy Jurassic World--fully equipped with not trying to outdo a classic. It may not be as innovative, but it's quite possibly just as entertaining.
Twizard Rating: 97
Sam Neill is back in this third installment of the Jurassic Park trilogy after being absent from the previous film. In this one, the filmmakers use much of what works with the first film as far as the narrative. They apply the same formula in hopes to get a similar result. And it works!
Everything from attention grabbing openings to reuniting children with their families adds to the recipe for this highly entertaining film.
Doctor Alan Grant (Neill) is dragged to Isla Sorna (the dinosaur inhabited island from The Lost World) by an eccentric couple who may have a hidden agenda that Grant isn't aware of.
Although it copies many elements from the first film, it makes its own mark with some great action sequences and a refreshingly consistent narrative. The script is much less convoluted than its predecessor and it's full of quotable lines.
There is a brilliant scene involving pterodactyls--which may very well be the highlight of the entire film, and one of the best scenes from the trilogy.
Jurassic Park III retains the mystery and surprise that has been so key to making this series enjoyable. And I've said it before, but John Williams' score is so fantastic. I get chills every time I hear that motif. The music provides such a peaceful contrast to the thrilling suspense going on at the same time--helping to underline the magnificence of these dinosaurs regardless of the specific circumstances that these characters have found themselves in.
The only thing that keeps me scratching my head is how the effects team can make these dinosaurs look so impressive, yet they can't perfect the green screen technology.
Either way, this is a perfect denouement to a brilliant trilogy.
Twizard Rating: 96
Back before the 2000s, most sequels were pretty bad. But then here comes The Lost World--which may not be on par with it's legendary predecessor, but can still hold its own as an entertaining action-thriller. A successful sequel considering the time period.
However, it's not even close to perfect. It has a much slower setup, and the premise doesn't have that life-altering importance that comes along with it. Many of the sequences feel disjunct from one another. Also, there's not much character depth or true growth from any of the characters.
And why is everyone so much stupider in this one? I mean, it's already bad enough that no one is briefed on strategies about surviving a T-Rex, but then you have characters doing things like getting freaked out by a snake which allows man-eating dinosaurs to spot them. In the first film, one of the things I applaud is that there aren't a lot of stupid character decisions, but here they're all over the place.
The Lost World still has the mystery of the first one--even though it's missing the grandiose tone. But we can't deny that this sequel is just as thrilling and visually impressive as its predecessor.
Twizard Rating: 90
1993's Jurassic Park was groundbreaking on so many levels. It features special effects that, 22 years later, have me saying, "Wow! That's incredible!" At that time, filmmaking was really reaching a pinnacle in realistic effects. Animatronics and puppetry are way more believealbe than strictly computer generated imagery. And since Hollywood went in the direction of CGI rather than the former, many films have lost their authenticity. There's a reason why the original Star Wars trilogy has fans' hearts more than the prequel trilogy--the movies feel more real. It creates a world more believable.
And with the unprecedented effects going into this movie, we really do see the height of that technology used onscreen. The genuineness exceeds that of most current sci-fi action films.
Steven Spielberg and his team create a world so realistic that we forget it doesn't exist. This is a pure adventure film and a real rush. It's anything but cliche, and the characters don't make annoying decisions trying to survive the dinosaurs.
The only thing that may be missing from this film is really solid character development. We get interesting scenarios that question certain characters' morals. But the written-in subplots in order to show depth, for the most part, feel like they're just written-in.
But we have a film that we can't really complain about. We'll sacrifice a little depth for a story and script that are so gripping that the film doesn't feel the least bit dated over 2 decades later. Now THAT is incredible!
Twizard Rating: 100
