Movie Info
Movie Name: Jurassic World
Studio: Amblin Entertainment
Genre(s): Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date(s): June 12, 2015
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Walking with Dinosaurs? Hell no! I ride!
The park is open! Jurassic World is one of the great tourist attractions on the planet. In charge of running it is Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) who finds herself taking care of her estranged nephews Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) while trying to get sponsorship for the newly created hybrid dinosaur Indominus rex. When Indominus rex proves to be smarter than anyone anticipated, the park must go on lockdown…and trainer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) must try to protect the guests while InGen Vic Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio) believes that this could be an opportunity to show what his velociraptor program could do.
2 seater gyroscope through a dinosaur park not only seems like a liability but impractical…
Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World is the fourth film in the Jurassic Park series. Following Jurassic Park III in 2001, Jurassic World is considered a “soft relaunch”. It is a true sequel to the original series but also could be considered a standalone film. The movie was released to some criticism for the dumbing down of the previously praised science and mixed reviews. The film however proved to be a box office smash upon its release.
Jurassic Park was a big deal. I read the book on a vacation and saw the movie on the preview night. Like most people, I saw the dinosaurs for the first time with the characters in the movie and the audience (pre-internet days), and it was kind of a once in a lifetime type moment. With great effects and this group discovery, Jurassic Park (despite story problems) holds a soft spot for me. Jurassic World does a little to recapture this magic but also has some of the problems.
Chris Pratt…the man who launched a million memes
The story for Jurassic World is quite predictable. The kids arrive, the dangerous animal escapes, and the park goes crazy. It is like the original Jurassic Park on a larger scale. Unlike Jurassic Park, there is less schmaltzy dialogue and scenarios. Sure, you get the kids wandering off against the rules, but at least they aren’t climbing electric fences or hacking complex computer systems. You do know where the story is going and it doesn’t really surprise.
The acting is good. Chris Pratt continues to prove he is the Harrison Ford by being charming, funny, and yet also able to pull off action. Bryce Dallas Howard is a little paper thin…though she can motor in high-heels…even outrunning the T-Rex. The kids are a bit more balanced than the original kids and there are some good supporting characters (though one dimensional).
On the count of three, everyone roar!!!
As usual, the real hook of Jurassic World is the dinosaurs…and the movie delivers. The original designs are still pretty close, but you can see improvements in movement and interaction with the environment. The new dinosaur Indominus rex has a lot of abilities but just looks like another version of all the dinosaurs made. I would have rather seen the evil spinosaurus from Jurassic Park III (which was a pretty cool villain). I do think the Mosasaurus (the water dwelling dinosaur) is pretty cool however.
Jurassic World is a popcorn movie. It is a fun movie but not much more than fluff. Jurassic Park (or World) has always been the most impractical park…I do not think you would ever be able to operate on that level without it costing thousands and thousands of dollars to visit. I wish that the Jurassic Park movies would all come together and make one great movie, but all of the films have faults. Jurassic World is just one of the less faulted versions of the movie. Jurassic World was followed by Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018.
Related Links:
Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
