Jurassic World review

JURASSIC WORLD:

DINOSAUR SIZED POPCORN FUN WITH A SPECIAL EFFECTS FREE FOR ALL!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Something big is coming in Jurassic World

            Fourth time’s the charm, Steven Spielberg (Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Minority Report) returns to his colossally groundbreaking and popular Jurassic Park franchise with a fourth installment in the franchise, Jurassic World, the first Jurassic Park movie in fourteen years since 2001’s Jurassic Park III as well as the second Jurassic Park film to not be directed by Spielberg.

            In the director’s chair is Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed), while Spielberg executive produces the film, and Seattle’s Star-Lord, Chris Pratt (Parks & Recreation, The Lego Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy) stars as Velociraptor trainer, Owen Grady. It’s nowhere near as visually amazing or gripping as the original Jurassic Park from 1993 in which Spielberg directed, but compared to The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III, this is the rare Jurassic Park sequel that’s actually a decent follow-up as well as a fun summer popcorn film.

            22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, we find a new, fully functional, dinosaur theme park on an eerily familiar island called Jurassic World is opening up and the entire world is excited about the park and seeing all the dinosaurs. Brothers, Zach (Nick Robinson-The Kings of Summer) and Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins-Little Children, Revolutionary Road, Iron Man 3) go to visit their aunt Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard-Spider-Man 3, Terminator: Salvation, The Help), the park’s operations manager.

            Unfortunately Claire is too busy to visit the boys as she is currently working on a new attraction for Jurassic World, a genetically modified dinosaur called an Indominus Rex which has been born and living entirely in custody of the park, which Raptor trainer, Owen Brady claims could lead to catastrophic casualties, especially after the Indominus Rex ate its sibling.

            Owen, Claire, Zach, and Gray soon realize that the Indominus Rex has escaped and is killing off the dinosaurs as well as military soldiers and workers who came in to attempt to contain it. Unfortunately it all backfires when the Indominus Rex starts moving towards the park which could lead to both closure of the park and lawsuits the size of a big pile of dinosaur shit, but it could lead to all the workers and guests of the park to become an all you can eat dinosaur buffet.

            Overall, Jurassic World is definitely darker and grittier than the previous two films, much like Jurassic Park III, but this time actual effort was put into this sequel. The CG effects on the dinosaurs can be fun to watch, however what made the first Jurassic Park so amazing was its creative blend of computer animation and animatronics, coming into this movie I knew all the dinosaurs were gonna be CG, but what gave Jurassic Park its 1993 Best Visual Effects Oscar was that there were dinosaurs that were really there, not just digital dinosaurs, but actual animatronic dinosaurs.

            For a Jurassic Park movie, the lead actors and protagonists do a decent job, Chris Pratt as a raptor trainer, how can you go wrong with that? Though I would say his Star-Lord performance from Guardians of the Galaxy was a little more fun and quirky, but for a Jurassic Park movie, he fits in well, now I want to see a Jurassic Park movie where he meets Sam Neil, screw Jeff Goldblum. Unlike Julianne Moore from The Lost World and Tea Leoni from Jurassic Park III, Bryce Dallas Howard is a much better female companion than those two, because Moore’s character was an idiot and Leoni was so God awfully annoying.

            If you’re a fan of the first Jurassic Park and seeking for the one sequel that’s considered good or just looking for a fun, action packed, popcorn movie, this is your flick. It’s one of my favorite blockbusters of the summer behind Avengers: Age of Ultron and Mad Max: Fury Road, mainly because of the climax, which is one of the coolest, if not craziest action sequences you’ll see in a big budget sci-fi action flick.

            The Park is open and it’s waiting for you.