Movie Review – Jurassic World

In 1993 the words of a best selling novel by Michael Crichton leapt onto screens in theaters everywhere in the form of the movie Jurassic Park. The Steven Spielberg directed dinosaur thriller left audiences breathless but more importantly, in need of more. Two sequels would follow but neither captured hearts and minds like the first movie. Now 22 years after movie-goers first traveled to Isla Nublar and were left awestruck, the story is finally ready to continue on. Of course with smarter scientists being pushed by greedy corporations the bar is raised in this fourth installment. With all of the genetic and scientific advancements one can only assume that it’s a two-way street where mankind isn’t the only party that has evolved. Jurassic World looks to be on the right track to bringing back those fearful moments when you had no idea what was about to lunge forth from the jungle’s shadows. Will this latest breed of ancient assassins bring more roars or snores? Keep reading.

Director Colin Trevorrow is definitely in the crosshairs with Jurassic World since he doesn’t have a long list of laurels to rest upon. In fact he has a very short list of only four previous works (an indie film, a documentary, a short and a made-for-tv movie) in which only one is pretty widely known. That would be Safety Not Guaranteed which has a great deal of positive feedback. So to say that Universal Pictures bringing in Trevorrow to helm such a massive feature is a gamble might be the understatement of the year. Having said that, if this sequel pulls in modestly positive numbers Trevorrow will be seen as a visionary while someone at Universal will be getting many pats on the back for going in such a nonconventional direction. Let’s not forget though with Spielberg serving as the executive producer, Jurassic World has a very capable safety net.

Interestingly Jurassic World appears to be a direct sequel to the original 1993 film as there is no mention or even hint of the events that transpired on Isla Sorna which involved the second and third movies. Siblings Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins) head off to spend some time with their aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) at her place of employment for a few days. Most kids would be irked by having to do this but given that she’s the park operations manager for the coolest amusement park in the world…WOOHOO!!!! Gray is super stoked and literally hits the ground running once arriving at the secluded dinosaur island near Costa Rica. As expected, the situation goes from bad to worse to dire in a very short time period leaving audiences with very little time to catch their collective breath.

The biggest name attached to Jurassic World is Chris Pratt. His character, Owen, is somewhat of a velociraptor whisperer and is also a total badass. He brings his usual wit and humor to his role which has become a staple of his. The man who is pretty much the replacement figurehead for the park is Masrani (Irrfan Khan). He is a quirky soul who lives with reckless abandon more times than not. Every movie has an antagonist. The obvious choice here would be the dinosaurs which is true, but not entirely. There is another force at play here of the human variety, Vic Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the head of InGen security and has his own agenda in mind. Other actors of note are Jake Johnson (New Girl, Let’s Be Cops), Omar Sy (The Intouchables) and BD Wong who reprises his role as Dr. Henry Wu.

The overall feel of Jurassic World is a well balanced mix of action and suspense with some lighthearted comedy sprinkled on top and a dash of romance. With all of these ingredients combined together it makes for a great recipe of success. There are moments to cheer for, laugh at and grit your teeth in anticipation of. While the actors are the ones that get all of the accolades and fanfare it is the dinosaur element that has everyone’s attention. Thankfully you won’t be disappointed because we’re treated to many different species both big and small, including a brand new fascinating one. The genetically modified Indominus rex is full of surprises and becomes the worst nightmare for both man and beast.

Fans should come out in droves to check out Universal Pictures latest blockbuster hit. With top notch CGI and an engaging plot, the popcorn should be constantly flowing from hand to mouth accompanied by ear to ear grins of satisfaction. The last part I will add though is that while Jurassic World is a must-see on the big screen, the 3D effects are less than impressive, therefore totally optional. Steven Spielberg and director Colin Trevorrow do a masterful job breathing life into an all but extinct franchise. In theaters everywhere right now.

Check out the many Easter Eggs we found!