Jurassic World

Review By: John Delia

The world of dinosaurs continues with this fourth episode of the Jurassic Park franchise.  This time; however, we get to see a completed theme park that’s teeming with visitors from around the planet.  Called Jurassic World, the film takes you on an adventure into the prehistoric reptiles that roamed the earth most all docile from genetic cloning.  It’s a playground that educates and entertains.

The greed we experienced from the original episode still exists and billionaire Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) wants more of an experience to attract those who have become complacent of the dinosaur exhibit.  He has backed the development of a new species of raptor called an Indominous Rex and he’s about to announce his newest resident of Jurassic World.  His park overseer Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) has been extremely busy getting the new creature ready for Masrani, but takes time to visit with Velociraptor behavior specialist Owen (Chris Pratt) to check on his four show stoppers.

Thrown into the mix are Claire’s young nephews Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins) who have arrived at the park on Spring Break.  Flustered and frazzled are kind words for the demeanor she finds herself, but she trudges on getting ready for the billionaire’s surprise visit. Director Colin Trevorrow turns the world upside down bringing on the horror of the unleashed lizards using some of the best CGI I’ve seen this year. His park looks like a maxed out mix of Disney’s Tomorrowland and Seaworld built on a Hawaiian Island, complete with rides, arenas and showcases. He uses every inch of the set in this rampaging adventure from its intriguing beginning to the out of breath finale.

Trevorrow moves his film along at a fast clip introducing the new characters, animal wranglers and greedy antagonist Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio) early on.  He makes a show of the park using some intricate sets, special effects imagery and makeup/prosthetics to give the feel of the real thing.  Then, he lures viewers into a visual trance letting his set-up work on their thoughts of “what if there could really be a park like this in the future,” just before making all hell break loose.  It’s a great show and it works for me, especially in 3D IMAX.

The prehistoric reptiles look even more real from the original film, their movements are lifelike and the swift damage they do sometimes horrific.  He has added new exhibits like the Mosasaurs, a fish like creature that gives audiences the thrills of Seaworld.  According to the Jurassic World website the huge scary aquatic animal actually existed millions of years ago. Then, of course, there’s Indominous Rex – a brutal creature with intelligence that fuels its instinct to kill everything that moves and smells of living tissue. Most all of the known creatures of the Prehistoric Times are represented in the film, all looking as if they were living today.

The acting here works adequately for the production and since Jurassic World is an action adventure featuring the dinosaurs as the main attraction, there’s not much need for more than that.  The plot; however, does get somewhat hokey and trivial at times, giving a sense of “I’ve seen that before, but now it’s more modernized.” The film towers over Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World and Jurassic Park III.  It has the savagery of the first Jurassic Park, but not the fear factor that it instilled when it introduced the fearsome Velociraptor and T. Rex himself.

Jurassic World has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril. Be cautious when deciding to allow immature children see the movie as it does have some scenes that are inappropriate for adolescents.  Many people get tossed around and chomped on and there are tense moments with children being hunted by reptiles. If you can afford the price of admission to see it in IMAX 3D it gives the best sensations of sight and sound.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Not as good as the first one, but very entertaining. (B)