Jurassic World, 2015.
Directed by Colin Trevorrow.
Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Omar Sy, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer, Irrfan Khan, Jake Johnson and B.D. Wong.
SYNOPSIS:
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor’s interest, which backfires horribly.
22 years ago an 8 year boy besotted by dinosaurs, Batman and Star Wars was taken to the cinema. The boy found himself entering a world where the dinosaurs he read about were brought to life in wondrous fashion. Man tried to control the uncontrollable, life found a way, and Muldoon found out how clever a Raptor was. The youngster had seen a film he’d rank as one of the best ever, and still treasures it to this day.
Well, last night he saw the sequel to that film, and he felt 8 years old again.
Looking back at Jurassic Park it was a perfect storm; my age, enormous appetite for anything dinosaur related, and an amazing film coming together to form a massive part of my childhood.
Since that time I’ve seen many a summer blockbuster, and in this age of comic book films dominating the screens I’ll admit I’ve become somewhat desensitised to action and bombast. Even the Avengers draw no strong sense of awe. Marvel fatigue perhaps, however enjoyable each one is. I’ve wondered if that feeling of amazement could ever be recaptured.
Watching Jurassic World answered that question for me. I was so involved, excited and emotional that a tear crept from my eye.
To bring us all back down to earth for a moment, Jurassic World could never top the original. Adding its quality to the nostalgia provided by two decades of repeat viewings has formed an incredible bond that can’t be beaten. So where does it stand in the series?
I won’t be thinking about Isla Sorna and San Diego for a long time that’s for sure.
Director Colin Trevorrow has stood on the shoulders of geniuses to create this updated world, but unlike Hammond and Ingen it seems he is acutely aware of the pitfalls. The film harks back to historic scenes and moments thoughtfully without bashing you over the head with it.
Chris Pratt brings his mixture of cockiness and charm without becoming ‘Starlord with dinos’, whilst Dallas Howard’s Claire makes the biggest transformation through the story and is unarguably just as much a hero. Providing the younger point of view, her nephews prove themselves to be useful and courageous despite their age. The only problem with the cast are the supporting characters, who despite being well-appointed don’t get enough time to fully integrate into the story before leaving again.
The creatures themselves are beautifully realised, from a herd of Triceratops and Stegosaurus’ to Pratt’s band of Velociraptors. A smooth blend of CGI and practical effects negated any need to look for the seams. I could talk about which species appear and how they interact for hours. For now just know that you’ll get all you wanted and more.
Then there’s the action, which though plentiful and riveting, is always in service to the story. Of course it has to look cool and it does, but it’s never pointless. It’s also extremely well staged, knowing when to linger and when to cut quickly, unlike far too many films of recent years. You want hero shots? You’ve got them!
Ultimately any problems are dwarfed by its successes.
You’d have more luck finding a real live dinosaur than getting a film that topped Jurassic Park. Yet despite setting myself realistic expectations I had concerns that I’d leave the cinema deflated.
Worry not. After some consideration, I’ve decided to definitely endorse this park.
Ner ner ner ner ner, ner ner ner ner ner, ner ner ner ner, ner ner neeeerrrrr.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Cooper is a Flickering Myth Staff Writer, and owner of the blog Super Duper Stuff. Follow him on Twitter @SDCCooper or visit the blog’s Facebook page.
Listen to the Flickering Myth Podcast review of Jurassic World using the player below:
Originally published June 18, 2015. Updated July 2, 2023.
