Jurassic World (B-) Movie Review
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard star in Jurassic World, the long-awaited continuation of the Jurassic Park series. Bryce Dallas Howard is Claire, the manager of the theme park "Jurassic World," the park that John Hammond wanted to create in the first film before everything went awry. The scientists working for "Jurassic World" have created a new dinosaur called the Indominus Rex which they hope will bring new consumers to their park. But everything goes wrong when the Indominus Rex escapes.
I like Jurassic Park. I don't love it and I didn't really grow up with it around me. It wasn't a part of my childhood. But I enjoy the film. I also didn't care if Jurassic World matched the quality of the original because I'm not a die-hard fan. But does it match the quality of the original?
Jurassic World is inferior to the first film. This sequel suffers from a lack of originality and creativity, relying heavily on CGI to get the dinosaurs to look real and borrowing some story elements and character elements from the original. But I had a pretty fun time with the film and I think the average movie-goer will and fans of the original will be satisfied.
The greatest thing about Jurassic World is that it is not light on dinosaur action. There are a ton of dinosaurs wreaking havoc on the park and people and it's entertaining to watch. The film is competently made and actually has some pretty solid direction by Colin Trevorrow. Chris Pratt fans will enjoy him here as he and Bryce Dallas Howard give very watchable and charismatic performances. Were fans of the original looking for much more?
Where Jurassic World suffers is its screenplay. It's overstuffed and lacking where it shouldn't be. There are many subplots and story lines in the film and a couple of them seem unnecessary. There's one that I'll describe without spoiling anything and it involves a greedy business man played by Vincent D'Onofrio who wants to recruit some dinosaurs to use as weapons in future wars. The storyline does not have to be there and it takes up a substantial amount of screentime.
The characters are also a problem. Chris Pratt's character is pretty cool but the rest feel generic and cookie-cutter. Each character seems to be defined by a different character cliche. The older kid is too cool for his younger brother. His younger brother is a little bit annoying. Their aunt is distant from them because of work.
Jurassic World also has a few pacing issues. The story took too long to kick in, introducing each of the many characters, some of them unnecessary, and the audience is left waiting a good thirty five/forty minutes before the story starts.
As I've said, the film has some serious flaws. But many of them don't get in the way of the audience's enjoyment with the film. Whether a storyline is unnecessary or not, the audience is usually still invested in what's happening on screen. Also, New Girl's Jake Johnson makes for a funny side character. Jurassic World is the entertaining, decently put together film that audiences and fans can enjoy, even if it's not the film that they were hoping for.
FINAL GRADE: B-
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril
I like Jurassic Park. I don't love it and I didn't really grow up with it around me. It wasn't a part of my childhood. But I enjoy the film. I also didn't care if Jurassic World matched the quality of the original because I'm not a die-hard fan. But does it match the quality of the original?
Jurassic World is inferior to the first film. This sequel suffers from a lack of originality and creativity, relying heavily on CGI to get the dinosaurs to look real and borrowing some story elements and character elements from the original. But I had a pretty fun time with the film and I think the average movie-goer will and fans of the original will be satisfied.
The greatest thing about Jurassic World is that it is not light on dinosaur action. There are a ton of dinosaurs wreaking havoc on the park and people and it's entertaining to watch. The film is competently made and actually has some pretty solid direction by Colin Trevorrow. Chris Pratt fans will enjoy him here as he and Bryce Dallas Howard give very watchable and charismatic performances. Were fans of the original looking for much more?
Where Jurassic World suffers is its screenplay. It's overstuffed and lacking where it shouldn't be. There are many subplots and story lines in the film and a couple of them seem unnecessary. There's one that I'll describe without spoiling anything and it involves a greedy business man played by Vincent D'Onofrio who wants to recruit some dinosaurs to use as weapons in future wars. The storyline does not have to be there and it takes up a substantial amount of screentime.
The characters are also a problem. Chris Pratt's character is pretty cool but the rest feel generic and cookie-cutter. Each character seems to be defined by a different character cliche. The older kid is too cool for his younger brother. His younger brother is a little bit annoying. Their aunt is distant from them because of work.
Jurassic World also has a few pacing issues. The story took too long to kick in, introducing each of the many characters, some of them unnecessary, and the audience is left waiting a good thirty five/forty minutes before the story starts.
As I've said, the film has some serious flaws. But many of them don't get in the way of the audience's enjoyment with the film. Whether a storyline is unnecessary or not, the audience is usually still invested in what's happening on screen. Also, New Girl's Jake Johnson makes for a funny side character. Jurassic World is the entertaining, decently put together film that audiences and fans can enjoy, even if it's not the film that they were hoping for.
FINAL GRADE: B-
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril