Containment Anomaly

Jurassic World

In 1990, author Michael Crichton (Timeline) envisioned a world where dinosaurs roamed the earth once more. In his novel Jurassic Park, Crichton warned us of what would happen when scientists and genetic engineers took on the role of God. With the huge success of his novel, Universal Pictures bought the rights to Crichton’s book and asked legendary film director, Steven Spielberg, to bring dinosaurs to life on the big screen. Well two sequels and almost 25 years later, Universal is bringing the world the Crichton imagined once again in this year’s Jurassic World.

Okay so this is where I am going to do this a little differently, because admit it…we already know what this film is about, right? When we all think of a Jurassic movie, we know that dinos get loose and people get eaten. So I’m going to explain why they get loose and eat people. This film is based 22 years after the events of the first film and people have forgotten the horrid things that happened. Someone has found a way to make the theme park a reality and its popularity and attendance is at a steady successful rate. However, to get the park up and running, outside investors have put money (lots of it by the pristine look of the park) into the ‘attractions’ and the need for a bigger, scarier attraction is called for. The genetic engineers have run out of new dinos and so they decide to create one of their own named the Indominus rex. Everyone that works in this park underestimate these animals again and all havoc ensues.

To go into more detail than that would endanger my ‘no spoilers’ code and I HATE doing that. This wasn’t a bad movie because it was certainly better than The Lost World: Jurassic Park. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around a lot of the reasons there were to ‘build’ a new dinosaur. The acting was decent and the story was typical. So, I think I will try and explain this in a different way…

IF PICKY: There are some decent sized plot holes when it comes to this movie, like how long this day actually is. Unless they start this day at the butt-crack of dawn, these characters seem to get around this island very quickly and efficiently. Type A personality Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) seems very stereotypical and not that interesting. I also really think that the two boys, Gray (Ty Simpkins Iron Man 3) and Zach (Nick Robinson TV’s Melissa & Joey) were not really even needed. They don’t serve any real purpose and just seem to be an afterthought.

IF NOT PICKY: If I was to sit back and try and enjoy the film for what it was I would see that the film is nothing more than a popcorn, ‘get-them-in-the-seats’ kind of movie. Director Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) gave audiences a film that was more of a homage to Spielberg’s classic first film. Trevorrow reestablishes audiences with this world with Easter Eggs and subtle placements of things that were in the first film. What separates Trevorrow’s film from the first is its scale. Trevorrow has a whole park to mess with that includes the classic animals of the first films and new ones that look outstanding on the big screen. Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) who plays Owen, the dino whisperer, further proves that he is ready to be a leading man. Not so much with the jokes in this film, but still shows a great presence on screen.

As I said Trevorrow pulls things from the first three films that succeeded and built on those pillars. I suggest seeing this film on the big screen because like its predecessors, there is nothing like seeing these dinos on a 52 foot screen. I don’t think that this film will have to awesome power that Jurassic Park did, but at least it is a good addition to the series.

The Verdict: See In Theatres.