Director: Colin Trevorrow
Runtime: 124 minutes
Every once in a while, there are films that come along and change movie history. Back in 1993, that film was Jurassic Park, a motion picture that made a generation of cinema goers believe that dinosaurs could truly exist in the present day.
The two sequels that followed didn't quite live up to the original and the last time we saw any hint of a dinosaur was in 2001, back on Isla Sorna (Site B). But now, the park, first introduced to the viewer all those years ago, is back... but was it a good idea to resurrect the franchise?
Jurassic World is set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, but now the park, first dreamed of by John Hammond, is a reality, with people visiting in their droves; think Universal Studios or Sea World, but with prehistoric creatures. However, visitor numbers have started to stagnate and the park decides to try and create a brand new attraction that will get people excited again. Of course, as with all Jurassic Park films, the dinosaurs have other ideas and everyone on the island is put in danger.
The story isn't massively original; dinosaurs get loose and start to kill everyone. Instead, Jurassic World has to rely on the visual effects and human cast to create a film worth the ticket price. And it has produced the goods, although it is by no means a perfect movie.
The stars of the film are most definitely the dinosaurs. It is easy to believe that these animals are real. I worried that it might have been a case of 'been there, done that' but I was still hugely impressed by the array of creatures on the screen. There are a few new species but all the old favourites are present too.
As is obvious from the trailers, the biggest of the human stars is Chris Pratt. As 'raptor trainer and ex Navy man, Owen, he has most of the best lines and action pieces. Pratt uses the right mix of comedy and drama to make this a character everyone loves and cheers for.
Poor Bryce Dallas Howard is given the role of head bitch; the park's manager, Claire. She sees only numbers and statistics, having no sympathy for animals or staff she is in charge of, even finding it difficult to relate to her own nephews. Her character could be seen to be similar to the role Saffron Burrows had in Deep Blue Sea. However, it's a credit to how good of an actress Dallas Howard is as she manages to develop her character into one that the viewers eventually warm to, although some of that could be attributed to the chemistry she has with Owen.
And one main gripe I have, as a woman myself, is how on earth did she do all the running in heels??
Jurassic World follows the franchise tradition by including younger characters who are thrown into the danger. So here we have the aforementioned nephews who are visiting the island and their aunt Claire who they haven't seen for a few years. This time around, I found it difficult to like the two boys (the eldest is so unlikeable that I was praying for him to be eaten) and just couldn't warm to them until much later in the movie (again, when they share screen time with Pratt... coincidence or does that man have a magic touch?)
Again, there is a human bad guy (we can't blame everything on the poor dinosaurs) and this time around it comes in the hulking shape of Vincent D'Onofrio's Hoskins. Although not as intimidating as in his recent portrayal of Wilson Fisk (Marvel's Daredevil) he is nonetheless a suitably slimy antagonist in the little time he is on screen.
Jurassic World manages to pose the question yet again; who is the real villain, man or dinosaur?
This film looks great, has some moments of real tension and a finale that makes you want to jump up out of your cinema seat and cry 'YES'. No, this is not an original tale, but there are enough new elements to keep viewers hooked. The dinosaurs, both new and old, are certainly worth seeing on the big screen and I will say no more about them as they need to be seen to be appreciated.
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