I would like to start by saying that the following article contains spoilers, and I would recommend waiting until after you have watched the movie to read this review.
As a fan of the 1993-2001 Jurassic Park franchise, the news of a further instalment of the dinosaur adventure series filled me with excitement. For me at least, Jurassic World was greatly anticipated and it did not disappoint. The music, character development and graphics were exceptional, as was the casting. The last hour of the movie was such a thrill to watch that I sat in the cinema with a giant grin on my face.
Chris Pratt was the perfect choice of male lead, playing the handsome and rugged Owen Grady. I only wish that the directors would have given him a little more space for improvisation and humour, since he does that so well in Parks and Recreation. Hopefully we will see a little more of his personality in the upcoming Indiana Jones film, but I suppose with the nature of these big budget, special-effects oriented sagas, they cannot afford to let actors dictate the movie. Pratt’s female counterpart, Bryce Dallas Howard, playing the hard working business woman Claire Dearing, who works as the park’s operations manager, puts on a great performance. However, her storyline seems somewhat critical of her life as a powerful woman who has not started a family. Pratt and Howard have great on-screen chemistry and their relationship is playful and a pleasure to watch. Claire’s development from a seemingly uptight character (highlighted by her pristine all-white outfit and sharp haircut, as well as her reluctance to make time for her nephews) to a woman ready to fight to the death for her nephews and the guests at her park is interesting to follow, although it is frustrating that the costume department kept her in stilettos for the whole film!
Throwbacks to the original movies create little moments of nostalgia within the new storyline and characters. The music, composed by Michael Giacchino who scored the Jurassic Park video games, incorporated elements of John Williams’ original score cast your mind back to the original films, as did the boys’ discovery of the original visitor’s centre with the iconic Jurassic Park gates. A few original cast members reprise their roles in what I am sure was an even more nostalgic experience for them to act as it was for us to watch. New Girl’s Jake Johnson as control room employee Lowery Cruthers wears a shirt bearing the original park logo that he bought from ebay. The reaction of Claire – that the shirt is in poor taste, since people died – says a lot about public perception of the original park and helps us to understand how the movies fit together in this fictional universe.
Highlights of the film include the Pterosaurs attacking the visitors, the release of the T. Rex, and the moment when the Indominus Rex is devoured by the Mosasaurus. These high adrenaline scenes are what you will replay in your mind as you leave the theatre. Unfortunately the movie’s slow start and cheesy ending detract from its more cinematic moments, but there are very few criticisms I can make about a movie this good. I can imagine friends and families of the future sitting down to watch this along with the nineties classics.
Image credit: http://deadline.com/2015/06/international-box-office-jurassic-world-records-san-andreas-spy-insidious-3-mad-max-fury-road-1201442637/
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