Review: Jurassic World
Jurassic Park should never have been a franchise. Few directors can match Steven Spielberg's mastery at rooting spectacle in childlike wonder. Not even Spielberg himself could top the purity of sheer entertainment he created with the tale of dinosaurs resurrected and run amok. The Lost World was disappointing, Jurassic Park III (directed by Joe Johnston) even more so. Colin Trevorrow takes the reins in Jurassic World and he and co-screenwriters Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek Connolly make a series of smart decisions which acknowledge the futility of topping the original's perfection but which also strongly validate the continuation of the franchise.
Though released 22 years after Jurassic Park, Jurassic World establishes itself as that film's rightful sequel. John Hammond's theme park has become a reality. Thousands of kids and their parents travel to the island of Isla Nubar to experience Hammond's manipulation of Mother Nature. Kids can pet the baby dinos, they can even ride on the backs of the adorable triceratops. Crowds can gasp as a gigantic sea creature bursts from the water pen to swallow the great white shark dangling from a hook above.
Yet these miracles of nature have become ho-hum for the public and even more so for the island's owners, who want to create bigger and better attractions to increase attendance. To that end, ex-Hammond geneticist Dr. Henry Wu (original cast member B.D. Wong) has engineered a new hybrid dinosaur known as Indominus rex, who is part T-rex and who knows what else. "Do you think it will scare the kids?" Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) asks Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan). The billionaire who inherited the park from Hammond approves - it will give both the kids and their parents nightmares.
The nightmares come sooner than they expect when their newest asset proves to be a highly intelligent and deadly creature, managing to escape its heavily fortified paddock to view the outside world for the first time. As it makes its way to the well-populated theme park, Claire and raptor whisperer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) race against time to stop the Indominus rex before it kills everyone, including Claire's two nephews (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins), on the island.
Trevorrow stages several thrilling scenes, starting with the Indominus rex's escape to the nephews' rendezvous with the creature as they're riding around in a Gyrosphere. The arguable highlight may be the motorcycle-riding Owen leading the quartet of Velociraptors, with whom he has a bond, as they tear through the jungle in pursuit of the escaped dinosaur, who can not only camouflage but evade thermal detection. Certainly the finale, an orgiastic dinosaur free-for-all, reaches ridiculous heights of absurdity and is all the more satisfying for it.
Pratt proves himself an affable and engaging leading man. It takes a certain talent to sell such potentially silly scenes as Owen talking down the Velociraptors, but Pratt makes you believe. Howard has the tougher role, having to transform from being a tightly-wound, career-driven, children-allergic corporate flack to someone who helps save the day. Wearing high heels the whole time no less! Jake Johnson, who appeared in Trevorrow's charming Safety Not Guaranteed), provides ample comic relief and meta commentary as one of Claire's control room drones.
Trevorrow has a solid understanding of what worked in Jurassic Park, which is frequently and often cheekily referenced. He knows how to generate suspense - dinosaurs slowly coming within inches of our imperiled protagonists are always hold-your-breath moments - and, most remarkably, he puts the fun back in the franchise. He takes the time to establish what an unbelievable feeling it must be to be amongst these creatures. He and his team also know who the real stars are: the Velociraptors. More than the Indominus rex, more than the T-rex, these oddly endearing and most lethal of predators are the main attraction. One could convincingly argue that they have the best and most intriguing storyline as they find themselves caught between two alphas: one man, the other monster.
Jurassic World
Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
Written by: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow; based on characters created by Michael Crichton
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, Irrfan Khan, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, Lauren Lapkus, B.D. Wong, Judy Greer, Katie McGrath
