Monday, July 09, 2018

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

The Gist: After things went horribly wrong in the last attempt to create an entertainment park based on live dinosaurs, the animals freely roam the remote island. Unfortunately for them, however, the local volcano has awakened and its imminent eruption threatens the ancient beasts’ very existence once again. A billionaire puts together a plan to save and transfer as many dinosaurs to a different island, and he calls upon some familiar faces to help out.

What a treat it is to see these beloved Jurassic creatures on the big screen once again. Does it matter that they are not real and their behavior is largely based on assumptions and guesswork (albeit rooted in science)? Not to me! I don’t care they’re all CGI, they look and sound real to me!

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are both back reprising their roles as the on-again/off-again bickering couple who tries to do what’s right for the animals. They have charisma and talent and surely deliver the goods. Rafe Spall puts on the mantle of the bad guy and is pretty easy to hate on.

Obviously, the movie’s production values are absolutely flawless. The visual effects are as life-like as it gets, the sound effects are terrific, and Michael Giacchino’s score is thrilling.

As far as the script goes, I’d say the core idea is interesting, but it does feel a bit derivative at times.

(Spoilers paragraph!) I do want to mention that when the volcano finally erupts, engulfing the remaining dinosaurs in its deadly embrace, it feels really sad. Even though one knows they aren’t real, just the thought of these magnificent creatures going extinct again is incredibly touchy. The last screams of help by that lone brontosaurus on the edge of the shore, with nowhere else to go, felt agonizing.

The Bottom Line: If you’re a fan of the franchise then Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom won’t disappoint: it’s loud, engaging, and a lot of fun. If you’ve never seen any of these movies, you’ll certainly be entertained by this movie.

Grade: 7