Review - Jurassic World

Right, so this entry is slightly delayed, and the movie's already grossed half a billion dollars worldwide since it opened less than a week ago. But a review is definitely warranted, because not only do I consider this a momentous event, I also gave it a 10/10 rating on IMDB. Because I love it that much!

I realize there're similarities to the previous 3 Jurassic Park films - messing around with dinosaurs, well laid plans going awry, children in peril, mayhem and a significant body count. But every franchise has its own successful formula, so why change it when it clearly works?

Rest assured that I asked the same exasperating questions:

1) Why are you playing with dinosaur DNA - AGAIN?

2) Don't you know electric fences and high walls never work?


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Despite the obvious human stupidity, I really could care less because I'm mainly interested in the dinos. Perennial favourites like the T-Rex and velociraptors are back, with the addition of a hybrid - the Indominus Rex - which proves to be a nightmare to manage. As predicted, the monster escapes and various manoeuvres are utilized to recapture it, with disastrous results.

It all sounds very rote, but the execution itself is anything but. Believe me when I say that watching Jurassic World took me right back to 1993, when I was 18 and cowering in a dark theatre for 2 hours during Jurassic Park. The sequels never reached that peak, until now.

The screenwriters tweaked the plot here and there, my personal favourite being the 4 pseudo-domesticated raptors, which later become the humans' allies in their hunt for the I-Rex. Bred in captivity and trained from infancy by raptor wrangler, Owen, they're markedly different from their Jurassic Park counterparts yet retain key traits - exceptional intelligence, a capacity for bloodthirsty violence - that keep things grounded in reality. These are my favourites among the entire dinosaur population, so heed my advice when I tell you to stay alert during every raptor scene, so you can fully appreciate the complex relationship they share with Owen. It's definitely one of the highlights of the movie!

The action sequences are also terrific, especially since they now take place on a much larger scale - i.e. the park is officially open to the public, so we have 20,000 tasty morsels for the hungry creatures to feast on. The animatronic and visual effects are spectacular, though I'm also much more appreciative of how advanced these already were 2 decades ago in the original classic.

Many kudos to director Colin Trevorrow, who's helming his first blockbuster after catching Steven Spielberg's attention with his indie flick, Safety Not Guaranteed ( which I intend to watch one of these days when I have time ). In his interview with Empire magazine, Trevorrow explained that Spielberg selected him for this important task because of his ability to handle multiple genres ( adventure, comedy, romance ). In recent years, I've noticed a trend in Hollywood where directors of low-budget movies or those with relatively short CVs are given opportunities to take on massive projects, often based on a powerful studio chief / movie star / big shot producer's gut feeling. This change in mindset has proved to be a game changer in the film industry, particularly in the blockbuster franchise department. Prime examples include Mission: Impossible 3 ( JJ Abrams ), Iron Man ( Jon Favreau ) and Thor ( Kenneth Branagh ). And the trend has continued with Captain America: The Winter Soldier ( Anthony and Joe Russo ) and The Avengers ( Joss Whedon ).

These directors bring fresh ideas to the table and invigorate the blockbuster genre. Mr. Trevorrow, welcome to the club. :)

Last but not least, the cast. For me, this is perhaps the most vital ingredient in any action-adventure film, and the selection of actors here is perfect.
The 2 boys - Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins - are extremely likable and convincing. I always marvel at how these talented children and teenagers manage to look so petrified when there isn't any real danger - it heightens the moviegoer's experience tremendously!

Bryce Dallas Howard, who excels at playing stern, standoffish women ( watch her bitchy character in 50-50 ) starts off effectively prissy then transforms into a true-blue heroine.

But this movie's biggest asset is none other than Chris Pratt. I'm not familiar with his work on TV and in earlier flicks ( when he was super chubby ), but came to know of him through The Lego Movie and Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn't enjoy Guardians very much, but Owen is an absolutely perfect fit for him! Lean and muscular, with a manly swagger and handling dinosaurs like a pro, Pratt finally wins my approval. He still can't match the intensity of Kevin Spacey, Michael Fassbender and Oscar Isaac, but I fully agree that he's the closest we'll ever get to Harrison Ford, so PLEASE have an Indiana Jones remake / reboot / sequel / prequel or what-have-you, and make sure he's the lead!

I predict a box office gross of $1 billion within the next fortnight, if not sooner.

A rousing revival of a beloved tale! Make sure you catch it. :)