Jurassic World Rebirth Review: A Disappointment 65 Million Years In The Making

by

The primary issue that has hindered all “Jurassic Park” sequels from matching the excellence of the 1993 original lies in the absence of a plausible reason for characters to repeat the same mistakes. Building an even larger dinosaur-themed park after the events of the first time around seems like setting oneself up for failure. Organizing tours on the deserted island where carnivorous dinosaurs still live? It would be safer to take a dive in the Titanic’s submersible!

Despite no sequel ever equaling Steven Spielberg’s original masterpiece, they continue to rake in a billion dollars at the box office with each new release; it seems this franchise, fundamentally flawed as it is, has never been deemed necessary to mend. Some viewers may grumble about the films becoming excessively absurd and unrealistic, but if they’re still flocking to witness dinosaur violence, there’s little motivation to alter the formula’s components.

In terms of returning the Jurassic World series to its original essence, “Jurassic World Rebirth” serves this purpose exclusively. The film focuses on a straightforward mission where a team of scientists bravely explore the world’s most perilous island. Previous collaborator of Steven Soderbergh, David Koepp, has endeavored to recreate the original movie’s formula in his return to the franchise after nearly three decades. While you won’t find connections to films like “Presence” or “Black Bag,” you will notice a similar dedication to distilling a specific genre to its core elements and confining the narrative scope to the action at hand. Although it may seem like a minimalist screenwriting exercise in other contexts, when the contained setting is an island inhabited by untamed dinosaurs, this approach functions as a boundary to prevent the movie from becoming overly extravagant.

Back to basics — but without the charm

As a dedicated gamer, I must confess that this latest installment feels like a rehashed version of an old game, one that’s been overplayed due to countless repetitions over the years. Despite the attempt to return to the original formula, it’s evident that the novelty has worn off. It’s hard not to compare it unfavorably to the classic you keep wishing was playing instead at any given moment. The new mission finds paleontologist Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), stealth operative Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), and pharmaceutical rep Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) banding together to venture into the restricted area in the Atlantic where dinosaurs now dwell.

* Scientific findings suggest that dinosaur DNA could potentially offer a solution for heart disease, a condition affecting 20% of the world’s population during their lifetimes. If this discovery leads us to a significant breakthrough in fighting such a fatal illness, it’s worth taking the risk. In the movie, our protagonists join an expedition led by Mahershala Ali and encounter the Delgado family on their journey. I found it hard to believe that this family had sailed from the mainland U.S. to an equatorial island for a last-minute vacation before the eldest daughter left for college, especially given the presence of genetically modified dinosaurs.

* Research has indicated that the genetic makeup of dinosaurs could provide answers to heart disease, as this condition impacts around 20% of the global population during their lifespan. If we can make significant progress in combating such a fatal illness through this discovery, it’s worth the risk. In the movie, our team is guided by Mahershala Ali, and they run into the Delgado family along the way. I found it rather implausible that this family had sailed all the way to an equatorial island from the U.S. mainland for a spontaneous vacation before their eldest daughter went off to college, given the presence of genetically altered dinosaurs.

* Scientific studies suggest that dinosaur DNA might hold the key to treating heart disease, as this condition impacts approximately 20% of the global population during their lifetime. If we can make substantial progress in combating such a deadly illness through this discovery, it’s worth taking the risk. In the movie, our team is led by Mahershala Ali and encounters the Delgado family on their journey. I found it hard to imagine that this family had sailed from the U.S. mainland to an equatorial island for a last-minute vacation before their eldest daughter left for college amidst genetically modified dinosaurs.

* The results of research point towards dinosaur DNA as a possible solution for heart disease, which affects around 20% of the world’s population during their lives. If we can make significant strides in battling this deadly condition through this discovery, it’s worth taking the risk. In the movie, our crew is led by Mahershala Ali and meets up with the Delgado family on their adventure. I find it hard to believe that this family had sailed from the U.S. mainland to an equatorial island for a last-minute vacation before their eldest daughter went off to college, considering the presence of genetically engineered dinosaurs in the story.

In simpler terms, the Delgado characters seem to exist primarily to follow the formula of earlier films like “Jurassic Park,” where children are included in the story. However, as soon as they arrive on the island, the group splits up, and the movie often slows down when we have to focus on the family. This leaves the Delgados as the main characters, even though they were marketed less prominently. On the other hand, a group of well-known actors embark on an adventure similar to “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” seeking special dinosaur DNA. Unfortunately, the film is bogged down by a dull family who add unnecessary length and lack excitement beyond experiencing dinosaur attacks that have been staged similarly and more effectively in previous films. During the second act, the Delgados become so detached from the main group that it appears they were only included due to a studio suggestion during script development to include young characters for wider family appeal. It’s hard to believe any child would find their parts more appealing than the actual adventure itself.

Made me want this franchise to go extinct

Surely, neither Scarlett Johansson nor Jonathan Bailey are given complex characters to portray, but they are the ideal movie stars for bringing to life the broad archetypes that the script presents. Rupert Friend stands out as the antagonist, and interestingly, the film subtly critiques for-profit healthcare when our protagonists realize that a cure for a disease affecting millions shouldn’t be sold for profit. However, much like “Jurassic World Dominion,” which also presented social commentary on climate change (albeit in a messier manner), this critique is quickly overshadowed as the film focuses more on carnage and action. In essence, spectacle is what draws audiences to these films, and both Bayona and Edwards occasionally tap into the full terror inherent in this material.

Reflecting on it a few weeks later, it’s clear that the movie lacks cohesion, suggesting that perhaps some scenes were filmed separately by another team beforehand, with Edwards merely directing the connecting sequences. Alternatively, the intense action sequences could have been made by him first, given their resemblance to his earlier works that aimed to ground fantastic concepts. However, a playful tone in “Jurassic World Dominion” distinguishes it from his previous projects and seems incongruous with the grandeur typically seen in his earlier films.

Despite my ability to recall even minor details from Steven Spielberg’s original film long after viewing it, I find myself struggling to remember anything beyond the major scenes from this new version. It seems likely that many critics will share this sentiment, which may explain why Universal chose to screen the movie a week early for the public – general audiences tend to focus on the enjoyment they had in the moment, while critics might express concern about how disposable the franchise appears to be as it continues to develop. Yes, it’s expected to earn a billion dollars, but if you ask me what transpired in it at the end of the month, I won’t remember a thing, no matter how much enjoyment I derived from it.

“Jurassic World Rebirth” crashes into theaters on July 2.

Read More

2025-06-30 19:00