Oh, how so much can change in 30 years. Looking back at Steven Spielberg’s original classic, Jurassic Park, it’s amazing just how much wonder came from seeing dinosaurs on the big screen with it’s then revolutionary technology. With that iconic John Williams theme and Spielberg’s incomparable vision, cinema magic truly reached a new threshold. What followed was a very hit-or-miss array of sequels. To the thrilling, but not great The Lost World: Jurassic Park, to the slight and utterly forgettable Jurassic Park 3, the franchise was sequestered for nearly 15 years. Come 2015, the franchise saw new life with Jurassic World, a flawed, but highly enjoyable blockbuster that broke box office records, grossing over $1.6 billion. With that success, the Jurassic brand was back on top and saw a sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, a hot mess that, despite a mixed critical and audience reception, still came through with over $1 billion. Now, we have reached the sixth and supposed final entry in the Jurassic franchise, Jurassic World Dominion. While not as infuriatingly braindead as Fallen Kingdom, it is still a disappointment this franchise goes out on such a whimper.
After the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which saw Isla Nublar destroyed by a rupturing volcano, dinosaurs are now living freely among areas of the natural world. Four years have passed and there is now a new company, Biosyn, run by CEO Lewis Dodgson — Campbell Scott, cashing a paycheck as the film’s perfunctory villain — set on using dinosaur genetics to expand the scope of pharmaceutical treatments. This plan involves the kidnapping of Maisie (Isabella Sermon), the adoptive daughter to Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), and a human clone with DNA critical to Biosyn, as well as Beta, the baby to Raptor, Blue.
Much of Dominion is split between two converging plots. We follow Owen and Claire on their quest to reclaim their adoptive daughter and the baby raptor, and we also follow Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil) as they reunite to discover the truth behind Biosyn’s nefarious plans. What began nearly 30 years ago as an adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel, a story of man’s desire to play god and its repercussions has gone so far down its own rabbit hole. While Dominion wisely moves past plot elements involving militarized raptors, it has instead new plot threads involving human cloning, newly engineered locusts and a random globe-trotting digression to Italy. The story takes ingredients from numerous other films, with the results feeling like a hodgepodge of different story elements that don’t ever really gel together.
Dominion does certainly right some wrongs from Fallen Kingdom. Gone is the subplot of the military wanting to use raptors as weapons, as well as dinosaurs being auctioned off on the black market. Irritable side characters are largely toned down or downright excised from the film completely; see Justice Smith’s character in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance. There are still some eye-rolling bits of dialogue, such as a character unironically spouting “he slid into my DMs”. Fallen Kingdom does end with the promise of dinosaurs invading everyday life. While Dominion opens with glimpses of that, any sort of dino action on the general public, ala The Lost World: Jurassic Park, is almost completely ignored. In fact, Dominion sidesteps its prehistoric figures for extended periods of time with a bloated 147 minute runtime that could have benefitted from a trim. The missed opportunities here are just baffling. Are you really going to tease your audience with something as cool as a group of Pterodactyls overlooking Las Vegas only to never come anywhere close to that sort of action??
Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow returns to the directors seat, showing more skill at crafting effective action sequences. From a nighttime chase, to a plane crash, even a fight on a frozen lake; there is certainly ambition behind Jurassic World Dominion. Even if one choppily constructed motorcycle chase through Malta fails to bring much excitement, Trevorrow shows that he is a more-than-capable craftsman. The added emphasis on practical effects compared to the previous two films is often wonderous. It’s a terrific blend of animatronics and CG, that is by far the best use of the three Jurassic World films.
Perhaps the biggest draw of the film, other than the dinosaurs, is the return of the original cast. Sam Neil, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum all return together for the first time since 1993. Seeing the actors appear together inevitably manages to catch some sparks, even if there aren’t any particular breakthroughs in their characters. Dominion does, thankfully, sidestep a number of opportunities for cheap nostalgia, keeping overt nods and references to a refreshing minimum. In giving these characters half the screen time does make the newer cast even less interesting than they already were. Chris Pratt’s Owen Grady is the exact same character he was in the first Jurassic World, albeit with a family beside him. This role has never suited Pratt’s strengths as a performer particularly well and the character is even further overshadowed by the more interesting ensemble surrounding him. Bryce Dallas Howard does come through with an affecting character arc, far from the vapid two-dimensional character she portrayed in Jurassic World. It’s a character that has grown to be quite compelling as Howard always gives strong work. As great as it is seeing the original cast back together, as well as interacting with the newer cast of characters, it’s new co-star Dewanda Wise that runs away with the movie; on the human side, at least. Wise has that rare star quality that whenever she’s on-screen, your eyes are immediately glued to her, even when she’s standing alongside the likes of Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern and Sam Neil.
Despite being billed as the final Jurassic film, there is very little sense of finality to Dominion. As though Universal execs are too wise to take any future installments off the table, there’s little danger here, with Trevorrow and his team playing it safe at almost every turn. Without divulging into detail, there’s little difference between the ending here versus practically every other ending in the franchise.
Jurassic World: Dominion offers some satisfaction and a handful of exciting set pieces. Both sets of casts blend well together and the animatronics are often stunning, but this isn’t strong or memorable enough to stand alongside the original Jurassic Park, or its good sequels, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. It’s also not bad enough to be slumped alongside the worst of the franchise, such as Jurassic Park 3 and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
It didn’t suck major taco bell ass but it really did have awesome scenes and excitement. I was thoroughly entertained by it.
Will do fine in theatre. Kids like this stuff. I enjoyed Spielberg version. The plot was different and the actors entertained as well. I have this see this version. We’ll see if there’s anything different from the original ones.
Probably will not go, as I generally don’t go to sequels, and 147 minutes? I’ll pass!
I’m always blown away with the effects. And just go to have a fun time at the movies.
What happened to the prologue? Wasn’t even in the movie and it’s way better than the whole 150 minutes!
I think the original plot has been twisted and turned so much that it has lost its appeal to me. We will see, my son is too young for it now but maybe he will enjoy binge watching them all but I don’t see myself doing that soon.
Jurassic Park is not an anti-science movie. The science was the only thing that worked. It’s an anti -poor project and resource management movie.
They hired one coder who know the system. ONE! If anything, the real villain is not the dinosaurs, it’s IT and that I believe is something we all understand.
The older and younger generations working together is my favorite part of this movie! I did enjoy it!
Finished watching Jurassic World: Dominion for a second time today AMC Theatres today and even though the storyline was not new and just repetitive from the previous films, the action with the dinosaurs was fun and entertaining. The return of Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm was kind of the highest honor this film can get. The whole inquisitive, curiosity about “life always finding it’s way….” in this case with Dinosaurs trying to coexist and assimilate within the human population is the topic that everyone talks about, but what the film missed was focusing on evolution with Dinosaurs and how their DNA is the key to prolonging human life by making them immune to diseases of all sorts. I felt that part of the story they probably covered like 25% of it in this film. I felt Jurassic World: Dominion should’ve been a 2 part story with helping the dinosaurs assimilate in the human population with the second part exploring on the advances in science by using the concept of “asexual reproduction”. This film merged both stories too quickly by not exploring on improving the human DNA, not enough time for character development and exploring the research aspect. I felt this film the characters just got thrown into the action by not giving enough time to understand the ground breaking research. The movie is basically the same as the previous ones with the principle characters are at the backdrop of another Island and have to find a way to survive through the dangerous preserve that consists of various different dinosaurs. The whole trademark of bringing back Nostalgia is understandable by making it parallel to the original film but at the same time you need to set a new course by becoming better and not repeating the same mistake from previous events. I feel Dominion had so much potential with setting a new chapter but it completely missed it. Overall Jurassic Dominion is not awful, it’s just fine, not great but just fine.
I feel I don’t need to see it after reading this all that is explained is true I was completely lost after Jurassic 3 and never went back very well written.
Normally I don’t read reviews because I don’t like to know too much before going into a film. But I read this one, all of it. While I plan on seeing this “last” installment, I have no excitement for it and plan to wait for it to be released on streaming in 45 days. Even then I might wait. I’ve not been impressed with any of the films past the second installment in the franchise. It feels like they’re strayed farther and farther away from the original with each installment. Like Star Wars and Star Trek, they slsp the Jurassic Park title on it and expect the fans to eat it up given that it’s another story in that particular universe. They do this without any real connection to the original works. It’s a shame because it undercuts the originals and begs the question of why it was ever made.
I love this movie! I enjoyed the “choppy” feel of it. We didn’t need another drawn out plot recycled from the first 2 World films. DOMINION felt like an amazing rush of madness to cap an end of a trilogy. Dodson, who only appeared once to hand over money and a shaving can to Nedry in the very first Park film, finally emerging from the shadows as the main antagonistic was great. And and have story story unfold on screen in a similar fashion as his character in the Lost World book was a fun time for a fan.
I’m sure there were plot issues, but I was too infused into what I was watching. They took the one scene I hated growing up from my favorite Jurassic adventure, The Lost World, the Rex rampaging through San Diego to New levels. This time around I was blown away!
The characters were great to watch. The interactions with the old and new felt solid. Each arc felt needed and secure enough for me to press on into the depths of this new world.
DOMINION is by far better than Kingdom and JP3. That is something I can agree on with a lot of fans and critics.
Let’s not forget why Jurassic Park was created or even written? For the kids. This movie will amaze anyone. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Trevorrow, thank you for putting a great little action scene with Dimetradons in the film!
I thought it was a dud. Lot of wasted potential. If you’re gonna get the (Neil/Dern/Goldblum) band back together, the writing has to be in sharper focus. Seeing Omar Sy was cool, & the vfx only got better, but that’s not enough to distract from overstuffed sequences of globe trotting. And could Campbell Scott’s impression of Tim Cook be more transparent; “Yes! Weaponized biotechnology is the villain! WE GET IT!!”
Overall, disappointing.
Sure. VFX eye candy. The old gang back together. To me, this sounds a bit like an old Pepe LePew cartoon. yo know that you’ve seen it before. People are brought together because of dinosaurs. Dinosaurs be dinosaurs. Exit through retail.
Sounds about as I expected, wasted potential. The series has been in steady decline since the second movie. However, I will still watch it one day enjoy what I can and forget it an hour later! Haha!
As much as I love the original, it’s my favorite film, I’ve had enough. We wanted a good story, not a reminder that the original exists. The original was legitimately great. I still haven’t recovered from Fallen Kingdom and this isn’t helping.
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK may not be anywhere near as excellent as its predecessor, but Jeff Goldblum’s blissfully fun performance and impressive set pieces make this film worth while.
The franchise needs to end here. They overcomplicated something that didn’t need to be.
The original will always be the best but this was still a fun rollercoaster ride even it was by-the-numbers. I enjoyed seeing the original trilogy cast back together again and Goldblum had all the best lines.
HIGHLY disagree but I respect your opinion. I personally loved it from beginning to end. For me, (past the first of course – that one is untouchable and a classic), they’ve only gotten better and better…and this one follows suit. It’s the best of the sequels and best/my favorite in the JW trilogy.
Already seen it twice and will definitely be seeing it at least one more time before it leaves the theaters. Of course, I’m getting the 4K as well!
I didn’t have any issues with it ♂️ I was ALL IN. Truly loved it from beginning to end.
It was great to see entire cast back together in this film.
The new Jurassic Park felt like three different movies…none of which truly felt like Jurassic Park. It was fun, though. And my kids loved it. They watched them all over the past year.
It was nice to see it original cast. But the best part of the movie is Dallas Bryce Howard.
Also, got the seats that moved. Needed those for Power of the Dog.
In conclusion…I feel that the next logical step in the evolution of the franchise is to have the dinos figure out how to talk. There is no where else for it go at this point. Maybe space?