Review: Jurassic World

Jurassic Park will always be a fond memory for anyone that was growing up in the nineties. It was a spectacular event going to the movie theaters and seeing these creatures that we fantasize about as children on the big screen and looking incredibly real. It was the ultimate form of escapism and still resonates with children and adults to this day. The Lost World and Jurassic Park 3 didn't resonate the same with audiences although some still loved the movies for what they were. It is hard to nitpick a movie where you inevitably know that something will hit the fan and all the characters we have invested in will shortly be in great danger thanks to dinosaurs roaming free, especially when in all the films, these characters go directly into the eye of the storm. Jurassic Park was different from the sequels it spawned in that aspect as it at first felt upbeat and grand as we the audience just like the characters in the film were amazed by what we were seeing walking around this gigantic landscape. That in itself, is exactly why Jurassic World works so well. Not only does it return to it's roots while also paying great homage to it but it separates itself and creates brand new characters with a surprisingly good plot for us to get behind and care about.

The plot follows similar grounds from the first film as we follow two children, Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) traveling to Jurassic World which is run by their aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard). Gray and Zach are sent off while their parents work their way through a divorce which has a negative impact on their children leading them to be a bit rebellious in nature. Claire, on the other hand, is a business first woman that is trying to rake in big money and re-spark interest with a new attraction at the park in the form of a mega dinosaur that is the combination of many dangerous species. Meanwhile, she asks for the help of raptor wrangler Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to make sure the cage that this new dinosaur is being kept in is safe for incoming visitors. In typical Jurassic Park/World fashion, this quickly gets out of hand and everyone on the island is in danger.

Colin Trevorrow behind the camera really injects some new life into this franchise with some amazing visuals and a good eye for comedy. It is also goes to show that Trevorrow is also a big fan of the series considering all the easter eggs in the film that pay homage to the original in terms of specific shots namely. As for the visuals and to no surprise, the dinosaurs look amazing. This is especially true for the raptors which as shown in the trailers have a special bond with Owen Grady. The beta/alpha relationship between the two works really well and actually makes the viewers care for the raptors in a weird way instead of being terrified of them. Although the dinosaurs look great and are largely the biggest attraction to the movie, it all works so much better due to the care given to the characters. The relationship between Owen and Claire as well as the two kids are what grounds the move and keeps you invested in it.

Ty Simpkins continues to impress as this is now his second major blockbuster film that he has had a big role in and he has both the comedic and dramatic chops necessary for the role of Gray. The real star of the show of course is Chris Pratt in the role of Owen Grady, enough cannot really be said about the emergence of his star. From last year's Guardians of the Galaxy to now this he has shown great charisma, charm and confidence while never reaching into a territory of being arrogant. The film is simply at it's best when he is on screen as he injects so much life into his character and naturally the audience gravitates towards him the most. Bryce Dallas Howard as the uptight Claire also works well and has a good rapport with Pratt. Trevorrow also did well in bringing on his buddy who he has made a few independent films with in, Jake Johnson. Johnson excels in minor roles like this where he can flex his comedic muscles and largely works as the comedic relief to the larger plot in the film. All in all, Jurassic World is a great time and outside of Mad Max it has been the best time I have had at the movie theaters this year.