Review of Jurassic World (2015) by Berc — 02 Jun 2016

The artistic medium of film is very subjective. Every audience member has a different set of criteria they use to measure their viewing experience. Not everyone shares the same set of criteria. If we did, what a bland and uninspired world this would be.

What I Personally Liked About "Jurassic World":

I really enjoyed the performance of Bryce Dallas Howard. She's a consummate professional who gives us a fairly well rounded character and her interactions with Irrfan Khan (as Masrani) are priceless. Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins are also very good younger actors who involve themselves with their roles instead of allowing themselves to be dragged along for the ride. We also get a small sense of wonder at the scope of the theme park through their eyes which we haven't really felt since Sam Neill and Laura Dern first stepped foot in the original park back in 1993. Another thing I really like is the fact that the makers of the film more honestly own up to the genetic differences between their engineered dinosaurs and the real deal from millions of years ago. A lovely summation delivered by BD Wong's character sees to that.

What I Personally Disliked About "Jurassic World":

In the first half hour of this film, the writers seem to repeat themselves in their dialogue far too often. The same exposition feels like it's given on five or six different occasions and that is just a boring way to introduce your characters and set up your future angles. The first film let scenarios develop naturally and this fourth installment of the franchise would have done well to learn from its originator. Also, what is with Chris Pratt all of a sudden. It seems like the guy came out of nowhere and is now the manufactured flavor of the decade. The mass market audience might eat him up but those who crave real acting skills will be left with hunger pangs. When his inevitable crash and burn from pretty boy front man happens, it is going to be painful to watch (think Shia LaBeouf). Something else that really took me out of the film was the unnecessarily over-the-top death of Katie McGrath's character Zara. Seriously, a more innocent role has never had a less deserving death than hers. Next time do the cinematic world a favor and kill off Pratt instead. Sadly, there are a few other over-the-top moments as well, but there is very little sustainable tension for a two-hour movie. There should be a constant threat to our leading men and women instead of just sporadic bursts of dino danger. It really undermines the urgency of their situation on the island. Finally, the Indominus Rex itself takes center stage on my list of personal dislikes. This thing looks like a reject from the 1998 "Godzilla" atrocity when compared to the other beasts in this movie. All the build-up in the world couldn't stop the creature who was supposed to be the film's star attraction from being a hokey gimmick that limits the suspense value of key sequences. When it first attacked the team carrying the non-lethal weaponry, it felt like a joke. You're supposed to make your audience scream in terror at an attack such as that one, not pee their pants from laughing so hard. The long-awaited cameo appearance from the Tyrannosaurus Rex at the finale of the film is an all-too brief blessing.

My Overall Impression of "Jurassic World":

Between Chris Pratt and the Indominus Rex, there's just too much cheese on my burger. It makes it hard to taste the meat and really, the meat is what you're paying for. This sequel is the slightest of notches beneath "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" in terms of its level of enjoyment. The filmmakers should have been aiming much higher than that.