Cinephile No. 1,317 “Jurassic World: Rebirth”
Recommendation: 3/5 Stars
Plot: “Five years post-Jurassic World: Dominion (2022), an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.” -IMDB
Review: During the summer of 1993, I was nine years old. During a movie night with my brothers, I accepted my first invitation to Jurassic Park. For two solid hours, we were enraptured. Our young eyes had never watched such a spectacle. It was a defining moment by which all other cinematic experiences would be judged. Seeing lifelike dinosaurs on the screen before me for the first time was a moment in time this lover of movies will never forget.
The original Jurassic Park gave us a believable reason for existing. It was possible that man, in his capitalistic quest to play God, would create a world built on the backs of animals whose time had long passed. Each subsequent film that has followed in this series has been tethered to a weakening reason for being. And the reason for Jurassic World: Rebirth’s existence may be the weakest of all.
Unlike the 1993 film, which makes you work for your first encounter with the majesty of real-life dinosaurs, this film wastes no time introducing us to a mutant predator that makes T-Rex look boyish and elementary. But it is this idea of mutant dinosaurs that begins pulling at a string that will slowly unravel over the course of this film.
The next pull of the string happens when we discover the reason to return to a series of remote islands along the equator. The reason? To end heart disease. Yep, that’s the reason. Dinosaurs have bigger hearts and may be the link to curing heart disease in humans. Humans need fresh blood from massive creatures to study, so we can run some experiments in hopes of a capitalistic desire to end heart disease.
To lead this daring mission, greedy Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) hires a mercenary, Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), to lead a team including Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), on a daring mission to a remote island in hopes of capturing samples and hopefully ending one of humanity’s most deadly diseases.
Out at sea, another pull of the string becomes obvious. As we get to know our main characters and the supporting cast, we get broad strokes at background delivered via poorly written dialogue, which is always the first thing to make me disengage from the enjoyment of watching a movie. But then a May Day call complicates things. Our crew is forced into an impossible decision. Do they continue their mission or do they rescue the stranded party lost at sea? At this point, I can see the filmmakers trying to push unruly strings back into the ball of yarn.
For a while, it works, and it works beautifully. With the introduction of new characters, the stakes are raised. John Williams and his wonderful score lure you into a comfortable story that feels familiar. Once again, humans are in the presence of dinosaurs. Separated by a shipwreck, we get two distinct stories of survival, and we are treated to a setting that still feels visibly stunning. Though, I must say, seeing these dinosaurs on screen doesn’t compare to the same sensation I felt in 1993.
As the body count begins to rise, there is absolutely no time to mourn. Survival and dino blood are the only missions. It is here that you realize that all the tropes you’ve come to expect from this series are still hanging around like a house guest who has overstayed his welcome. Lurking dinosaurs, quiet escapes, and all the ear-shattering roars your heart can handle are here. These tropes are the final thread to be pulled. It is this thread that unravels the whole thing.
The end of this story is known long before we arrive at the credits. We may not know how our central characters will get there, but we know most of them will survive. We know that they will succeed in their mission. There are no more surprises in Jurassic Park. You can throw as many “for-the-chance-to-cure-heart-disease surprises you want at this thing”, but we have been conditioned by previous experiences. Which is why it pains me to say it, but it is time for this franchise to go extinct.
But if that is my final judgment, why the 3-star rating? That’s a fair question. Because this series remains a wonderful summer blockbuster for the once-a-year-popcorn crowd. It is entertaining. It delivers on its mission. It terrifies and exhilarates. Sometimes, that is enough.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
As a member of the factory, you are taking a stand for human powered creation.
