By Cynthia Ayala

“When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.”—IMDB

Say what you will, but when you’re going to go see any Jurassic Park film, you’re not really going to see it for some complex in-depth story, no you’re seeing it for the dinosaurs and the fun. This movie was great, for what it was, and that’s part of the charm, the fact that it doesn’t try to be anything less than a dinosaur movie. That’s is, it’s a dinosaur film with a lot of action to it and returns people to the island to rescue the creatures. There’s a moral question in the film, one that has already been addressed countless times before in previous films, the idea if these creatures should be allowed to live since they were already extinct and then brought to life. Again, nothing profound about this film, it’s all about the idea of men becoming God, of men creating something out of their control, something they don’t understand.

Again, this topic was in the very first film, so there’s nothing new, it’s just more of the same, but it’s fun to see. This is simply a fun film it has moments of comedic gold in it, and Chris Pratt is amazing. He makes a great hero, he’s cocky, funny, charming, and the way he delivers his lines is amazing. More on that in a second.

What’s fun about this film is the formula. Yes, it’s the same exact formula as the previous films, but there’s something else that this movie adds. There’s Blue and Owen. There’s this idea that the animals are in danger. Mankind brought them back to life, now they have to take care of them. There are some heartfelt parts in the film because Blue and Owen’s relationship goes beyond trainer and animal, they are family, and, as an animal lover and pet owner, I was able to resonate with that strongly. That’s probably the newest element in this new branch of the franchise that makes the film more emotional. It’s not just the action, even though there’s tons of that, but there’s a little love in the film as well which is what makes it good.

Now, for the acting and story. This story was just better than its predecessor because even though it followed the same formula of “oh no, dangerous carnivore on the loose” the idea that the dinosaurs are being saved only to be auctioned off is actually believable. What criminal organization wouldn’t want an animal that kills indiscriminately, And the idea to sell them, I’m actually surprised no one thought of this before. While still outrageous, the film tries to go back to it’s roots and manages to finally give viewers a somewhat unique experience. It’s still the same dinosaur movie but there are a few elements here and there that serve the franchise for the better.

Acting wise, it was great. Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard have undeniable skill and chemistry with one another, and it’s great to see Howard have a stronger role in this film. Yes, in the previous film she was limited by her role in the movie, but now the heels have come off and she’s one tough cookie. And she cares about the animals, they aren’t just money to her anymore, they are living creatures who deserve a chance to live in peace. Then you have Pratt, who is just amazing at everything he does, it’s no wonder he sky-rocketed into stardom. In action films he’s great, and this franchise is no exception to the rule. He understands the role given to him and he looks like he is having fun. And him having fun makes the audience have fun watching him. Good acting can same almost any movie…most of the time anyway.

All in all, if you’re in the mood for some fun and action, a movie that is purely about entertainment value, this is the film for you. Nothing profound about it, but it is intense and, come on, who doesn’t love dinosaurs. (★★★☆☆ | C+)

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—Film Credits—

Directed by J. A. Bayona

Written by Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow

Based on Characters by Michael Crichton

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, B. D. Wong, Isabella Sermon, Geraldine Chaplin & Jeff Goldblum

Rating | Length | Genre: PG-13 | 2h 8min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Distributed by Universal Pictures