After six films of rampaging raptors, roaring T-Rexes, and moral debates about playing god, you’d think the Jurassic franchise might try something new. But Jurassic World Rebirth – despite its title – feels more like a retread than a rebirth. Written by David Koepp (Jurassic Park) and directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla), both of whom know their way around this kind of movie, it’s a letdown that the film plays it so safe.
The plot? This time, we learn that InGen (the company behind the original Jurassic Park) had another island where genetically modified dinosaurs were being researched, before an incident shut it down for good. A team of experts, including Scarlett Johansson’s wise-cracking mercenary and Jonathan Bailey’s dino-geneticist, are sent in to collect DNA samples from three of the largest breeds to create a cure for disease. Of course, the mogul behind this (played with his usual smarminess by Rupert Friend) doesn’t seem like the most trustworthy person, but money and adventure override any corporate tycoon’s misgivings. Along the way, they encounter a stranded family (who are mostly there so the movie can check the “kid in peril” box). But despite the setup, there’s very little real danger or surprise.
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The biggest problem here is that the characters all fall flat and have absolutely no character arcs to speak of. Johansson brings her usual charm, but feels oddly miscast, delivering quippy one-liners that don’t quite land. Bailey is likable and clearly game, but the movie doesn’t give him much to do beyond looking concerned, fiddling with gadgets, and being wowed when coming face to face with the creatures he loves. There are hints of a romance between the two that feel like they were edited out at the last minute, leaving some scenes feeling abrupt or incomplete. The only character with anything resembling a real arc is Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), the father of the stranded family, who changes his opinion about his daughter’s boyfriend by the end. That’s it.
As for the dinosaurs? Yes, they’re bigger and badder thanks to genetic tampering, but they somehow feel less scary than before. The final one resembles a cross between the Alien’s Xenomorph and a T-Rex, making it appear like some alien monster from a different type of creature feature. The action scenes are decent, but predictable and lack suspense. You can spot which side characters are doomed from their first line of dialogue. And while the film includes numerous callbacks to earlier entries, especially the 1993 original, they don’t land as emotionally or nostalgically—more like checking off a to-do list.
What’s most frustrating is that the movie hints at a better idea it never explores. There’s a subplot about the public losing interest in dinosaurs as they’re no longer the awe-inspiring creatures they once were. That concept could have led somewhere new and exciting: dinosaurs reclaiming the spotlight by breaking into suburbia, perhaps even turning the tables on the human world. But instead, we’re back on an island. Again.
Jurassic World Rebirth isn’t a terrible film. It has moments of fun, and dinosaurs are still cool, but it plays things far too safe. For a movie meant to reignite the franchise, it ends up feeling like more of the same. If this series wants to keep audiences engaged, it needs to evolve, not just resurrect.
Jurassic World Rebirth opens in theaters on July 2, 2025.
