Given the continued popularity of the Jurassic Park/World franchise, it’s clear that audiences have an affection for these movies and remain undeterred by the reappearance of another “Dino Theme Park Massacre” flick every few years. As a fan of giant monster movies, I, of course, can’t help but be interested in a blockbuster series based around the actions of dinosaurs and the potential victims humans that continually have new goals in mind for these formerly extinct creatures. All of that in mind, following the terrific original, the sequels have rarely done more than just satisfy on a fun-in-the-moment level. This is why it was refreshing to emerge from the theater after watching Jurassic World Rebirth and happily recognize it as the best Jurassic sequel yet. Stripped down to basics, full of dinosaurs, well shot, and fitted with several creative action set pieces, for a series that’s generally leaned on delivering the bare minimum (while sparing no expense), this entry did just enough to claw a little deeper.
The movie opens with a couple of key pieces of information to bring the audience up to speed on what’s important. Years ago, while we were already aware of two islands full of dinosaurs – one featuring the park and the other serving as an additional research facility – there was also a third island that focused on even wilder genetic modifications and mutations, which was eventually shut down following an unfortunate incident. Another critical update, given how Jurassic World Dominion ended, is that Earth’s current environment has largely proven inhospitable for dinosaurs, leaving only so many to be still alive, namely those living close to the equator.
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Since we’ve ostensibly ended the previous era of Jurassic films when it comes to that specific set of characters, I can appreciate taking a new approach. Writer David Koepp (screenwriter for the first two films) is back, and aiming to provide a story that has room for adventure, horror, and humor. Being the seventh entry in this series, it’s not hard to see specific ideas being brought back to life as well. Much like Jurassic Park III, this film features a standalone element that places a set of characters in a specific scenario, which will end the moment anyone manages to escape the island intact. As for the public reaction to dinosaurs, not unlike Jurassic World, a film that slyly connects the big-budget realm of blockbusters to the idea that people need more than “just a dinosaur” to get excited, Rebirth also retraces some of those footsteps.
Taking these elements, the story is pretty straightforward. Martin Krebs (Rupbert Friend), a wealthy representative of a pharmaceutical company, has recruited paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) and a team of mercenaries headed by Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) and Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), to infiltrate this previously unknown dinosaur research island and extract the biomaterial of three of the largest remaining dinos for the sake of creating life-saving medicines. Things get complicated not only due to the eventual arrival of one of these mutated animals, but also the unexpected presence of a shipwrecked civilian family consisting of a father (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his two daughters, and the boyfriend of the eldest.
Not having pushed for learning more about the plot than I had needed to beforehand, it was amusing to watch the film find a reason to once again utilize the classic “children in peril” trope, which has been a significant part of the series’ DNA. Fortunately, while I may question the older daughter’s (Luna Blaise) taste in boyfriends, neither she nor young Audrina Miranda ever crosses the line of being either overly precocious or overly irritating. Instead, these characters, along with the others, round out the cast in a way that helps these films appeal to audiences. Not hurting is the basic amount of work done to make this new crew acceptable for a movie like this.
Lacking the moral and ethical debates that helped inform the first film’s story, with the help of a character actor-driven cast to level up what was being presented, the sequels have more or less only been as strong as what’s put in front of the actors when they aren’t dealing with dinosaurs. Having major stars like Jeff Goldblum, Bryce Dallas Howard, or Chris Pratt certainly helped in recognizing the faces on screen, but the depth of these characters has never been a strong suit, let alone a necessity. Something I quite appreciated here, is that it’s the rare Jurassic sequel where the characters actually have interior lives to discuss, as opposed to just the events currently unfolding before them. It makes this film that much more worthwhile when it comes to giving a damn about any of them, even if the material is still somewhat thin.
Of course, there’s only so much I need to get into regarding how strong the characters are in a monster movie, when there’s so much more to consider as far as our prehistoric pals are concerned. Dinosaurs are all over this movie, and true to form, they look great. I appreciated how they were presented as a threat. Given the nature of the plot, these creatures fall far more into line as animals responding to the introduction of something foreign in their territory, meaning they either act defensively or for the sake of feeding on what’s suddenly available. Yes, that still means tension is abound when our characters are dangling off the sides of boats, climbing down rock faces, or attempting to escape a T-Rex by way of a life raft (in an exciting river sequence book fans have been wanting to see for over 30 years). That being said, this is the sort of adventure-horror one wants for a huge-scale blockbuster.
I emphasize the scale because this is coming from director Gareth Edwards, a filmmaker I am a fan of, specifically because of his expertise in conveying massive size to an audience. Much like 2014’s Godzilla (a fittingly Spielbergian entry in that massive franchise) or Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (a film that wanted to emphasize just how towering merely the idea of a Death Star was at one time), Jurassic World Rebirth does a fine job of having these mega beasts register as true forces of nature that happen to be contending with tiny humans. Smart choices are made as far as which dinosaurs receive a lot of attention, which includes being the first Jurassic movie to deemphasize raptors for a change, as well as only giving so much time to the most notable mutant that arrives later in the film, following a brief introduction at the top.
The special effects, both practical and CG, do a great job of making this all register as if it’s happening, and Edwards’ choice to shoot on film lends this film an extra shot of life. Cinematographer John Mathieson keeps things looking good enough during the early portions of the movie set at sea. However, once the movie reaches its primary jungle settings, you get a sense of the lush environments at play, how vibrant the greens look, and other qualities that emphasize a sense of purpose in regard to the visual choices being made.
This is all a way of saying the film feels like a complete package. That’s not to suggest it’s a blockbuster that will blow you away like the original film, but it is more or less what I would like as a standard for these Jurassic sequels compared to most of what I’ve gotten in the past. It’s exciting, action-packed, and much fun. With solid work from Johansson, Bailey, and Ali, the film isn’t lacking in a decent set of personalities (that go along with the obvious red shirts). The film is a little long, but it certainly isn’t lacking in spectacle, making the time spent feel worthwhile. Maybe there’s concern in comprehending why there’s a need to keep this dino franchise going, but as far as I’m concerned, having a new film about dinosaurs attacking people every so often has yet to be proven as a bad thing, regardless of the obvious financial opportunity at play. So yes, the studio may have found a way to keep supplying Jurassic flicks, but I’m at least quite pleased with an entry that lands this strongly.
Jurassic World Rebirth opens on July 2, 2025.
