Film Review: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Director: J.A. Bayona

Universal
In theaters: 06.22

You would think after four misadventures with genetically engineered dinosaurs running amuck abroad and on our own soil that humans would figure out the whole scenario is a terrible idea. Well, such is not the case in this journey, as Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) hopes to rescue the remaining creatures left on the island, which now has an active volcano threatening their existence. She believes the surviving dinosaurs have the same rights as other endangered species across the planet. Once given the opportunity to liberate the beasts by a wealthy stakeholder, Claire persuades Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to join the expedition. As the mission proceeds, it is soon revealed that all is not what it seems, and these animals may not be heading to the promised secluded sanctuary.

As with all of the Jurassic films beyond the original, you need an enormous popcorn bucket so that once your brain is turned off, you can drool right into it. A T-Rex could jump through the plot holes that are left scattered throughout this endeavor. Secrets are revealed that go absolutely nowhere, and the unveiling of the villain is as surprising as it will be when they announce another chapter to the franchise. Everything in this outing has already been done before, and sometimes more than once. The shock-and-awe beats can be seen coming from a mile away. At some points, major characters disappear without any warning or explanation of where they have been during the danger. With all of that said, the franchise still delivers an entertaining theater experience. Audience members will scream and jump out of their seats on multiple occasions. A possible reason for the lackluster storytelling is because the filmmakers know they don’t have to try too hard to be a success at the box office. People love their dinosaurs, which is why this will definitely not be the last phase to the franchise. –Jimmy Martin