Jurassic World Rebirth is somehow the seventh entry in the Jurassic franchise. After the massively disappointing and downright abysmal Jurassic World Dominion (2022), it felt like time to let the franchise rest. However, considering it made over $1 billion, the studio was never going to let it die, and now we have another installment. The only redeeming news, in my opinion, was that Colin Trevorrow was no longer involved. Instead, we have Gareth Edwards, director of Godzilla (2014) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). So, does this bring new life to the franchise, or should it have remained extinct?
To start with the positives: the dinosaur set pieces are genuinely enjoyable. There’s a horror-movie-style sequence in the opening, a thrilling Jaws-like moment involving the Mosasaur at sea, and a fun finale set piece that echoes the spirit of the original film. The standout set piece, however, is easily the tense and terrifying T-Rex scene involving a raft. Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali are solid as the leads. What truly sets this film apart from the Trevorrow Jurassic World movies is the excellent cinematography. There are genuinely stunning shots with impressive use of lighting, and it helps that Gareth Edwards shot most of the film on location rather than on sets. The lush forests and flowing rivers feel vibrant and real, adding to the film’s visual appeal.
Unfortunately, that’s where the praise ends. The story and script leave much to be desired. The dialogue often feels stilted, and the jokes come off as forced. The characters are one-dimensional and forgettable, and the plot is bland and predictable. Worse still, the film feels like two different scripts awkwardly mashed together. One storyline involves mercenaries trying to collect blood from three different dinosaurs to get rich. An interesting and unique premise for the franchise. However, the other half of the film follows a family stranded on the island, struggling to survive. The constant switching between these two plotlines is jarring, especially since the family story is significantly less compelling. Because the film tries to balance both arcs, neither is developed well. The director and writer would have been better off focusing on just one.
Another ongoing issue with the recent entries is the obsession with mutant-hybrid dinosaurs. The hybrid in this film, the D-Rex, doesn’t even remotely resemble a dinosaur, it looks more like a weird alien creature from a sci-fi movie. Its inclusion feels pointless, especially since the plot doesn’t revolve around cloning experiments or genetic engineering. While I didn’t care for Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World trilogy, I did appreciate his occasional use of practical dinosaur animatronics. Strangely, Jurassic World Rebirth features no animatronics at all, which is disappointing. The CGI, with the exception of the T-Rex, is also underwhelming. Unsurprising, given reports that the VFX team had less than a year to complete the film’s effects. Unfortunately, that shows.
Overall, Jurassic World Rebirth is not the film to revitalize this franchise. Gareth Edwards fails to bring fresh energy, delivering yet another mediocre installment. Maybe it’s finally time to let this franchise go extinct. But who am I kidding? It’ll probably gross another $1 billion and then we’ll be right back here again.
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