I’ve seen Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom twice now and after each viewing, I left the theater with the satisfaction that the film did the unexpected and works because it was willing to simply not be a rehash of its 2015 predecessor. When Jurassic World came out three years ago, the film was able to remind us of the sense of majesty that made Jurassic Park such a palpable experience in 1993. Jurassic Park is one of those films that could never be topped within its own franchise. It achieved technical wonders that are hard to duplicate and Steven Spielberg, as he has expertly done on many occasions, was able to engage our imaginations to a point that is unparalleled. Steven Spielberg couldn’t capture that feeling again with the follow-up, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Joe Johnston’s dialed back approach for Jurassic Park III was entertaining but lacked a sense of urgency.
Jurassic World has come the closest to achieving what Spielberg accomplished with his first film. It felt fresh and it provided a bit of popcorn entertainment that allowed it to break records at the box office. It would be easy for its sequel to do more of the same but what we get here is two films in one: the start is a standard adventure film that has become a staple of the franchise and the other is a surprisingly successful suspense-filled stalk and chase picture that elevates the tension of several occasions. The sequel doesn’t offer up a stellar narrative but it’s never boring and it sets things up for a new installment that could be quite compelling if it goes where it appears to be headed.
The new film avoids rehashing the previous film by getting the dinos off the island and in this case, preserve them from extinction. The two lead human characters from Jurassic World are back. Chris Pratt plays Owen Grady a little more like Indiana Jones this time around and Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire Dearing has been reborn as a kick-ass James Cameron action-female type. No more running around in high heels for her. Their goal is to save the dinosaurs on the island of Isla Nublar before a volcanic eruption destroys it but others involved, who at first appear to be on their same page, have other nefarious plans in mind which involve weaponizing the dinosaurs.
As I stated before, the film is essentially two films in one. The first half, which takes place on Isla Nublar, is a special effects extravaganza and gives us what we have come to know from the franchise. Once it gets started, the film never really lets up and the scenes involving the escape from the volcanic eruption are superbly handled. It would be easy for the effects to drown out the human element but they never really do. We’re invested in the characters because we came to know the two leads previously and the new characters are interesting enough that we also care about them as well. Director J.A. Bayona manages to present with the chaos of the event without the sequences actually becoming overly chaotic.
Once the action moves to the Lockwood mansion, the film takes on a completely different tone. Essentially it becomes a chase and stalk film with elements of horror through a giant mansion. I’ve noticed that some critics have criticized this portion of the film endlessly and it’s one of the reasons reviews have been so mixed but I personally enjoyed this half of the film more than the first. The Lost World: Jurassic World attempted to take the action off the island with a tacked on romp featuring a T-rex rampaging through San Diego and it simply didn’t work but Fallen Kingdom manages to do this in a way that is effective. There were a few moments during this portion of the film that actually made me jump out of my seat and it honestly recalls some of the Raptor sequences from 1993’s Jurassic Park. The dinosaurs haven’t been this chilling since then and Fallen Kingdom achieves this feat. It doesn’t achieve the greatness of Aliens, but it seems heavily inspired by it.
The returning actors fill their roles well and although the human element in the sequel isn’t its strongest suit, they are more than capable of holding their own amongst all the action. I’m starting to think that there isn’t an actor out there as likable as Chris Pratt. He’s a born action star and has the charisma to spare. What elevates him above action star status is that he actually has a lot of talent to back it up and his timing is always spot on. Bryce Dallas Howard is much more likable this time around and it was nice seeing her not just be a damsel in distress. She gets to save the day on a couple of occasions. Newcomers for this go-round include Rafe Spall as the duplicitous Eli Mills with Ted Levine as his henchman – because what would a Jurassic movie be without mercenaries who see $$ whenever they look at a moving dinosaur? Danielle Pineda, as paleo-veterinarian Zia Rodriguez, and Justice Smith as comic-relief specialist and systems analyst Franklin Webb, join the Owen/Claire “save the dinosaurs” team. James Cromwell plays Benjamin Lockwood, an ex-partner of the late John Hammond and he brings along his granddaughter Maisie, played with feisty likability by Isabella Sermon because a Jurassic film isn’t complete without a child in peril. Lastly, Jeff Goldblum returns to the franchise as Dr. Ian Malcom but you’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting to see a lot of him. It’s essentially a glorified cameo and he doesn’t interact with any of the main actors but there are hints that maybe he’ll be involved more in the next installment.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom sets things up in a back way for a third film. Apparently this is a planned trilogy and where this film ends, actually sets things up in a way that hasn’t been done in a Jurassic film before. There is a lot of potential to do some great things in the wrap-up and I hope it lives up to that promise but in the meantime, Fallen Kingdom gets the job done. It’s able to move the story forward just enough and it provides two hours of solid entertainment that doesn’t feel like we’ve been there and done that.
