Rating and reviewing films is sometimes harder than you'd think. Do you review a thriller the same way as you do a comedy? Or do you rate an indie film the same way as you'd rate a summer blockbuster? The answer is no, and I think Jurassic World is a good example of a case where there's more to it than just questioning its logic.
Jurassic World takes place about 20 years after the original, with a corporate entity having taken over the concept of Jurassic Park and having actually succeeded in opening a functional and popular park with Hammond's original concept. Dinosaurs are as popular as ever, but like every corporation things need to get bigger in order to attract the crowds.
Fueled by corporate greed the genetics team of the company sets out to create the world's first genetically-modified dinosaur, but their god complex soon comes back to haunt them as things go horribly wrong and an entire island of people is left in peril.
The storyline is Jurassic World is pretty coherent, and the apparent contrast to the first film when it comes to corporate synergy and such is a refreshing and intelligent take on what society and corporations would so with such an idea in the long run, which is taking a heartfelt and inspired idea and making it a source of revenue. Real life mirrors of this are seen every day in Hollywood, retail and of course in theme parks, where every single aspect of the experience is a creation of a corporate mind in the end, often ignoring the original aspects that the creators had in mind in the first place. (Note, I do not mean this in the most negative way, but considering the themes of the film in overall this representation of the subject is the clearest way to support my point clearly.)
When it comes to subplots the film has some work to be done. A notable subplot is the inclusion of a third party that has interest in the events occurring during the film, which messes up the pacing somewhat due to the detours it creates in the narrative. Certain alterations in this subplot could've easily make it flow with the main plot of the film, but at times it seems to interested in building up a narrative that expands beyond the main plot. It's not terrible by any means, but it's present.
The tones of the film vary from heartfelt to intense, usually finding a good balance between the two throughout. The film's humorous moments sometimes come a bit ill-timed however, causing a bit of a tonal changes that seem out of place in the context of the sequences.
That being said, the buildup towards and the events of the third act are quite spectacular, though it may vary by your expectations wether you'll enjoy it or not. I personally found the third act of the film to be quite well-made, and the interactions between characters and set-pieces were quite thrilling throughout, which made for a satisfying finale.
The main cast of the film consists of a strong selection of characters. Both the young and adult selection of main characters offer strong performances that fit their respective roles. There are some hiccups due to the comedic timing, and some of the dialogue and actions throughout the film can be seen as somewhat cliché, but there isn't anything in there that I would call worse than a below-average blockbuster.
Michael Giacchino's score provides a welcome background layer to the film that is simply a delight to hear. The Jurassic Park theme obviously makes its expected comeback, but both the callbacks and original material flawlessly recreate the sense of depth that John Williams' score for the original did. Honestly, you could listen to the score by itself and sometimes never even realize that John Williams didn't score this film.
Wether you'll enjoy Jurassic World is a pure game of expectations. Are you expecting a deep and thrilling experience that easily rivals the first film? It might not hit all those marks. Are you expecting a fun and reasonably deep extension of the universe that offers a lot that the original film did? This film just might be for you.
Despite its clear flaws I'd have to rate Jurassic World a solid 4 stars. I can easily see why some may rate this much lower than that, but my expectations were met and I had a great times at the cinema!
BONUS SECTION: HOW SHOULD I SEE JURASSIC WORLD?
The 3D experience of Jurassic World was somewhat lacking in my opinion. In contrast to some of the trailers the depth was often little to not present, and it often takes a back seat when it comes to the quality of the conversion.
That being said, seeing this on a big screen such as IMAX presents viewers with a larger-than-life experience that is essential for this film. The 3D may not have been great, but if you're able to see through that as I do the IMAX 3D experience is the way to go for Jurassic World!
