Jurassic World

The best of the Jurassic Park sequels by a hair, Jurassic World details the chaos that ensues at the title locale after a genetically-modified dino escapes from its holding pen – with Chris Pratt’s Owen eventually recruited to help battle the dangerous creatures that threaten to eat the park’s various guests and employees. Filmmaker Colin Trevorrow, working from a script cowritten with Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek Connolly, is certainly going out of his way to ape the look and feel of Steven Spielberg’s landmark original film, with the movie’s various elements generally designed to remind the viewer of the 1993 classic rather than its two watchable yet lackluster sequels. It’s equally clear, however, that Trevorrow is rarely able to even come close to the heights of the first Jurassic Park, as Jurassic World is comprised mostly of inferior attributes that prevent it from wholeheartedly taking off on a distressingly ongoing basis. And yet the movie remains better than expected for the duration of its slightly overlong running time, with the inclusion of a strong lead performance from Pratt and several genuinely thrilling sequences perpetuating the entertaining vibe. (Pratt is, unfortunately, the only actor able to make much of a positive impact, as Trevorrow floods the proceedings with several hopelessly forgettable figures – with the two young siblings lost in the park standing as the most obvious and egregious example of this.) By the time the impressively enthralling final stretch rolls around, Jurassic World has established itself as a superior example of summer moviemaking – with the film’s massive success hopefully paving the way for further (and better) installments.

*** out of ****