Tremont Mail

Another Jurassic Entry in a Franchise That May Never Go Exctinct

MOVIE REVIEW
Jurassic World Dominion

rated  –   star star star star star

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 2h 26m
Director(s): Colin Trevorrow
Writer(s): Emily Carmichael (screenplay by,) Colin Trevorrow (screenplay by,) Derek Connolly (story by)
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, Isabella Sermon, Campbell Scott, BD Wong
Where To Watch: In theaters now


I need to get this out of the way; anyone judging this film harshly for being about dinosaurs chasing people needs to be introduced to the first five films in this franchise about dinosaurs chasing people. I don’t get it, I’m not trying to tell others what they should or shouldn’t like, but if you’re mad that this follows the billion-dollar formula from the movies that came before, it would be like being upset that a Fast & the Furious film has car chase scenes.

There have always been people who judged films harshly; however, I feel like we’ve hit this weird tipping point that many people trust the blind face of Rotten Tomatoes or other review sites to tell them what they should or shouldn’t like. That worries me; I’ve always thought one of the most critical things in the love for movies is to watch what you want and enjoy what you like. It’s okay to just enjoy a film for what it is, to sit back, turn your brain off, and enjoy the ride.

Okay, I had to get that out of the way. I left this one with a ball full of emotions. It was fun to see the old and new cast together in what (for now) is the final chapter in the Jurassic saga. My only real knock on the film is that it was a little long; they probably could've cut half an hour and still gotten the same point across. I don’t think they’ll leave it at this; they may go in another direction, but there’s no way Universal just lets this billion-dollar franchise sit on the shelf and go extinct.

One of my favorite parts was seeing Rexy/Roberta the t-rex on screen again! Arguably the most famous dinosaur from the franchise, it’s fun to see her return again. However, the film's real star, in my opinion, is Isabella Sermon as Maisie Lockwood. This is only her second role following her appearance in JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM, but she has a presence onscreen that I hope we get to see more of in other projects.

Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum all stepped back into their roles, and it felt like there hadn’t been a moment missed. While they blended in well with the “new” cast, it did kind of feel like two very distinct and different stories. I could’ve gone without one of the original cast's subplots, but still, it’s just for the fun of being fun. Also, Jeff Goldblum is just something special in general, I may be biased, but I can’t get enough of him in anything. He's brought such a subtle and unique charm to this franchise from the first film.

I don’t think this is the best film in the series, nor do I think it’s arguably a “great” film. However, I believe it’s enjoyable and continues taking the crazy to the next level in terms of the dinosaurs (spike fingers?) If you are a fan of over-the-top dinosaurs chasing people with a nice mix of carnage, this is for you! If you want perfect writing, top-tier directing, and something completely different, I suggest staying home and watching something else. I’ll never understand why people set unrealistic expectations for themselves. 

I’ve said it once, and I’ll repeat it, my favorite part of cinema is that two people can watch the same film and have two entirely different experiences.

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