Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

This review may contain spoilers!

I enjoyed Jurassic World but this sequel delivers an experience much more akin to past Jurassic features. I would give Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom an 8.5/10.

What works for these Jurassic World films every single time is the idea that including poignant moments of nostalgia will cement the story being told for it's viewing audience. This film several times references the idea that as children we find the idea of living dinosaurs to be a sort of myth or fantasy rings completely true, and linking this feeling to the original Jurassic Park films is a nice way to manage this. This film goes a step beyond the first one by not focusing inherently on making this a 'monster movie', in fact, this is more a film about the ethics of allowing dinosaur life to continue. Something that we can so easily fear as a predator being allowed to exist within the natural cycle is an interesting debate and the film really takes the time to map it out and explore it all to the backdrop of an action-packed blockbuster. The nice move to compare a cloned human being who we have emphasised with making a choice in this matter is really an affirming part of the film and jets this sequel well beyond its predecessor.

The cinematography is nothing short of impressive, capturing visually incredible action sequences but also taking moments out to take in staggering environments or moments of kinship with the CGI dinosaurs. The dinosaurs in question look great; the designs for Blue and the T-Rex continue to impress but I thought the Indoraptor (despite its lousy name) looked great as well. The cinematography and effects culminate in a particularly moving scene with the destruction of Isla Nublar and some members of the dino population, this scene alone is worth the price of admission I would argue. The score really calls back some impressive movies from the original films but I love how this time around it dares to be more than the famous tracks of the past and creates a sound really unique to the Jurassic World features.

Chris Pratt, who played Owen Grady, is a great lead role for these films; Pratt has shown a lot of versatility in this role and crafted a rugged survivalist that is quite juxtaposed to some of his more familiar roles from Guardians of the Galaxy, Parks and Rec or The Lego Movie. Rafe Spall, who played Eli Mills, brought something to this Jurassic World that the last one lacked: a brilliant human antagonist; Spall's ability to portray such a charismatic figure at first really was deceptive as we saw the figure who was driven by greed unveiled. Daniella Pineda, who played Zia Rodriguez, may have been woefully underused but she certainly made herself known; Pineda played a firecracker of a character and rallied against the corrupt forces around her at any chance she could get. James Cromwell, who played Benjamin Lockwood, was such a sincere, kindly role; Cromwell portrayed a role who appeared physically weak but had a resolute inner strength to his character. Toby Jones, who played Mr Eversol, immediately assumes the mantle of a black market auctioneer like a second skin; Jones goes at this role with an incredible air of professionalism and much akin to Spall's role is guided by the avarice at the core of his character. Ted Levine, who played Ken Wheatley, is yet another exceptional antagonist amongst the many in the cast; Levine emanates a very casual threatening persona which makes him all the more dangerous in the scenes he comes up against the protagonists. BD Wong, who played Dr Wu, has such intelligence and wisdom in this role; Wong brings great depths to the Jurassic series as the dark geneticist/creator of these creatures. Isabella Sermon, who played Maisie Lockwood, continues the Jurassic series trend of recognising incredible young talent; Sermon barrels into scenes like an action hero herself and the emotional revelation about the nature of her character's existence is extremely well portrayed.

However, the best performance came from Jeff Goldblum, who played Ian Malcolm. This is an interesting pick quite honestly as Goldblum is only in about two scenes of the film. Yet there's something about having the presence of this role back in the mix that immediately raises the stakes of this particular film, pinning on that nostalgic feeling straight away. Goldblum tactically plays a very matter of fact, intellectual reprisal of Malcolm, this time discussing the philosophy behind genetic warfare and the threat of crafting a new species very eloquently. This is a character who has witnessed the events he experienced from the first Jurassic Park films and knows the danger to come; much like a prophet too late you can't help but feel Goldblum is posing the idea that doom is coming for humanity.

The film presents a very interesting debate to watch play out yet one of the major flaws is that you can't help but feel some of the characters take a moral stance that comes across as quite extreme, or doesn't feel very natural coming off the last Jurassic World. Including the Indoraptor as an antagonist isn't the best call either, a significant critique for the first film was that the Indominus-Rex made the feature different in tone than past Jurassic films. At its heart audiences go to watch a film about dinosaurs, providing a focus upon a monster dinosaur-hybrid each time is a definite way to lose what makes this series so important to its audience.

Bryce Dallas Howard, who played Claire Dearing, didn't work well as a lead protagonist in the last film and still hasn't found her place in the sequel; Howard's role takes a stance that seems quite opposed to where we left her last time and it becomes hard to rationalise her motives in this feature. Justice Smith, who played Franklin Webb, is the one role this film could've really done without; his shrill, whiny tech support character is an incredible stereotype and grows dull after his first scene. Geraldine Chaplin, who played Iris, isn't very unique as the strict nanny character; Chaplin doesn't have any chemistry with her young onscreen ward and you sadly never feel her connection to those she cares for.