Jurassic Park (A or 4/4 stars)
'Jurassic Park' (directed by the great Steven Spielberg) is one of those movies, & one of those rare cinematic/theatre events that will be burned forever in my memory. Maybe the story isn't exquisite, & maybe the acting isn't necessarily of Oscar caliber ... but it doesn't matter. 'JP' is simply a brilliant 4-star knock-out; a monster classic for the ages; & a film that will be remembered for its game-changing special effect dinosaurs. The story: on a small, remote isle of the coast of Costa Rica exists a strange animal preserve/theme park by the name of - Jurassic Park. Run by dinosaur lover, & wealthy entrepreneur John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), JP is the 1st of its kind. You see, its population of creatures includes tricerotops, brachiosaurs, velociraptors, even a Tyrranosaurus Rex!
Each species has been cloned using the latest up-to-date technology that takes DNA from prehistoric insects preserved in amber, & uses that DNA for the re-creation. Before opening the attraction to the public (and to quell the concerns of the corporate trust funding JP), Hammond invites 3 experts, paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), his 'partner', paleo-botanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), & the brilliant, but pessimistic mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), as well as Hammond's 2 eager grandchildren, Tim & Lex (Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards) to the island to witness the incredible revelations. When this trio arrives at JP, they are overwhelmed and in awe by what this isle represents. And of course, it doesn't take long for things to get out of hand (a computer expert turns off the electricity to steal dinosaur embryos, thus breaking the park's security gates in the process), the dinosaurs break-out, & terror ensues.
WOW is all I have to say. This is one Hell of a motion picture. I'd like to say that Sam Neill, Laura Dern, the child actors, & the rest are good enough to see the film (and they are, really), but it's really ALL about those dinosaurs; they are a miracle of modern movie-making. Honest to God, credit to the special effects team - I felt like I was watching real, live, snorting, screaming, muscle-undulating 3D monsters onscreen. I mentioned the performances before. Everyone does their job and does it well. Through them, we feel as if we are these characters as they try to dodge the dinos. As Ian, Jeff Goldblum is a riot. Alan & Ellie make for a good onscreen couple. And there's an emotional character-building scene btwn. Ellie & Hammond late in the film, as well (we see Hammond's true colors). I pulled for these characters; that's what counts.
The story - well - it's great. Nothing mind-bending ... but the action serves the plot very, very well. The action is the driving force. That said, another part of that drive is the growing relationship btwn. self-confessed child-hater, Alan & Hammond's 2 grandchildren. And as far as the scientific premise goes, it helps that said premise, while based in a pseudo-reality, sounds like it 'could' work non-fictionally. It's acceptable. But most people will enjoy the film for its more visceral elements, anyway. They want to ooh, aah, jump, cower, clutch, & scream. And indeed, my own pulse-pounded when I 1st watched it. The dinosaurs themselves are something to behold; equally majestic as they are terrifying. There is one scene in which an angry T-Rex cat-&-mouses 2 powerless electric cars with our protagonists trapped inside them. It's the scene I'll remember most.
Overall, 'Jurassic Park' succeeds because it is perfect colossal entertainment; the type of movie where audiences will stare bug-eyed at the screen while their hand keeps digging into the popcorn bag. I LOVE those types of movies. The editing of the chase sequences is scintillating. The cinematography, sets, sound design, & aforementioned effects are incredible. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, et al are super. It's hard to ask for much more in a summer blockbuster. 'JP' will surely be one of my favorite films of the early 1990's.
Each species has been cloned using the latest up-to-date technology that takes DNA from prehistoric insects preserved in amber, & uses that DNA for the re-creation. Before opening the attraction to the public (and to quell the concerns of the corporate trust funding JP), Hammond invites 3 experts, paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), his 'partner', paleo-botanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), & the brilliant, but pessimistic mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), as well as Hammond's 2 eager grandchildren, Tim & Lex (Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards) to the island to witness the incredible revelations. When this trio arrives at JP, they are overwhelmed and in awe by what this isle represents. And of course, it doesn't take long for things to get out of hand (a computer expert turns off the electricity to steal dinosaur embryos, thus breaking the park's security gates in the process), the dinosaurs break-out, & terror ensues.
WOW is all I have to say. This is one Hell of a motion picture. I'd like to say that Sam Neill, Laura Dern, the child actors, & the rest are good enough to see the film (and they are, really), but it's really ALL about those dinosaurs; they are a miracle of modern movie-making. Honest to God, credit to the special effects team - I felt like I was watching real, live, snorting, screaming, muscle-undulating 3D monsters onscreen. I mentioned the performances before. Everyone does their job and does it well. Through them, we feel as if we are these characters as they try to dodge the dinos. As Ian, Jeff Goldblum is a riot. Alan & Ellie make for a good onscreen couple. And there's an emotional character-building scene btwn. Ellie & Hammond late in the film, as well (we see Hammond's true colors). I pulled for these characters; that's what counts.
The story - well - it's great. Nothing mind-bending ... but the action serves the plot very, very well. The action is the driving force. That said, another part of that drive is the growing relationship btwn. self-confessed child-hater, Alan & Hammond's 2 grandchildren. And as far as the scientific premise goes, it helps that said premise, while based in a pseudo-reality, sounds like it 'could' work non-fictionally. It's acceptable. But most people will enjoy the film for its more visceral elements, anyway. They want to ooh, aah, jump, cower, clutch, & scream. And indeed, my own pulse-pounded when I 1st watched it. The dinosaurs themselves are something to behold; equally majestic as they are terrifying. There is one scene in which an angry T-Rex cat-&-mouses 2 powerless electric cars with our protagonists trapped inside them. It's the scene I'll remember most.
Overall, 'Jurassic Park' succeeds because it is perfect colossal entertainment; the type of movie where audiences will stare bug-eyed at the screen while their hand keeps digging into the popcorn bag. I LOVE those types of movies. The editing of the chase sequences is scintillating. The cinematography, sets, sound design, & aforementioned effects are incredible. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, et al are super. It's hard to ask for much more in a summer blockbuster. 'JP' will surely be one of my favorite films of the early 1990's.