Jurassic World: Dominion (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
1993's Jurassic Park is, for me, one of the very best cinema entertainments of all-time. It spawned two considerable lesser sequels. And it was re-booted in 2015 with Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World {fun/decent}, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom {woeful}, and this final sequel - so they say - arrives now to great fanfare. 'Jurassic World: Dominion' is certainly better than the previous hot mess, but overall, while it offers great fun in parts - and the welcomed return of our 3 leads from the original 1993 film - it ends up being a hit & miss affair. 2022's Top Gun: Maverick is the rare sequel that trumps the original's quality. Can't say the same this time.
This movie picks up a few yrs. after 2018's Fallen Kingdom as dinosaurs & humans are co-existing. The corporation Biosyn Genetics has created a sanctuary where dinos can live peacefully & genetic testing can occur. Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) & Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) are working to rescue dinosaurs from the wilderness & illegal breeding facilities. Owen's favorite velociraptor, Blue, is still nearby. C & O are also trying to keep Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) safe from people who want to study her genetic cloning {remember that from the last film? Ridiculous. Not to mention the dinosaur auction held at a mansion -- ugh}. Claire & Owen jump into action after Maisie & Blue's raptor baby are kidnapped by Biosyn poachers.
Meanwhile, paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern, yay) suspects that Biosyn has something to do with the swarms of giant genetically-altered locusts that are destroying the world food supply crops ... except for those planted with Biosyn seed. She goes to see paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill, yay) to ask for his help & to accompany her to Biosyn headquarters in Italy's Dolemite Mountains; she has obtained invite through good 'ole Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum, yay). Ellie is now divorced with adult kids so, naturally, sparks fly btwn. her & Alan, once again. The plot allows them a chance to rekindle the romance that never quite was.
At Biosyn, they are greeted by eccentric big tech CEO, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott). Lewis tells them how their research could cure diseases, but Ian is ready to help Ellie & Alan find uncover the truth behind the locust issue & how the company uses dinosaur DNA. In Malta, Claire & Owen grapple with a host of dinosaurs as they try to evade Dodgson's goons & track down Maisie. This results in a nexus of chase scenes, and the intro of two new characters who aid our protagonists: 'cool under pressure' Ramsay Cole (Mamoudou Athie), & Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise), a wisecracking, but kick*ss smuggler pilot. The film peaks as the two sets of adventurers converge in the dinosaur mountain sanctuary. Chaos & resolution ensues.
This franchise finale is serviceable for more mainstream dinosaur-lovin' crowds and, the whole thing is saved by the trio of actors who made the original iconic Jurassic Park as memorable as it is. That said, those crowds looking for the 1993 magic won't find it here and, cynics will rightly exclaim that the screenplay here is weak sauce. But I just don't think it matters. Though locusts take-up a fair share of plot time, haha, we came for the dinosaurs, and do we ever GET dinosaurs {10 new types}. Dinos stalking around snowy mountains, dinos running aside horses, dinos with feathers, dinos with Freddy Kruger-like claws. And there are several tense & gripping cat-&-mouse sequences btwn. dinosaur & humans that we've come to enjoy through the years.
Now, I admire the top-notch visual effects, scintillating sound design & Michael Giacchino's stirring music. But while it's cool how the story unites the original characters with the reboot stars ... it just doesn't meld smoothly. Some developments feel implausible & forced. And as with the last film, the characterizations of Claire & Owen seem so different from the 1st film in THEIR series, that we instead throw all our chips on the tried-&-true 1993 characters who picked up right where they left off {consistent portrayals}. So despite missteps with plotting & characterizations, 'Dominion' still delivers enough popcorn-munching fun & edge-of-your-seat dinosaur action to entertain & conclude the franchise. Just don't expect a classic like the '93 original.
This movie picks up a few yrs. after 2018's Fallen Kingdom as dinosaurs & humans are co-existing. The corporation Biosyn Genetics has created a sanctuary where dinos can live peacefully & genetic testing can occur. Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) & Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) are working to rescue dinosaurs from the wilderness & illegal breeding facilities. Owen's favorite velociraptor, Blue, is still nearby. C & O are also trying to keep Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) safe from people who want to study her genetic cloning {remember that from the last film? Ridiculous. Not to mention the dinosaur auction held at a mansion -- ugh}. Claire & Owen jump into action after Maisie & Blue's raptor baby are kidnapped by Biosyn poachers.
Meanwhile, paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern, yay) suspects that Biosyn has something to do with the swarms of giant genetically-altered locusts that are destroying the world food supply crops ... except for those planted with Biosyn seed. She goes to see paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill, yay) to ask for his help & to accompany her to Biosyn headquarters in Italy's Dolemite Mountains; she has obtained invite through good 'ole Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum, yay). Ellie is now divorced with adult kids so, naturally, sparks fly btwn. her & Alan, once again. The plot allows them a chance to rekindle the romance that never quite was.
At Biosyn, they are greeted by eccentric big tech CEO, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott). Lewis tells them how their research could cure diseases, but Ian is ready to help Ellie & Alan find uncover the truth behind the locust issue & how the company uses dinosaur DNA. In Malta, Claire & Owen grapple with a host of dinosaurs as they try to evade Dodgson's goons & track down Maisie. This results in a nexus of chase scenes, and the intro of two new characters who aid our protagonists: 'cool under pressure' Ramsay Cole (Mamoudou Athie), & Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise), a wisecracking, but kick*ss smuggler pilot. The film peaks as the two sets of adventurers converge in the dinosaur mountain sanctuary. Chaos & resolution ensues.
This franchise finale is serviceable for more mainstream dinosaur-lovin' crowds and, the whole thing is saved by the trio of actors who made the original iconic Jurassic Park as memorable as it is. That said, those crowds looking for the 1993 magic won't find it here and, cynics will rightly exclaim that the screenplay here is weak sauce. But I just don't think it matters. Though locusts take-up a fair share of plot time, haha, we came for the dinosaurs, and do we ever GET dinosaurs {10 new types}. Dinos stalking around snowy mountains, dinos running aside horses, dinos with feathers, dinos with Freddy Kruger-like claws. And there are several tense & gripping cat-&-mouse sequences btwn. dinosaur & humans that we've come to enjoy through the years.
Now, I admire the top-notch visual effects, scintillating sound design & Michael Giacchino's stirring music. But while it's cool how the story unites the original characters with the reboot stars ... it just doesn't meld smoothly. Some developments feel implausible & forced. And as with the last film, the characterizations of Claire & Owen seem so different from the 1st film in THEIR series, that we instead throw all our chips on the tried-&-true 1993 characters who picked up right where they left off {consistent portrayals}. So despite missteps with plotting & characterizations, 'Dominion' still delivers enough popcorn-munching fun & edge-of-your-seat dinosaur action to entertain & conclude the franchise. Just don't expect a classic like the '93 original.