Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Already dominating the global market (China), the follow-up to 2015’s massively successful “Jurassic World” adds yet another layer of absurdity to the clever premise created by Michael Crichton way back in 1990. What started as a special effects novelty has become a full-fledged action franchise. Although it’s fun to see dinosaurs on-screen, it’s getting a little stale and is challenged to come up with bigger, badder predators and original chase scenarios.

Returning to Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica, we are treated to a startling revelation since we last saw our mad geneticists and secret billionaires; the dinosaurs didn’t die off. The second time around I mean. After a very cool opening sequence, the audience is faced with choosing sides; Darwinism, or save the dinos from the active volcano threatening to do them in yet again. The powers that be send in a team to collect survivors to ensure the species, but aren’t they all homegrown and female? Couldn’t it just be done all over again? Anyway, the wealthy suits behind the rescue operation obviously have an ulterior motive, and our heroes Owen and Claire need to save the day. And the dinos. And the civilians. And the world.

“Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom” has a little bit of everything, but not much depth. Visually it’s beautiful as there are underwater scenes, volcanic eruptions, a creepy museum/house/dungeon, and loads of reptilian species, most of which are conveniently described for the audience, including the new killing machine hybrid of the Indominus Rex and the Velociraptor, the creatively named Indoraptor. We also have plot twists (predictable), close calls galore, and even a little bit of humor. It’s pretty much everything you would come to expect from a Jurassic Park sequel, but it just doesn’t satisfy.

Chris Pratt returns as Owen Grady, a velociraptor trainer who may as well carry a lumberjack axe and a bottle of Brut everywhere he goes. He’s about as manly as they come, and seemingly the only one who has any common sense around giant meat-eating animals. Bryce Dallas Howard is Claire Dearing, a bleeding-heart dinosaur lover who just needs to admit that she’s into Owen. The two of them unfortunately lack any real chemistry, not that they would have any time or energy with all the running and jumping and nearly dying. The sexual tension takes a backseat to a half-baked plotline anyway, and it’s all just an excuse to cook up more dinosaur action.

Colin Trevorrow (“Jurassic World”) wrote the screenplay, but handed off directorial duties to J.A. Bayona (“A Monster Calls”). Bayona is a master of integrating CGI into his films, and this one is no different. The various dinosaurs take center stage with more screen time than in prior films, and that is what salvages the film’s zest. The Indoraptor is one tough customer. A tenacious and resilient foe, it kills indiscriminately and with animus, and the toe-tapping is a nice added touch.

What I truly appreciated was the detail in the CGI. $170-200 million can buy you a lot of techno-wiz magic and I think we’ve officially reached the time when anything is possible on-screen. There is no longer a need to hide behind what is simply impossible to show an audience. It’s a bit sad, but incredibly exciting at the same time. Literally anything is possible, and looks realistic when done right. That is the precise selling point of this film.

I do wish I had seen the film in IMAX, and perhaps even 3D. I tend to avoid the latter most of the time, but feel like for this one it may have been worth it. “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” is a fun summer film, but it reeks of stale ideas. The writers are throwing darts at a board and pouring money into special effects, but it’s going to turn a profit, so they will keep the sequels coming. I suppose if you like dinosaurs and a little bit of action, you’ll appreciate this film. I for one miss the magic of the original. 6/10.