The original Jurassic Park was heralded as an adventure 65 million year in the making. Nearly 30 years on from that, the franchise faces an extinction level event in the form of Jurassic Park: Dominion.
It is destined to be compared to the Star Wars legacy sequel trilogy. The first being an updated carbon copy of the original, the second film splitting the fandom by moving the franchise in a new direction, and the third being a bitterly disappointing ending that abandons anything new and interesting in favour of retreading old steps.
Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live–and hunt–alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures in a new Era.
Like or loathe Fallen Kingdom, it ended on a tantilising note. The dinosaurs were off the .
So imagine the disappointment that the battle for dominance at the top of the food chain across a global stage is eschewed in favour of bringing everyone back to a self contained reserve/park to investigate a bizarre subplot involving genetically modified locusts… no really.
Forget about one of their dinosaurs is missing. Here we are talking about missing plot, characterisation, excitement and chemistry. The story is non-sensical, plodding like a Diplodocus and retcons several plot developments only introduced in the previous film.
However there are glimmers of genius. A black market in Malta, followed by an exciting chase scene, show us the reality of what the underworld would do if the illegal trade of dinosaurs was real. Along with the dangerous consequences. If only life found a way to give us that movie.
Those critical of the critics tearing the movie to shreds like a raptor with poor old Muldoon will say “we don’t go to Jurassic Park films for the story. We go to see dinosaurs eating people”.
Well prepare to be disappointed because the body count is insanely low. There are no real stakes and as it never feels like any of the main cast are in any real danger, the film is devoid of tension or suspense.
The dinosaurs of course have never been the real villains of the piece. They have just done what nature intended them to. It is the humans who are the real enemy. The villain here is one Lewis Dodgson. Who you may ask? “Dodgson. We’ve got Dodgson here. See, nobody cares”. Never mind his plan to control the world’s food supply through his locusts, the most confusing aspect of his return is the moment he grabs the infamous Barbasol can. Meant to confirm to the audience he is the original character (now played by Campbell Scott) it only brings up the question of how on earth he got it. Dug up from the mud near Nedry’s demise on a scouting trip to the island?! The only thing worse than his nefarious scheme is Scott’s performance. Destined to go down as one of the worst blockbuster villains of recent years, what is it about actors that feel all corporate CEOs need to be played as a twitchy, socially awkward Steve Jobs-type?
This is a series, similar to a mosquito encased in amber, that is stuck in the past. In a bid to breathe fresh life into the sequel, it splices in some DNA from the original trilogy, bringing back Grant, Satler and Malcolm. Neill, Dern and Goldblum have still got it, exuding a natural chemistry and bring a seasoned professionalism, one that is unable to be matched by the rest of the cast. It is just a shame, the plot does not give them much to do. It’s as if the filmmakers got them back and instead of giving them a meaningful ark, they slapped them on a plastic lunchbox and started selling them.
What what it someone famously said, “you were too busy proving you could that you didn’t stop to think if you should”. Jeff Goldblum rolling back the years to manically quip with an unbuttoned shirt is sadly not enough to save Jurassic World from extinction.
Ultimately Jurassic World: Dominion is the worst thing to happen to the dinosaurs since that meteor 65 million years ago. This is how a franchise dies. With raptor-less applause.
Jurassic World: Dominion is in cinemas now
Rating: 
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum
Runtime: 146 minutes
Country: USA
