'JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM' (2018) REVIEW
J.A Bayona presents a new addition to the Jurassic Park franchise with not only Sci-Fi and adventure but the inclusion of classic horror. It was quite clear what the tone of the film was going to be once Bayona was associated with Jurassic World. Like his previous work, Bayona focuses on the horror genre, making the film's tone very dark in comparison to Colin Trevarrow's Jurassic World (2015). Jurassic World marketing portrayed a family fun adventure at a dinosaur park whereas the sequel presents a dark story about the park's dinosaurs.
I remember watching the original Jurassic Park (1993) on VHS every day when I was a toddler. Stephen Spielberg is a great storyteller but that was already known since Jaws, E.T and Indiana Jones. Jurassic Park was known for its use of animatronics as well as using practical effects more than digital effects / CGI. It brought the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park to life and looks so real that it really does scare you as an audience. I would watch the original trilogy and still get frightened. It goes to show that CGI does not always make films look real or believable enough as practical effects. Nowadays, as an audience member, I can just pick out what is set props and what is CGI.
When 'Jurassic World' (2015) was first announced, I was already excited. The teaser didn't show much but when the trailer came out, I was ready to go watch the film but I was a little confused. Those who watched dinosaur films would be confused to how and why Owen (portrayed by Chris Pratt) bond with raptors and ride a motorbike with them by his side. I thought that was a bit too much because it reminded me of a superhero film rather than a Sci-Fi film that I know. I was also concerned about the CGI that was used for the dinosaurs in the trailer bit thought I should watch the film first and see if they used CGI more than animatronics / practical effects or the other way round. Jurassic Park is known for its use of animatronics / practical effects so I hoped for them to continue using this strategy of making films.
After watching the movie, I was amazed. The special effects and the storytelling were just great. I was so excited about the film that I went to watch it again and I was still excited. Though, I was a little disappointed that they used digital effects more than practical effects however I was then aware that motion capture was used for the raptors (for reference) and there was a scene where Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were able to act with an animatronic brachiosaurus. So that felt real and the behind the scenes shows how they made the prop and footages of Chris and Bryce interacting with the dinosaur prop.
Now; Jurassic World 2 released its first official teaser images a year ago and it gave a hint of the tone. It looked quite dark but there was just not much to dissect from the image. When the first teaser video came out, I was not as excited to be honest. With 'Avengers: Infinity War', 'Deadpool 2' and 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' coming out around the same time, Jurassic World 2 had to present something new and interesting. The teaser, however, just showed a rescue operation and nothing else so there wasn't much to be excited about. Now after the first trailer came out, the story was much clearer.
From the trailer, it shows a rescue operation with Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) leading a team to rescue as many dinosaurs as they can from a volcanic eruption on the island, Isla Nublar / Costa Rica. However, they all were set up to believe that they were saving dinosaurs when they were in fact helping an organisation to take in as many dinosaurs as they can to auction off to the rich. This sounded and looked a lot better than the teasers. It made me want to go watch it because it was new. Selling dinosaurs... what could go wrong?
Now after watching the film, there's a lot to discuss about. The production of the film, animatronics, practical effects, digital effects, CGI etc. The director and his way of storytelling. The characters and their development, new characters as well as the dinosaurs and the new 'Indoraptor'. The behind-the-scenes footages, Jurassic World 3, and the future of the franchise.
There has been a lot more use of animatronics in this film compared to the previous film. JA Bayona was determined to do this and it does help the film in terms of realism. Personally, I wasn't completely afraid of the dinosaurs when I was watching Jurassic World; I wanted the same feeling as going into the first Jurassic Park film. However, this film manages to capture realism during certain parts such as the cage scene with Owen, Claire, and the T- Rex. A real T-Rex animatronic was used for this scene and it does help the actors to know what they are interacting with and for them to easily act in a scene without visualising everything - that takes a lot of trust in the editing team on big budget films.
I'm assuming most of the dinosaurs were CGI (during the 1st act - volcanic eruption). The last scene of the island was my personal favourite because it was emotional; being it the end of the theme park and the extinction of the dinosaurs left on the island. Specifically, the brachiosaurus scene; it was hard to watch. The soundtrack over the scene made it even harder to watch. JA Bayona mentioned in an interview that the scene where the last dinosaur to be seen on screen (on the island) was always going to be a brachiosaurus. They were the first dinosaurs to be seen on the island in 'Jurassic Park' (1993) and they were last dinosaurs to be seen on the island in this latest film. It's nostalgic and I think it's more emotional when it's an innocent animal.
As for the characters in the film; Owen and Claire return and they're not together... again in the film. I thought it was unnecessary to have them break up before this film because the audience will know that they'll get back together again and it won't be meaningful because we've seen this before. There's no development in their relationship. The only person who has developed is Claire. She is more aware of the dinosaurs being living creatures and not just an attraction as she leads a dinosaur protection group and is vocal about saving the lives of dinosaurs from the island. Whereas Owen is still the same adventurous raptor 'tamer'. Nothing new. Chris Pratt is still hilarious in this film though.
The new characters include Justice Smith as Franklin Webb and Daniella Pineda as Zia Rodriguez. Not much character or character development. They just happen to be in the dinosaur protection group with Claire. One is scared and other is bad ass but they both have no input to the story and do not affect the narrative.
We see all the dinosaurs from the first Jurassic World film and a couple of new ones such as the Carnotaurus who only appears during the first act of the film. That is until she is killed by the T-Rex within seconds (seen in the trailer and film) and the Baryonyx which seems really cool. It reminds me of the Spinosaurus from 'Jurassic Park 3' (2001) when it kept chasing the lead characters throughout the film. As for the new Indoraptor; it is clever, almost human-like as in the way it smiles during one of the tensest scenes. Every time it finds a way to get out of a situation and the way it hunts and thinks - it just shows the cruel and unethical things Doctor Henry Wu has done to make this creation. It also goes to show what humans can be like. This doctor was just in one scene in 'Jurassic Park' (1993) and it's interesting to see more about his character and what he has created over the years. What could happen when you give power to one being and what he chooses to do with that power? And he has chosen to make a monster as a scientific experiment... rather than a dinosaur to admire life before humankind.
It was a great marketing strategy to showcase some behind the scene footages on set of 'Jurassic World'. For any film buffs, it's great so see what really goes behind the CGI and action sequences and also insights to what the actors go through. Chris Pratt introduces some of the people who helped out on set, job roles we (the audience) would have thought were needed. That was fun to see, however, I did think of not to watch them as they were some sort of spoilers, to me anyway.
We end with neither a cliffhanger nor an ending to a story. It is the second act of the story and there's one more film to come to complete the 'Jurassic World' franchise. It is now obvious why Colin Trevarrow has called it World. The Earth now has now become the dinosaurs home too. It reminds me of 'Planet of the Apes'. It has been done before and that franchise has been successful but with dinosaurs. A few numbers of dinosaurs are now out in the world, free. Only until 2022 will we know the direction Trevarrow will take in the final chapter of 'Jurassic World'. We have our theories and think we know what will happen in the third part but is that the end of the franchise for Jurassic Park. Will there be more stories? Can there be more?
Any movie goers and fans have said it wasn't a good film. I have to disagree. For someone who has grown up watching dinosaur films and has loved dinosaurs because of 'Jurassic Park', the film really gives that nostalgic feeling and dinosaur fun. I still enjoyed the film because they took a turn. Some people say it added nothing to the story but did it not? It got people questioning the ending. Is it really becoming the world of the dinosaurs? Has it lead to human vs dinosaurs (survival of the fittest)?
Now; Jurassic World 2 released its first official teaser images a year ago and it gave a hint of the tone. It looked quite dark but there was just not much to dissect from the image. When the first teaser video came out, I was not as excited to be honest. With 'Avengers: Infinity War', 'Deadpool 2' and 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' coming out around the same time, Jurassic World 2 had to present something new and interesting. The teaser, however, just showed a rescue operation and nothing else so there wasn't much to be excited about. Now after the first trailer came out, the story was much clearer.
From the trailer, it shows a rescue operation with Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) leading a team to rescue as many dinosaurs as they can from a volcanic eruption on the island, Isla Nublar / Costa Rica. However, they all were set up to believe that they were saving dinosaurs when they were in fact helping an organisation to take in as many dinosaurs as they can to auction off to the rich. This sounded and looked a lot better than the teasers. It made me want to go watch it because it was new. Selling dinosaurs... what could go wrong?
Now after watching the film, there's a lot to discuss about. The production of the film, animatronics, practical effects, digital effects, CGI etc. The director and his way of storytelling. The characters and their development, new characters as well as the dinosaurs and the new 'Indoraptor'. The behind-the-scenes footages, Jurassic World 3, and the future of the franchise.
There has been a lot more use of animatronics in this film compared to the previous film. JA Bayona was determined to do this and it does help the film in terms of realism. Personally, I wasn't completely afraid of the dinosaurs when I was watching Jurassic World; I wanted the same feeling as going into the first Jurassic Park film. However, this film manages to capture realism during certain parts such as the cage scene with Owen, Claire, and the T- Rex. A real T-Rex animatronic was used for this scene and it does help the actors to know what they are interacting with and for them to easily act in a scene without visualising everything - that takes a lot of trust in the editing team on big budget films.
I'm assuming most of the dinosaurs were CGI (during the 1st act - volcanic eruption). The last scene of the island was my personal favourite because it was emotional; being it the end of the theme park and the extinction of the dinosaurs left on the island. Specifically, the brachiosaurus scene; it was hard to watch. The soundtrack over the scene made it even harder to watch. JA Bayona mentioned in an interview that the scene where the last dinosaur to be seen on screen (on the island) was always going to be a brachiosaurus. They were the first dinosaurs to be seen on the island in 'Jurassic Park' (1993) and they were last dinosaurs to be seen on the island in this latest film. It's nostalgic and I think it's more emotional when it's an innocent animal.
As for the characters in the film; Owen and Claire return and they're not together... again in the film. I thought it was unnecessary to have them break up before this film because the audience will know that they'll get back together again and it won't be meaningful because we've seen this before. There's no development in their relationship. The only person who has developed is Claire. She is more aware of the dinosaurs being living creatures and not just an attraction as she leads a dinosaur protection group and is vocal about saving the lives of dinosaurs from the island. Whereas Owen is still the same adventurous raptor 'tamer'. Nothing new. Chris Pratt is still hilarious in this film though.
The new characters include Justice Smith as Franklin Webb and Daniella Pineda as Zia Rodriguez. Not much character or character development. They just happen to be in the dinosaur protection group with Claire. One is scared and other is bad ass but they both have no input to the story and do not affect the narrative.
We see all the dinosaurs from the first Jurassic World film and a couple of new ones such as the Carnotaurus who only appears during the first act of the film. That is until she is killed by the T-Rex within seconds (seen in the trailer and film) and the Baryonyx which seems really cool. It reminds me of the Spinosaurus from 'Jurassic Park 3' (2001) when it kept chasing the lead characters throughout the film. As for the new Indoraptor; it is clever, almost human-like as in the way it smiles during one of the tensest scenes. Every time it finds a way to get out of a situation and the way it hunts and thinks - it just shows the cruel and unethical things Doctor Henry Wu has done to make this creation. It also goes to show what humans can be like. This doctor was just in one scene in 'Jurassic Park' (1993) and it's interesting to see more about his character and what he has created over the years. What could happen when you give power to one being and what he chooses to do with that power? And he has chosen to make a monster as a scientific experiment... rather than a dinosaur to admire life before humankind.
We end with neither a cliffhanger nor an ending to a story. It is the second act of the story and there's one more film to come to complete the 'Jurassic World' franchise. It is now obvious why Colin Trevarrow has called it World. The Earth now has now become the dinosaurs home too. It reminds me of 'Planet of the Apes'. It has been done before and that franchise has been successful but with dinosaurs. A few numbers of dinosaurs are now out in the world, free. Only until 2022 will we know the direction Trevarrow will take in the final chapter of 'Jurassic World'. We have our theories and think we know what will happen in the third part but is that the end of the franchise for Jurassic Park. Will there be more stories? Can there be more?
Any movie goers and fans have said it wasn't a good film. I have to disagree. For someone who has grown up watching dinosaur films and has loved dinosaurs because of 'Jurassic Park', the film really gives that nostalgic feeling and dinosaur fun. I still enjoyed the film because they took a turn. Some people say it added nothing to the story but did it not? It got people questioning the ending. Is it really becoming the world of the dinosaurs? Has it lead to human vs dinosaurs (survival of the fittest)?
It's a tense film to watch, it's still adventurous and different because it adds an element of horror.
IMDb rating: 6.5/10
My rating: 8/10
My rating: 8/10
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Well, that was too soon, I did write this review a month ago and luckily, I kept the text so I could easily copy and paste onto here.
Here's what I should be writing up soon:
👉 Film recommendations
👉 Incredibles 2 review
👉 Anne with an E review
Sabina 🦁
