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The Story
22 years have gone past, since a man named John Hammond had his grand wish to come true, where living and breathing dinosaurs were to walk amongst us humans, as one hell of a revolutionary tourist attraction. But before the park even got to open for tourists, the dream turned to a horrifying nightmare, and "life found a way" around the numerous technological features that would otherwise keep the dead species under deadly control. But now, the park has finally become a reality and made available to a global audience. Jurassic World is the biggest of all tourist attractions, no matter where in the world you are. But as soon as children and adults are getting more and more used to the idea of ancient animals existing on our planet, the prehistoric species suddenly becomes nothing more than overgrown elephants and enlarged crocodiles, and the hungry audience is looking for something that is bigger and more extreme than what the park has to offer. This issue encourage the managers and investors of the park to turn towards a possibility of a genetically modified hybrid, where technology of today clashes with life from the past, which makes the idea of a completely new creation possible, wherein the only limit is your imagination. Not even span, spirit or species can come between Frankenstein's monster of the year 2015 – Indominus Rex. But mankind’s hunger for more than they can swallow, unsurprisingly backfires, and suddenly they have created a monster which swallows everything from animals to park visitors, and the “dream park” is once again on the verge of falling together with reality, in the most frightening way you could imagine.
Before we get started here, I must honestly admit that I was quite nervous about the giant reunion with the likable lost world. After the third film was released a staggering fourteen years ago, and almost single-handedly caused the series to dive into total extinction, it is frankly hard to imagine ever experiencing the universe from a "lost time" ever again – would we ever get to hear the iconic roar from a tyrannosaurus rex, without having to dig out and dust off the old films from our collection at home? But finally it is here, the day where our dreams come true – and not only the franchise is back on track - even the park itself is now a fully functioning theme park with prehistoric beings of all sizes, shapes and colors. But is it worth a visit? You bet it is...
'Jurassic World' is perhaps a bit systematic in its story; slightly predictable in its approach; but in return it is also enormously entertaining in its revitalizing execution of earlier extinction! Colin Trevorrow, the man who controls the fun in the park this time around, apparently knows exactly how to deliver a jaw-smashing creature feature, which makes for a jaw-dropping audience in the theater. Pretty much against all odds, the fourth film about the prehistoric lizards is a solid success, and the director has succeeded in modulating his monster vision for all generations to enjoy – whether you are young or old; fan or first-time traveler - 'Jurassic World' takes you on a turbulent trip through the tropical terrain; and I can promise you that you will at least be entertained! As I said before, Colin Trevorrow grinds every cornerstone of a guaranteed success, which eventually makes a sequel come to live. One could almost call 'Jurassic World' a chemical construction, which has been conceived from the first two films in the franchise – because this film definitely clones here and there from the past – but everything is done with tolerable respect and in favor of the sequel in discussion. I always looked at it like this: the formula for a successful sequel mainly consists of the following parts – a reimagining and present modernization of previous plot lines, a further development of the original universe, a tightening of the overall scale, and lastly, a couple of references to previous films. To those who doubt this statement, they can simply look up successes like 'Aliens' and 'Terminator 2' – both just so happens to be directed by James Cameron. Are ‘Jurassic World’ comparable to these? No, they are million years apart from each other, but the basic formula is the same if you think about it.
Looking past the places where the film stays in touch with familiar framework, there are certainly places where the framework cracks, and even a few places where it gets broken completely, which leaves a breath of fresh air for us to enjoy – or maybe I should say “a ground-shaking roar” that can be felt in the upper end of the Richter scale. In any case, there is also new stuff to be found in the film. Well, it is said, that a film is only as good as its villain, and precisely in this case it fits the proclamation perfectly. Just as with the genetic and frenetic main attraction, Indominus Rex, the film itself also took a stroll to the "laboratory" where a quantity of familiar forces was joined together, to eventually form a single concentrated power – a force bigger, crazier and more innovative, but still holds some well-known components if you choose to look for them. This is 'Jurassic World' in all its simplicity... and it works excellently!
That being said, it is perhaps only a natural progression for the series to present the park as a functioning holiday destination, where the species diversity has been doubled; technology has been tripled; while all the problems has been quadrupled. But then you might ask whether the film, during its excessive expansion, in this case will disappear deeply into a mishmash of maximum “computer chaos”, as we have come to know it from most of today's noisy blockbusters... Well, somewhat surprisingly, the answer is actually “no” in my opinion. It has somehow succeeded Colin Trevorrow to upscale the prehistoric universe as we know it, while still preserving a portion of the movielike magic and lovely charm, which the first film shaped much of its success from. There are also plenty of scenes delivered with a wink and a touch of self-awareness, which will truly take you back to the first film. It is no ‘Jurassic Park’ by any means, but it is more than what we could have hoped for since the atrocious archaeological misstep with the third film.
The Acting
'Jurassic World' is not exactly a true marvel at the actor front, but who on earth travels to "dinosaur destruction" only to observe humans anyways? I’m just joking here, because even though it is the dinosaurs who keep the whole “world” running smoothly, it is all the actors who are the actual powerhouse. Especially because this movie is far from an uninterrupted, excruciating and explosive extravaganza – there are actually dialogue-based scenes and interactions between the characters to be found – even if the dialogue can be predictable and plain; and the characters angular and unattractive. But after all, one should not weigh in too much on that particular area, and it is relatively easy to get carried away by the end of it. Particularly because the cast is pleasantly varied and filled with both new and old talents.
Someone worth mentioning is BD Wong, in the role of Henry Wu, who incidentally is the only recurring representative to appear in 'Jurassic World'. His role here is considerably larger and more interesting than in the first, which gives him the opportunity to show some abilities that travels beyond the art of concentrated egg-observation and data-detection, which was his main role in the first film. It is also a joy to see Bryce Dallas Howard back on the big screen, though I think her performance was slightly disappointing. Looking further through the cast, the film primarily consists of the newest faces of Hollywood, such as Omar Sy and Ty Simpkins, who made themselves noticed in 'The Intouchables' and 'Insidious', respectively. Finally, there is of course none other than Star Lord in the flesh – or that airy-fairy fella from Spike Jonze’s 'Her' – it all depends on how you see it. But no matter how you choose to twist and turn it, Chris Pratt an extremely popular dude at this time, and after his performance in 'Guardians of the Galaxy' there is no doubt that his talents has been a popular demand. His role in 'Jurassic World' as laid-back “lizard expert” suits him quite well, and he is an important part in pulling home this monstrous piece of work.
The Technical Aspect
Despite being pretty much stripped of practical effects, the computer-generated ones are actually so great and entertaining, that one often find oneself in complete fossil hypnosis. Especially the raptors are extremely impressive to look at, and even though I had pre-ticked the lack of practical dinosaurs on my board of problems, I saw myself being fairly amazed by the end result. But it must be said, that many of the major external buildings and interior technological architectures are all built from scratch, so there is absolutely still a sense of authenticity when you flies through the park.
Although the film more or less looks great, I had hoped for a little more technical flair and exciting executions of various scenes, coming from the director's side. Everything feels a bit too uninspired by the way it has been filmed, and although it looks quite dazzling when you are left to dwell over the beautiful landscapes, the movie itself seems to be missing a little more life and richness in my opinion. Despite the warm tropical colors, it occasionally feels slightly sterile and stiff. But fortunately though, there is enough life in the park itself to keep us all fairly happy, and after all this is only a minor complaint of contention in the film.
The Soundscape
Aaaaaaah... The feeling of unadulterated nostalgia rushes in over you when hearing John Williams' great composition from the first film. This element is certainly an important part in overturning the audience and get them to look past the problems of the film, simply because they can’t remove their focus from the familiar and iconic melody ... The soundscape is of course also filled with new pieces of music that goes perfectly with the prehistoric world, while there are also some classic dinosaurs that resonates back to their original roots. Ultimately, when it all comes down to it, 'Jurassic World' knows how to roar in the right tone!
______________________________________________
SHORT SUMMARY // Director, Colin Trevorrow, almost looks to be related to the “father of feather-free reptiles", John Hammond, if you take a quick look at his grandiose vision and not least the ability to work a theme park directly into the abyss. But of course, the latter is only a delight to the audience, and there is certainly a lot to experience with 'Jurassic World'. The film is an irrepressible animal adventure, which manages to preserve parts of the old spirit, while some fantasy-filled features is being built around it. To visit 'Jurassic World' is like a great theme park ride through heartwarming nostalgia and modern technological expertise. It feels like controlled monster mythology at its finest, and I wonder if another trip to Isla Nublar is a probability in the near future? "Yes please, one ticket to more reptilian ruin, thank you!"
FINAL RATING // +
MovieMeditation presents...
Movie Review: Jurassic World
directed by Colin Trevorrow
______________________________________________
The park is open
Welcome to Jurassic World!
______________________________________________
For more than 65 million years ago, our beloved planet invaded by overgrown birds and long-legged retro reptiles; very captivating creatures, which are probably better known today as dinosaurs, whether you are an obsessive archaeologist or a common knowledgeable individual. All these primitive species lived for and against each other for many years prior to the fateful meteor, which leveled their entire existence to the ground – whether harmless herbivores or ferocious predator – they all turned to mutual ashes, and blew away with the wind. But suddenly one day, millions of years later, something happened, and dinosaurs once again stepped into our world ...
The wonderful visual genius behind it all, was a man named Steven Spielberg, and with a notorious history in the revival of extinct and non-existing species, such as extraterrestrials, he was the perfect man for this job. But the reality of restoring inexistent species into a new time is definitely a huge and dangerous risk, and even though many were extremely amazed as the ancient colossuses were reintroduced to our world, things ultimately went wrong after all, on the island of Isla Nublar. Mankind still hadn’t grasped that a realization of a meeting between two species, who are millions of years apart, is a battle lost in advance. But even if there had been less time in between, it would still have been a failure. Because now, only 22 years later, another group of people replicate the same mistakes they committed for no more than two decades ago. As humans, we have not even learned from our own species, and yet we choose to recreate a different species from scratch... Phew, good thing this isn’t reality... At least not yet.
______________________________________________
Movie Review: Jurassic World
directed by Colin Trevorrow
______________________________________________
The park is open
Welcome to Jurassic World!
______________________________________________
For more than 65 million years ago, our beloved planet invaded by overgrown birds and long-legged retro reptiles; very captivating creatures, which are probably better known today as dinosaurs, whether you are an obsessive archaeologist or a common knowledgeable individual. All these primitive species lived for and against each other for many years prior to the fateful meteor, which leveled their entire existence to the ground – whether harmless herbivores or ferocious predator – they all turned to mutual ashes, and blew away with the wind. But suddenly one day, millions of years later, something happened, and dinosaurs once again stepped into our world ...
The wonderful visual genius behind it all, was a man named Steven Spielberg, and with a notorious history in the revival of extinct and non-existing species, such as extraterrestrials, he was the perfect man for this job. But the reality of restoring inexistent species into a new time is definitely a huge and dangerous risk, and even though many were extremely amazed as the ancient colossuses were reintroduced to our world, things ultimately went wrong after all, on the island of Isla Nublar. Mankind still hadn’t grasped that a realization of a meeting between two species, who are millions of years apart, is a battle lost in advance. But even if there had been less time in between, it would still have been a failure. Because now, only 22 years later, another group of people replicate the same mistakes they committed for no more than two decades ago. As humans, we have not even learned from our own species, and yet we choose to recreate a different species from scratch... Phew, good thing this isn’t reality... At least not yet.
______________________________________________
The Story
22 years have gone past, since a man named John Hammond had his grand wish to come true, where living and breathing dinosaurs were to walk amongst us humans, as one hell of a revolutionary tourist attraction. But before the park even got to open for tourists, the dream turned to a horrifying nightmare, and "life found a way" around the numerous technological features that would otherwise keep the dead species under deadly control. But now, the park has finally become a reality and made available to a global audience. Jurassic World is the biggest of all tourist attractions, no matter where in the world you are. But as soon as children and adults are getting more and more used to the idea of ancient animals existing on our planet, the prehistoric species suddenly becomes nothing more than overgrown elephants and enlarged crocodiles, and the hungry audience is looking for something that is bigger and more extreme than what the park has to offer. This issue encourage the managers and investors of the park to turn towards a possibility of a genetically modified hybrid, where technology of today clashes with life from the past, which makes the idea of a completely new creation possible, wherein the only limit is your imagination. Not even span, spirit or species can come between Frankenstein's monster of the year 2015 – Indominus Rex. But mankind’s hunger for more than they can swallow, unsurprisingly backfires, and suddenly they have created a monster which swallows everything from animals to park visitors, and the “dream park” is once again on the verge of falling together with reality, in the most frightening way you could imagine.
Before we get started here, I must honestly admit that I was quite nervous about the giant reunion with the likable lost world. After the third film was released a staggering fourteen years ago, and almost single-handedly caused the series to dive into total extinction, it is frankly hard to imagine ever experiencing the universe from a "lost time" ever again – would we ever get to hear the iconic roar from a tyrannosaurus rex, without having to dig out and dust off the old films from our collection at home? But finally it is here, the day where our dreams come true – and not only the franchise is back on track - even the park itself is now a fully functioning theme park with prehistoric beings of all sizes, shapes and colors. But is it worth a visit? You bet it is...
'Jurassic World' is perhaps a bit systematic in its story; slightly predictable in its approach; but in return it is also enormously entertaining in its revitalizing execution of earlier extinction! Colin Trevorrow, the man who controls the fun in the park this time around, apparently knows exactly how to deliver a jaw-smashing creature feature, which makes for a jaw-dropping audience in the theater. Pretty much against all odds, the fourth film about the prehistoric lizards is a solid success, and the director has succeeded in modulating his monster vision for all generations to enjoy – whether you are young or old; fan or first-time traveler - 'Jurassic World' takes you on a turbulent trip through the tropical terrain; and I can promise you that you will at least be entertained! As I said before, Colin Trevorrow grinds every cornerstone of a guaranteed success, which eventually makes a sequel come to live. One could almost call 'Jurassic World' a chemical construction, which has been conceived from the first two films in the franchise – because this film definitely clones here and there from the past – but everything is done with tolerable respect and in favor of the sequel in discussion. I always looked at it like this: the formula for a successful sequel mainly consists of the following parts – a reimagining and present modernization of previous plot lines, a further development of the original universe, a tightening of the overall scale, and lastly, a couple of references to previous films. To those who doubt this statement, they can simply look up successes like 'Aliens' and 'Terminator 2' – both just so happens to be directed by James Cameron. Are ‘Jurassic World’ comparable to these? No, they are million years apart from each other, but the basic formula is the same if you think about it.
Looking past the places where the film stays in touch with familiar framework, there are certainly places where the framework cracks, and even a few places where it gets broken completely, which leaves a breath of fresh air for us to enjoy – or maybe I should say “a ground-shaking roar” that can be felt in the upper end of the Richter scale. In any case, there is also new stuff to be found in the film. Well, it is said, that a film is only as good as its villain, and precisely in this case it fits the proclamation perfectly. Just as with the genetic and frenetic main attraction, Indominus Rex, the film itself also took a stroll to the "laboratory" where a quantity of familiar forces was joined together, to eventually form a single concentrated power – a force bigger, crazier and more innovative, but still holds some well-known components if you choose to look for them. This is 'Jurassic World' in all its simplicity... and it works excellently!
That being said, it is perhaps only a natural progression for the series to present the park as a functioning holiday destination, where the species diversity has been doubled; technology has been tripled; while all the problems has been quadrupled. But then you might ask whether the film, during its excessive expansion, in this case will disappear deeply into a mishmash of maximum “computer chaos”, as we have come to know it from most of today's noisy blockbusters... Well, somewhat surprisingly, the answer is actually “no” in my opinion. It has somehow succeeded Colin Trevorrow to upscale the prehistoric universe as we know it, while still preserving a portion of the movielike magic and lovely charm, which the first film shaped much of its success from. There are also plenty of scenes delivered with a wink and a touch of self-awareness, which will truly take you back to the first film. It is no ‘Jurassic Park’ by any means, but it is more than what we could have hoped for since the atrocious archaeological misstep with the third film.
The Acting
'Jurassic World' is not exactly a true marvel at the actor front, but who on earth travels to "dinosaur destruction" only to observe humans anyways? I’m just joking here, because even though it is the dinosaurs who keep the whole “world” running smoothly, it is all the actors who are the actual powerhouse. Especially because this movie is far from an uninterrupted, excruciating and explosive extravaganza – there are actually dialogue-based scenes and interactions between the characters to be found – even if the dialogue can be predictable and plain; and the characters angular and unattractive. But after all, one should not weigh in too much on that particular area, and it is relatively easy to get carried away by the end of it. Particularly because the cast is pleasantly varied and filled with both new and old talents.
Someone worth mentioning is BD Wong, in the role of Henry Wu, who incidentally is the only recurring representative to appear in 'Jurassic World'. His role here is considerably larger and more interesting than in the first, which gives him the opportunity to show some abilities that travels beyond the art of concentrated egg-observation and data-detection, which was his main role in the first film. It is also a joy to see Bryce Dallas Howard back on the big screen, though I think her performance was slightly disappointing. Looking further through the cast, the film primarily consists of the newest faces of Hollywood, such as Omar Sy and Ty Simpkins, who made themselves noticed in 'The Intouchables' and 'Insidious', respectively. Finally, there is of course none other than Star Lord in the flesh – or that airy-fairy fella from Spike Jonze’s 'Her' – it all depends on how you see it. But no matter how you choose to twist and turn it, Chris Pratt an extremely popular dude at this time, and after his performance in 'Guardians of the Galaxy' there is no doubt that his talents has been a popular demand. His role in 'Jurassic World' as laid-back “lizard expert” suits him quite well, and he is an important part in pulling home this monstrous piece of work.
The Technical Aspect
Despite being pretty much stripped of practical effects, the computer-generated ones are actually so great and entertaining, that one often find oneself in complete fossil hypnosis. Especially the raptors are extremely impressive to look at, and even though I had pre-ticked the lack of practical dinosaurs on my board of problems, I saw myself being fairly amazed by the end result. But it must be said, that many of the major external buildings and interior technological architectures are all built from scratch, so there is absolutely still a sense of authenticity when you flies through the park.
Although the film more or less looks great, I had hoped for a little more technical flair and exciting executions of various scenes, coming from the director's side. Everything feels a bit too uninspired by the way it has been filmed, and although it looks quite dazzling when you are left to dwell over the beautiful landscapes, the movie itself seems to be missing a little more life and richness in my opinion. Despite the warm tropical colors, it occasionally feels slightly sterile and stiff. But fortunately though, there is enough life in the park itself to keep us all fairly happy, and after all this is only a minor complaint of contention in the film.
The Soundscape
Aaaaaaah... The feeling of unadulterated nostalgia rushes in over you when hearing John Williams' great composition from the first film. This element is certainly an important part in overturning the audience and get them to look past the problems of the film, simply because they can’t remove their focus from the familiar and iconic melody ... The soundscape is of course also filled with new pieces of music that goes perfectly with the prehistoric world, while there are also some classic dinosaurs that resonates back to their original roots. Ultimately, when it all comes down to it, 'Jurassic World' knows how to roar in the right tone!
______________________________________________
SHORT SUMMARY // Director, Colin Trevorrow, almost looks to be related to the “father of feather-free reptiles", John Hammond, if you take a quick look at his grandiose vision and not least the ability to work a theme park directly into the abyss. But of course, the latter is only a delight to the audience, and there is certainly a lot to experience with 'Jurassic World'. The film is an irrepressible animal adventure, which manages to preserve parts of the old spirit, while some fantasy-filled features is being built around it. To visit 'Jurassic World' is like a great theme park ride through heartwarming nostalgia and modern technological expertise. It feels like controlled monster mythology at its finest, and I wonder if another trip to Isla Nublar is a probability in the near future? "Yes please, one ticket to more reptilian ruin, thank you!"
FINAL RATING // +