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#447 - Jurassic World
Colin Trevorrow, 2015
A highly successful theme park where the main attraction is the presence of genetically engineered dinosaurs gets into trouble when a newly-bred dinosaur breaks free and wreaks havoc.
Jurassic Park was always going to be a tough act to follow. Its combination of ground-breaking special effects, rollercoaster narrative, and general fun-for-the-whole-family vibe were deftly combined to make for what was then the highest-grossing film ever made (and an erstwhile entry in my top 100 movies to boot). A couple of sequels followed, but they were both distinctly underwhelming follow-ups that couldn't replicate the magic of the original as they attempted to maintain the thrill of dinosaurs come back to life amidst the blatant recycling of the original's concepts or introducing terrible new ones. Even so, that didn't deter Hollywood and they eventually hit upon the idea of making a sequel that also effectively functioned as a reboot (that particular type of franchise installment . seems to be getting really popular these days). Though it does reference the events of the first film, this time around the theme park has not only been constructed and filled with dinosaurs but now it is a bona fide success that draws in thousands of customers a day. However, with the public getting used to the existence of dinosaurs and interest in the park dwindling as a result, the powers that be have decided to introduce a new attraction in the form of a genetically engineered dinosaur that combines several different types of dinosaur into one highly dangerous package. No prizes for guessing what happens next...
Ultimately, Jurassic World feels like one big exercise in cinematic self-awareness. It's not exactly subtle in its use of dialogue or plot developments that reflect its status as a film that knows it's not going to match up to its much-beloved source film but still wants its viewers to have some fun anyway. To this end, it peppers the film with all sorts of call-backs to the other films not just in the way of sight gags or references but also in its re-use of certain plot elements (and even recycles a few concepts from other films). In that regard, I have to wonder if the decision to make the film's main villain a genetic mix-and-match of many different beasts was a deliberate choice that reflects Jurassic World's true nature. Human characters feel like nigh-disposable plot devices that are occasionally bumped against one another to provide humour or otherwise provoke some emotion, but they all feel like extremely hollow archetypes that aren't exactly terrible but generally don't create much in the way of favourable impressions. They all just feel like means to an end in ways that not even the most talented of performers are able to rectify, even when trying to play things for.
Leaving aside the plot and characterisation that is the very definition of serviceable in its supporting of the spectacle that is the film's main draw. Given the greatly expanded scope of the action, one can sort of forgive how much the film depends on CGI in order to bring its creatures to life. What one may find it hard to forgive is the ridiculous sequences to which said CGI is applied, which feel weightless at best and ire-raising at worst due to the implications. All things considered, Jurassic World isn't a horrible film; it deserves credit for at least managing to wrangle a decent enough plot out of the series' main premise and adequately compensates for its extremely familiar characters by casting some decent actors. It also deserves credit for not being a mess when it comes to its gratuitous use of CGI. Unfortunately, all the clever call-backs and self-deprecating jokes aren't enough to make me totally forgive how this film still feels very inessential.
Colin Trevorrow, 2015
A highly successful theme park where the main attraction is the presence of genetically engineered dinosaurs gets into trouble when a newly-bred dinosaur breaks free and wreaks havoc.
Jurassic Park was always going to be a tough act to follow. Its combination of ground-breaking special effects, rollercoaster narrative, and general fun-for-the-whole-family vibe were deftly combined to make for what was then the highest-grossing film ever made (and an erstwhile entry in my top 100 movies to boot). A couple of sequels followed, but they were both distinctly underwhelming follow-ups that couldn't replicate the magic of the original as they attempted to maintain the thrill of dinosaurs come back to life amidst the blatant recycling of the original's concepts or introducing terrible new ones. Even so, that didn't deter Hollywood and they eventually hit upon the idea of making a sequel that also effectively functioned as a reboot (that particular type of franchise installment . seems to be getting really popular these days). Though it does reference the events of the first film, this time around the theme park has not only been constructed and filled with dinosaurs but now it is a bona fide success that draws in thousands of customers a day. However, with the public getting used to the existence of dinosaurs and interest in the park dwindling as a result, the powers that be have decided to introduce a new attraction in the form of a genetically engineered dinosaur that combines several different types of dinosaur into one highly dangerous package. No prizes for guessing what happens next...
Ultimately, Jurassic World feels like one big exercise in cinematic self-awareness. It's not exactly subtle in its use of dialogue or plot developments that reflect its status as a film that knows it's not going to match up to its much-beloved source film but still wants its viewers to have some fun anyway. To this end, it peppers the film with all sorts of call-backs to the other films not just in the way of sight gags or references but also in its re-use of certain plot elements (and even recycles a few concepts from other films). In that regard, I have to wonder if the decision to make the film's main villain a genetic mix-and-match of many different beasts was a deliberate choice that reflects Jurassic World's true nature. Human characters feel like nigh-disposable plot devices that are occasionally bumped against one another to provide humour or otherwise provoke some emotion, but they all feel like extremely hollow archetypes that aren't exactly terrible but generally don't create much in the way of favourable impressions. They all just feel like means to an end in ways that not even the most talented of performers are able to rectify, even when trying to play things for.
Leaving aside the plot and characterisation that is the very definition of serviceable in its supporting of the spectacle that is the film's main draw. Given the greatly expanded scope of the action, one can sort of forgive how much the film depends on CGI in order to bring its creatures to life. What one may find it hard to forgive is the ridiculous sequences to which said CGI is applied, which feel weightless at best and ire-raising at worst due to the implications. All things considered, Jurassic World isn't a horrible film; it deserves credit for at least managing to wrangle a decent enough plot out of the series' main premise and adequately compensates for its extremely familiar characters by casting some decent actors. It also deserves credit for not being a mess when it comes to its gratuitous use of CGI. Unfortunately, all the clever call-backs and self-deprecating jokes aren't enough to make me totally forgive how this film still feels very inessential.