So, you're either hearing two things about the recently released Jurassic World by now: that it is a shameful cash grab or that you should just enjoy it for what it is. Well I went into the movie not as a mega-massive-super fan of Jurassic Park, but as a lover of good movies in general. I tried to enjoy it for what it is and I couldn't even enjoy it as that. I can promise you that this movie is a massive waste of time and money for anyone that loves good summer entertainment.
I always try to open reviews by stating the positives, but this movie made me so angry, bored and frustrated that I couldn't think of any major positives to mention. I can sum the plot up in maybe one sentence: dinosaur gets out, dinosaur eats people, more dinosaurs get out, they eat people, Star-Lord (or Chris Pratt for you non Marvel geeks) saves the day. Now I know that it weakens the film's impact if you compare it to the first film, but if the film wants to try and wear the series' trademark, i'll treat it as such. Think about the first movie's plot and try to explain it as in depth as you can. Here's my attempt:
WARNING!!! SPOILERS FOR JURASSIC PARK!!
"Three scientists are invited to an island by a wealthy entrepreneur, where he has built a theme park featuring genetically cloned dinosaurs. At first the park seems to dazzle, but these three scientists have their doubts. After exploring the park briefly - the power is inadvertently shut off, the dinosaurs are out and what started as an assessment of the park's safety has become a thrilling race for survival".
Sounds riveting doesn't it? Well Jurassic World is basically a version of that plot bereft of any suspense, wonder or witty dialogue that the original film contained so much of. Seriously, there is no tangible suspense built up before dinosaurs run amok. The characters are the most predictable clichés', the plot has no clear focus and the CGI dinosaurs somehow look more fake than a movie produced in the early 90's when CGI was still catching up with filmmaker's visions. I could go on all day but i'll just tell you some things that bugged me. For one, I am sick of seeing women represented as either useless love interests or uptight control freaks, and this is coming from a dude in his early 20's ( part of the main demographic for this film). Granted, the main female character did do a few important things, but she still starts out as a sad, time obsessed freak governed by her tight schedule that needs to be saved from her lonely existence by the equally clichéd, free spirited, fun and worldly bloke (but at least he was played by Chris Pratt which is an added plus). Why can't we see the roles reversed or have more strong female characters? Why can't women be represented with more likability in movies?
Another thing that bugged me was how the film had an overarching sense of action and danger, but interspersed it with moments of "ohhh, ahhh" and "look, aren't dinosaurs magical?", whereas the first movie had a sense of the latter dominating the first half, but as soon as the dinosaurs break out, the atmosphere turns deadly and the transition between these two styles is handled sublimely well. I think we'll have to accept that people just don't make movies like Jurassic Park or Close Encounters or Star Wars anymore (to name a few). Films with real magic and just enough imperfection and slight flaws to make us care. This film to me was the representation of the worst in CGI filled summer blockbusters. Films that are so tightly made and perfectly cut without any moments drawn out for suspense or awe, that we just don't care about anything that happens.
I apologise for the angriness of this review, but this film has made me more angry the more I think about it. If anything, it just made me want to go back and watch the first movie again, which I did to wash the taste away that night. For a movie that is trying to kick start the franchise again, that is a very bad sign. I just have no faith in Hollywood anymore. 2014 was such a good year for movies, why can't this year be as good. Very few directors are working today with as much passion and integrity as Spielberg. The only name that really comes to mind is Christopher Nolan. Anyway, I suppose I would say go see it if you love action and monster movies, but if you love suspense, wit and a brilliantly paced story (all the good stuff), I wouldn't recommend it.
I always try to open reviews by stating the positives, but this movie made me so angry, bored and frustrated that I couldn't think of any major positives to mention. I can sum the plot up in maybe one sentence: dinosaur gets out, dinosaur eats people, more dinosaurs get out, they eat people, Star-Lord (or Chris Pratt for you non Marvel geeks) saves the day. Now I know that it weakens the film's impact if you compare it to the first film, but if the film wants to try and wear the series' trademark, i'll treat it as such. Think about the first movie's plot and try to explain it as in depth as you can. Here's my attempt:
WARNING!!! SPOILERS FOR JURASSIC PARK!!
"Three scientists are invited to an island by a wealthy entrepreneur, where he has built a theme park featuring genetically cloned dinosaurs. At first the park seems to dazzle, but these three scientists have their doubts. After exploring the park briefly - the power is inadvertently shut off, the dinosaurs are out and what started as an assessment of the park's safety has become a thrilling race for survival".
Sounds riveting doesn't it? Well Jurassic World is basically a version of that plot bereft of any suspense, wonder or witty dialogue that the original film contained so much of. Seriously, there is no tangible suspense built up before dinosaurs run amok. The characters are the most predictable clichés', the plot has no clear focus and the CGI dinosaurs somehow look more fake than a movie produced in the early 90's when CGI was still catching up with filmmaker's visions. I could go on all day but i'll just tell you some things that bugged me. For one, I am sick of seeing women represented as either useless love interests or uptight control freaks, and this is coming from a dude in his early 20's ( part of the main demographic for this film). Granted, the main female character did do a few important things, but she still starts out as a sad, time obsessed freak governed by her tight schedule that needs to be saved from her lonely existence by the equally clichéd, free spirited, fun and worldly bloke (but at least he was played by Chris Pratt which is an added plus). Why can't we see the roles reversed or have more strong female characters? Why can't women be represented with more likability in movies?
Another thing that bugged me was how the film had an overarching sense of action and danger, but interspersed it with moments of "ohhh, ahhh" and "look, aren't dinosaurs magical?", whereas the first movie had a sense of the latter dominating the first half, but as soon as the dinosaurs break out, the atmosphere turns deadly and the transition between these two styles is handled sublimely well. I think we'll have to accept that people just don't make movies like Jurassic Park or Close Encounters or Star Wars anymore (to name a few). Films with real magic and just enough imperfection and slight flaws to make us care. This film to me was the representation of the worst in CGI filled summer blockbusters. Films that are so tightly made and perfectly cut without any moments drawn out for suspense or awe, that we just don't care about anything that happens.
I apologise for the angriness of this review, but this film has made me more angry the more I think about it. If anything, it just made me want to go back and watch the first movie again, which I did to wash the taste away that night. For a movie that is trying to kick start the franchise again, that is a very bad sign. I just have no faith in Hollywood anymore. 2014 was such a good year for movies, why can't this year be as good. Very few directors are working today with as much passion and integrity as Spielberg. The only name that really comes to mind is Christopher Nolan. Anyway, I suppose I would say go see it if you love action and monster movies, but if you love suspense, wit and a brilliantly paced story (all the good stuff), I wouldn't recommend it.