Jurassic World is a mixed bag in almost every sense. Occasionally thrilling, but also often repetitive; moderately funny, but victim to its own self-awareness, Colin Trevorrow’s fourth installment in the Jurassic Park series combines both the original’s highs and some of the sequels’ lows. Inside here is a fairly passable summer blockbuster, though, if one clouded by flat supporting characters and overly conventional narrative beats.
Because nobody learns from the sins they created the first time, Jurassic Park — the amusement area — is back, bigger, louder and with more teeth than ever. With John Hammond’s original vision brought to life, and now run by the CEO of Masrani Corporation Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan), Jurassic World is a fully functioning dinosaur theme park found on Isla Nublar, an island near Central America. It’s filled with all the dinosaur wonders and public interactions only dreamed of before, and operating the park on a firm leash is Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), a woman too busy to even spend a day with her visiting nephews Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins).
But while this family drama brews, there are bigger problems afoot. Literally. The unstable conditions of the genetically created hybrid dinosaur Indominus Rex — its silly name is a source of humor throughout — could cause serious genocide on the park if let loose. That is, unless the park’s on-staff velociraptors trainer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) restores some balance to the prehistoric-themed location.
With Steven Spielberg’s original 1993 film, there was a fine balance between genuine adventure, wonder and thrills with solid attempts to incorporate some scientific explanation — to the best of its ability, of course — without boring the audience. By comparison, Trevorrow’s movie hinges closers towards The Lost World. It retreads a lot of the original's visual cues, although this one admittedly doesn’t become irritating in its callbacks. It's clearly a project of passion, as the director, the cast and the filmmakers care deeply for the original and try to bring back what made it special.
As the promos suggested, there’s more CG here than practical effects, but there are more than a couple practically made dino-bots on screen to bring back nostalgia for the incredible effects made in the first. Lacking, though, is genuine whimsy. Like the characters say ad nauseum, realized dinosaurs aren’t as exhilarating as they once were. But taking its advice too seriously, the movie tries too hard to make everything grander than needed. Part of what made the original shine was the simplicity, and this is something Jurassic World misses. Dinosaurs are awesome as they are, but only at the end do they really seem fun.
What’s most surprising about Jurassic World, though, is how accomplished its direction feels. Only his second film behind Safety Not Guaranteed, Trevorrow comes aboard this hundred million project with an ease and confidence that’s simply astounding. The dinosaur interactions have the right balance between terror and enhancement, and he incorporates a fine sense of spectacle and wonder in the beginning. In fact, one wishes they spend more time interacting gingerly with these realized reptiles.
Unfortunately, his inexperience is more noticeable through the uneven tone. The movie tries bouncing between action beats, pure thrill moments and lighthearted comedy throughout, and ultimately this drags it down. Select scenes are effective in incorporating one of these emotions, but on the whole Jurassic World feels disjointed and tonally insecure. It’s as though too many cooks were in the kitchen trying to get every ingredient cooked. It’s a little too calculated.
This is particularly noticeable with Owen and Claire’s relationship, which can’t quite decide if it wants to be and remains murky as a result. Should they help each other out? Is Claire Owen’s damsel-in-distress, to be romantically involved with her fellow lead? Or is Howard supposed to come into her own through Owen’s help? It's seems like three different screenwriters wrote their scenes, and their interactions at best seem cheesy and unnatural, and at worst feel wholly outdated.
Jurassic World also mistakes on-the-nose meta humor for originality, and this is quickly tiresome. More distressing are the by-the-books characters. The nephews seem kinda redundant in the scheme of things, especially with Robinson’s in-affectionate performance. Simpkins is a charming addition, but his wide-eyed enthusiasm doesn’t quite transpire after the first act. Vincent D’Onofrio is sadly reduced into an unnecessary human villain, and Jake Johnson is often painfully unfunny as an attempted comedic relief.
What’s weird, though, is he’s not the only comedic relief. Everyone tries to be the funniest person in the room, and, if everyone tries to be Jeff Goldblum, the comedy becomes stale. Thankfully, Pratt helps keep everything afloat. His slick charisma and sly wit keeps Owen continuously engaging and a fun protagonist. If Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t prove it, the man’s got charm to spare, and he’s here to stay.
Trevorrow’s film feels both passionate and insincere, but despite its problems he made a watchable and enjoyable summer blockbuster. Is Jurassic World the best Jurassic movie since the original? Sure, but more by default. There are many things Trevorrow does right in his revitalization, but there are also quite a few he does wrong. But here’s the problem: what’s good is good enough to the point where it’s even more annoying whenever it goes down the wrong path. If you’re looking for a fun ride back into the world of lab-created dinosaurs, though, you could certainly do worse in this series. But just know it doesn’t quite roar as loud as it did the first time.