An extraordinary movie experience

Rating: 9/10 (8 February 2008)

I was 9 when this movie came out, and it became a big part of my childhood. I watched it many times. To me then, it was the perfect movie. Hence, it's hard to look at it nowadays and rate it objectively. I'm familiar with it and still love it, but it's not the kind of film I most love these days. How do you express that this movie is still extraordinary and entertaining while also admitting it's not very deep concerning story and characters? (Although I liked the characters). Should I admit that the ending, with the rex sneaking into the building somehow and eating the raptors, is imperfect? How'd it get in? Does it matter? Was seeing the rex one last time worth it, as Spielberg thought? Spielberg was, at any rate, at fine form here, with such great detail packed into the film. This was King Kong for its generation- the recreation of ancient dinosaurs, only this time more convincing than ever. The special effects are great, better than Jurassic Park III's and only outdone by the first sequel The Lost World.
I think, with such great dinosaurs, one shouldn't overlook the fact that the humans are good too. Sam Neill and Bob Peck play their parts well, Laura Dern shows range from charming enthusiasm to fear to disgust to professionalism, Richard Attenborough's enthusiastic and proud. What of Wayne Knight? I believe Ebert said something about his part not really fitting, but I don't see it that way- again, having grown up with this movie, it became a standard for other movies, and I see little wrong with it. The music in this movie is also excellent. Still a great film, even if not the greatest film.