Still an impressive movie twenty years later

Rating: 8/10 (26 May 2014)

1993 was banner year for Steven Spielberg. "Schindler's List" brought him long-overdue Oscar recognition while "Jurassic Park" became the highest grossing film of all time (displacing his own film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"). The former was an artistic triumph while the latter was the latest entry in a long line of blockbuster crowd-pleasers.
Based on a novel by bestselling author Michael Crichton (who also contributed to the screenplay), "Jurassic Park" told the story of a theme park unlike any other. The star attractions were dinosaurs recreated through advanced scientific technology. However, the proprietor of the park soon found that controlling his creations was easier said than done.
The story is an entertaining one that features some trademark Spielbergian touches. Sure, it may be distinctly family-friendly and a few of the plot points may be a bit questionable but, overall, the movie is an enjoyable ride. The scientific angle is vaguely plausible and the script has some thought-provoking things to say at times. Ultimately, though, the real star of the show is the pioneering CGI, which was nothing short of awe-inspiring at the time. It still holds up today, though CGI has advanced so much that what's on display here will probably be taken for granted by younger viewers.
The movie's cast is fairly small but well-assembled. Sam Neill & Laura Dern are somewhat unlikely leads for a big budget movie like this but they both performed admirably. Jeff Goldblum welcomely brought his unmistakable style to the movie while veteran actor Richard Attenborough contributed a fine performance, as always. The child actors (Joseph Mazzello & Ariana Richards) both managed to keep up with their adult co-stars. In support, Martin Ferrero is memorable as the lawyer and so is Wayne Knight as a scheming employee. Samuel L. Jackson's here too but it's not what I'd call one of his most memorable performances.
Spielberg's direction was characteristically up to his usual standard. The Dean Cundey cinematography also helped to take full advantage of the colourful locales. The special effects, including the aforementioned CGI (courtesy of ILM), was bolstered by the involvement of stop motion expert Phil Tippett & makeup/animatronics specialist Stan Winston. Yet another important ingredient in the mix was John Williams's fitting score that blended wonder & excitement.
In conclusion, "Jurassic Park" was undoubtedly a revolutionary film for its time. For better or worse, it really got the ball rolling when it came to extensive CGI in films. Apart from the special effects, though, the fact is that the movie is just plain entertaining and that's enough of a reason to watch it.