Still holds up

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2018)

The original Jurassic park is a great example of Steven Spielberg in his prime. His talent as a filmmaker shines through in almost every aspect of this movie. Now, this film was definitely designed to be easily accessible to anyone, I mean it's a family movie and it does kind of play it safe in certain aspects, but luckily this film was made during a time where "playing it safe" didn't necessarily mean pandering. Where this film really shines though, is in it's writing, it's riddled with memorable quotes and very well developed characters. John Hammond is an arsehole but he remains a very sympathetic and interesting character because the film takes the time to show who he is as a person and why he's so dedicated to making this theme park. In fact, all the characters are well written and thoroughly engaging, even the kid actors. The film even takes the time to have characters ask the questions that the audience would be questioning and states the same concerns any normal person would, but rather than using that to try and excuse any flaws the film has, it uses it to develop the characters personalities. The pseudo scientific explanation for how the dinosaurs are made is obviously inaccurate, but it's still believable enough that when the film takes the time to explain it in detail, it still isn't annoying nor is it boring. Along with that the film very interestingly explores the idea of man playing god, and while it might not feel particularly subtle, it never feels overbearing. I love that the story feels like it has some real stakes to it and the dinosaurs actually feel scary. I can always appreciate a good family movie that isn't afraid to traumatize kids. I've heard people say that this film contains one of John Williams weaker pieces, but I must disagree, I think this is one of his strongest. It's simple, effective and deadly catchy. I can't begin to count the amount of times I've had the jurassic park theme stuck in my head. Most people already know that this film is known for its revolutionary special effects, and even now they are incredible, not just for the time period, even if the practical and CG effects are far from being indistinguishable from one another. Some bits do feel a bit dated and sometimes the dinosaurs and people don't look like they're in the same setting. As well as that, at some points it's clear that the questionable camerawork is only done so that it's easier to add dinosaurs to the scene. All and all, it's a very lovable film, and I can attest to the fact that it's a great film to watch with friends