I liked it better as "Frankenstein" but still a great movie

Rating: 8/10 (10 November 2001)

Please do not misunderstand me at all here. I love this movie. It was a great spectacle, and it still a thrill for me when I watch it. I'm a long time dinosaur enthusiast, and I used to study them as often as I could, I collected books, toys, models, etc., anything that concerned itself with dinosaurs.
I just see this story as a modern retelling of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," and there isn't anything wrong with that, it's intertextuality, pure and simple, I just see past the hype that surrounds the movie and see it for the story that was presented.

By now, you may think me mad by comparing this to "Frankenstein." You'll say to yourself that I'm crazy and don't know what I'm talking about. But answer me this; what is the difference between Victor Frankenstein and John Hammond? They set out to create life for the sake of science, and in the end it costs them their lives. The fundamental difference between the two is that Hammond is trying to exploit his creation for financial gain. And Victor was so wrapped up in the aspect of discovery, that he was concerned more with wether he could than if he should. Plus Victor's Monster and Hammond's T-Rex are the same entity, and perform the same role in both stories, insofar as they are the creations of one man trying to play god. And in the end, science was the cause for disaster in both stories, and both try to teach the wrongs of tampering with the unknown.
This of course does not take from the awe of this dino-tale at all. It is wonderful, and the message still as powerful as it was in Shelley's story. I do like the dinosaurs in the movie. I will not say that they look realistic, because for a comparative basis you must have been able to see a "real" dinosaur in the flesh, and I haven't seen any around recently. But, they are convincing enough to suspend disbelief into accepting them as real in the world of the movie.
Aside from that, the talent assembled in the movie was wonderful, the actors were perfectly cast, especially Jeff Goldblum as Malcolm, who happens to be my favorite character. The script followed the book with a few liberties, but that's Hollywood for you, but it still worked out in the end.
And so a great movie that is fun for all ages, even if you are a dino enthusiast or not. The sequels did well to follow up on this story, and I feel that the movie is wonderful in its presentation, and is great for watching again and again.