A Fantastic Movie

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2005)

Back when Jurassic Park was released, I was obsessed with dinosaurs and was very eager to see it. I went in and as soon as it started, I was in tears when a character gets eaten by a velociraptor. When I finally calmed down, I was enthralled by every aspect of this movie.
If nothing else, the special effects are the reason to see this movie. This movie has, without a question, the best CGI effects I've ever seen in a movie. The Tyrannosaurus Rex is so realistic that up until two years ago, I had thought that the whole thing was done with robotics. To see this dinosaur move, it jumps out at you like nothing I've ever seen before. The raptors, which were my personal favorite, are absolutely awesome. I'm glad these things are extinct.
The actors are superb, most notably Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, who steal the show. Sam Neill is one of my favorite actors, and he does a fine job here as the sensible Alan Grant. Goldblum is great, as usual, with comic relief as Ian Malcolm. I also loved the game warden, Robery Muldoon played wonderfully by Bob Peck. The real stars here are the dinosaurs, and everyone seems to realize that.
Jurassic Park is scary. Spielberg manages, as he usually does, to amp up the suspense to 11. He uses the setting of Isla Nublar, with its dark jungle and pounding rain to keep everyone on their toes. He uses a normal object to signify the arrival of the T-Rex: rippling water. When the water cups start to ripple, you something bad is going to happen. The inability to see the dinosaurs or know where they are is very scary.
The score by John Williams is magnificent, while not overpowering the film itself. I always end up humming it to myself.
The Bottom Line:
A genuinely scary movie with action, laughs, and still awe-inspiring special effects throughout.