Lacking Substance

Rating: 6/10 (17 September 2018)

This franchise needs to die.
When the first film came out, so many years ago, it was utterly groundbreaking in so many ways. The special effects, of course, were a milestone and a high watermark at the time. But it wasn't just that... there were good performances from the actors, and the script they were working with was itself innovative. Michael Crichton's book was itself pushing the edge. There was a lot there--meaty explorations of chaos theory, the relationship of human-kind and nature, of technology's role in evolution, and so many interesting questions. The dinosaurs were there to invoke the awe of unbounded natural force and of life.
Now the dinosaurs aren't even dinosaurs. They are engineered monsters in what devolves into a simplistic creature feature. The Lost World at least had some merits in concept, though flawed in execution. But ever since JP3, it seems like they've embraced mediocrity on the precept that visual effects will get people to watch and carry the film. They may be right about the first part, but not so much the later.
As much as I LOVED seeing a liopleurodon on screen in all its glory, by the time the film got to its conclusion I was burnt out. The final scene was underwhelming because of, not in spite of, its gratuity and it's following in a long line of other gratuities. Gone was the moment when slow tension would build before we could then bask in the exhilaration of finally seeing a T-Rex break free of its cage and thunder past our characters. A thunderstorm is awesome because of the unpredictable flashes of lightning. This film is just a bright light shining into your face non stop.
Maybe someday they'll start refocusing on the lore, in the same way Rogue One did for Star Wars. Smaller stories that add to building the world, and where the big stuff is there, but situated to support, not drive, the story.