Jurassic World Spoiler-Free Review

Rating: 8/10 (10 June 2015)

The summer of 1993 was a memorable one for many moviegoers, as it revealed to the world the cinematic marvel that was Jurassic Park. Loved and cherished by an entire generation, its majesty still roars in the minds and hearts of the terrified child in all of us. So when Universal Studios asked freshly-proved director Colin Trevorrow to re-instate the franchise 2 years ago, many began echoing Dr. Grant's famed words, "How can we have the slightest idea what to expect?" Quite simply, a masterpiece is hard to live up to. Yet Trevorrow, who himself loved the original film as a teenager, was up for the challenge. And after 2 years of writing and a 22-year long wait, his audience can finally see for itself how 65 million years of animalistic charisma matches to man's own.
Jurassic World establishes itself very clearly in the beginning, and gets a good joggers pace going with introducing its characters. It actually goes a little fast at first, as Trevorrow not only has to introduce the main characters and many supporting ones, but establish what their relation is to the park and each other. We are introduced to characters who work in the park, others who are on vacation there, some who manage it, etc. The good thing is that these introductions are not helter-skelter, but are meaningful and also progress the plot. The first act is a great re-entry into the world of Jurassic Park and lets us see Hammond's dream come to life. Ty Simpkin's Grey is the embodiment of our initial wonder of the original movie, as he drags his reluctant and girl-obsessed older brother (played by Nick Robinson) along. The two eventually hit some nice emotional scenes in their own relationship as they discover the parks untamed side.
The second and third acts of this movie are where the rubber really hits the road for both action and emotional tension. The beauty of this movie is that while the outer conflict is fairly straightforward (a dino escapes and it needs to be captured), the subtle inner conflict amongst the primary characters is what really complicates things - as different motivations are revealed and characters discover personal growth in the midst of chaos. This goes not only for the humans, but dinosaurs as well. This subtlety and nonverbal acting is exactly what makes an otherwise apparent story much more intricate and riveting. The final act offers some nice twists and turns with both dinos and humans doing things you wouldn't expect them to do. Some relationships are soured, others forged, and some you didn't even know existed or could exist. There are both definite human heroes and dinosaur heroes in the final act, but it isn't who you think it is. No, not that one either, though it's what everyone is thinking. I'll just say, the finale surprised me with some great action that I REALLY didn't anticipate but ended up loving.
The finale definitely lets you know when the movie is over, but not the story, and for the better. There isn't a real solid conclusion (which is disappointing if you are looking for closure for some characters), but the film is resolved in a very interesting way that may set up for some interesting sequels if there will be any (there likely will). There are some unresolved questions that can potentially take the plot into an entirely new direction, which is rare for a 'closed' franchise like Jurassic Park ('closed' meaning each sequel tends to stand on its own). This goes for the dinosaurs, humans, and the entire Jurassic World corporation. The final scene Director Trevorrow is very clearly a Jurassic Park fan, for throughout the movie are MANY references to the original. From practical props and effects, to settings, to characters' relationships, or even to subtle camera angles and pans, you'd be hard pressed to find even bobble-heads who make fewer nods. Fans of the original are sure to be tickled and pleased, even if it costs the film a little originality at times.
The original Jurassic Park didn't have the now-stereotypical 'summer blockbuster movie' feel, but was rather timeless in the way that the story slowed down when it needed to and was fast when it had to be. Consequently, the movie can still be enjoyed to this day as a universal classic. Jurassic World has a bit more of the 'summer blockbuster' feel to it, and doesn't have the slow and steady pacing of the original, but it does make up for it with genuine emotional moments that drive the plot and characters forward well. The dinosaurs admittedly don't look totally realistic (most are CGI and only a few animatronics), but interestingly their acting seems genuine enough to make you emotionally invest in them when needed.
Overall, this film comes highly recommended as a nice summer treat. Old Jurassic Park fans will enjoy it; they may or may not love it as it does have a different feel to it than the original, but they will enjoy it. Similar to how a 2015 Ford Mustang is not the same as a 1993 Mustang; they are both the 'same' car but have a different 'flavor' due to the year they were built. Jurassic World is very much a 2015 movie, and it lets you know it, but pays due homage to its 1990s roots. If you're only expecting the original majesty and nostalgia of Jurassic Park, this movie doesn't deliver all the way, but comes to a pretty good standard nonetheless. Take your older kids and teens with you, they'll enjoy it.