Unnecessary Addition

Rating: 5/10 (1 July 2015)

Jurassic World sees the fruition of John Hammond's work come to life when, 21 years after Jurassic Park opened (and permanently closed) its doors, a new park is successfully up and running. Sadly, for all those involved, humanity is so bored of T. rex and velociraptors that attendance is down and so is sponsorship. Therefore, thanks to Henry Wu (B.D. Wong reprising his role from the original), the lab have created a monster to woo back guests and moolah. Obviously, much like John Hammond's first attempt at messing with nature, things don't turn out as they planned.
Chris Pratt is a velociraptor trainer (what?) who is brought in to inspect the fence surrounding this new investment by Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), who just happens to have family visiting for the week who are currently going through a crisis. She's far too busy to hang out with her socially misguided nephews and dumps them with her PA. Naturally, they promptly run off. Owen, the trainer, is being wooed by InGen (remember them?) to use these trained velociraptors as weapons of war. The scene is set for carnage. Or is it?
What follows is so mind-numbingly dull, obvious and really rather badly put together that you will be forgiven for believing you're watching a cartoon or magic show.
The main issue is that, unlike its original predecessor (or even Lost World) it can't make its mind up if its family entertainment or adult horror. This new dinosaur has every ability to terrify and yet instead the characters are faced with these horrific situations in which they remain entirely stoic or consider with mild curiosity. Contrast that with the girl in the original wetting herself before she'd even set eyes on the T-Rex and then entering a fit of cerebral palsy when confronted by a bronchiosaur. Here, two children are brutally attacked and barely a minute later are having a wander around the old jurassic park site, enjoying the murals and technology on show. Not to mention having the wits to hotwire and refuel a car that's over 20 years old. If these horrific acts occur and the characters who are facing them don't care, why should the audience?
Part of the problem is pacing. The Indominus Rex escapes 20 minutes into the film, we see it in all it's glory five minutes later and then for another 2 hours watch it tear the park apart. That is far too long a time to watch a set piece implode. Therefore scenes of exposition and moments of incredulity occur to further the plot and push the I. Rex towards the park. When it finally reaches the park, 20,000 guests seem undisturbed by the massacre occurring. One very nasty moment sees a woman repeatedly drowned and bitten by pterodactyls only to be eaten by a much bigger dinosaur and the characters watching do nothing but enjoy the show. Could they actually help? Probably not. Would they watch like it was an episode of Sex and the City? Doubtful, also.
And the CGI... the CGI! Good God, the first thing you see is a CG bird and my first thought was "obviously this is a simulation at the park," but no, this is real, this is a bird generated by computer graphics that is meant to be in the real world. Great to know that in a movie redolent with CGI that it is going to be rather bad. It really, truly is. No scope, not one iota of attention devoted to realism, this is a cartoon through and through.
However, not all of it is bad. The dino fights are brutal and the few new ramifications for the park are wonderful to mull over and talk about after. Chris Pratt, despite playing the worst possible character ever (a velociraptor trainer?!?!?!) manages to remain charismatic and heroic. Bryce D. Howard is also compelling as a control freak watching her World be destroyed bit by bit.
All in all, however, my advice is to go home, by the original on blu-ray or 3D, invest in a good TV and sound system and just scare yourself silly with the original. You'll be pleased you did.