How freaking AWESOME is it that they made a new JP film!?!?

Rating: 7/10 (16 June 2015)

HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS IT THAT THEY MADE A NEW JP FILM!? I was actually squirming in my seat as the opening credits started to roll. (Note to self – to prevent severe anxiety in future, ditch your mates and see a highly anticipated film on opening day, instead of waiting 4 DAYS so you can see it with your Buds. The struggle was real). I mean, look, I'd seen the trailer, I knew going in that it looked a bit shady, some dodgy dialogue and hollow characters, but that didn't dampen my excitement – I mean, its Jurassic Park man!! Right?!?! Dun Daaaa, Dun Daaa, Dun Dun Daaaaa, da dun dun daaaaaaaa.
So if you've been fan-girling over this film like me in the lead up to its release, here's some truths that can set your mind at ease. It's not terrible. It doesn't ruin the franchise (At least no more than #3 did – William H Macy, Tea Leoni, I'm lookin at you dudes). Chris Pratt continues to be awesome. Dinosaurs are BADASS.
The script however, is not. The plot of this film (The Park is open, scientists created a crazy scary monster hybrid dinosaur, you've seen the promos) is almost irrelevant, it's simply a vehicle that gets us to our most desired destination – Seeing big-ass dinosaurs tearing s**t up. Characters are given exceptionally weak set-ups that are so uninteresting that my patience was tested – get to the dinosaurs already!! Chris Pratt rocks as a Raptor trainer (a concept not as far-fetched as the trailer will lead you to believe) however other than channeling his inner Burt Macklin, there's really not much to him. And Jessica Chastain as his co-lead is a total bore – without going too Patricia Arquette on you here, is it too much to ask to have a strong female lead it a film as huge as this? Chastains Claire is your stereotypical uptight and overworked single woman, who has it all except for a man in her life spew. I was half expecting her and Pratt to do the old 'accidently fall on top of each other and almost kiss' moment but thankfully it didn't happen.
An over-riding theme of the film is the argument that this Hybrid dinosaur was an unnecessary addition to the park – Dinosaurs are cool enough. You gotta wonder then, how this concept was missed by the writers in applying the same idea to the story. This unstoppable beast of a monster makes the film seem less grounded in the reality that we are used to from the previous films, and more of a fantasy land that is less accessible. No spoilers here, but it's not until the T-Rex is brought in that I felt that old rush of excitement that I had 20 years ago – Dinosaurs are cool enough.
But it's still not awful. It's lazy, for sure, and for a film that was pretty much certain to make a TONNE of moula a lot more effort could have gone into making this movie as good as the first. But man, it's still Jurassic Park, still has that feel, that excitement, that sense of fun. And no matter what the reviews, you're still gonna watch it. So go watch it!