Could have a been a disaster... turned out pretty decent.

Rating: 7/10 (19 June 2015)

A franchise that hit rock bottom with Jurassic Park 3, writers that don't include a Crichton, and a relatively unknown director that's decidedly not a Spielberg... this film had all the markings of a huge disaster. That said, it was actually an enjoyable summer blockbuster. The plot is poor and completely predictable, pretty much a rehashing of Jurassic Park 1 & 2 without the character development or the moralizing, but the acting and the direction were more than passable, certainly far better than the third installment. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were decent with pretty hollow characters to work with. But lets be real, this movie is about the graphics... ferocious dinosaurs on the hunt and that's where this flick makes up for it's shortcomings. Flawless CGI shows off what two decades of technology can do for you. Not that the original doesn't hold up because it does quite well, but its amazing what is possible now. I was hesitant to catch JW in 3D, but ultimately opted for IMAX and glad I did, if only for the scenes with the top down view of the Mosasauraus leaping out of the water to snag its meal. This shot is shown in the trailer but seeing it in 3D is alone worth the price of admission. If you're looking for well made cinema, this film is definitely not for you... but if you're looking for a fun monster flick with eye-popping visuals, Jurassic World will definitely do.