Good, but disappointingly not great.

Rating: 6/10 (16 June 2015)

I'm loath to compare the latest Jurassic sequel with the 1993 Spielberg original, because, quite simply, the latter is a bona fide blockbuster classic that very few can compare with. Even taken on its own, more lenient popcorn-merits though, this CGI-laden dinosaur romp is a bag of liquorice all sorts. On one hand there are some rip-roaring set pieces that evoke a child-like joy, on the other a clutch of embarrassingly corny moments (hello, heroic velociraptor in slow-mo) that should have never made it past the drawing board. For every amusingly tongue-in-cheek line delivered by Chris Pratt's charismatic protagonist, there's an equally dumb plot hole – like a ludicrously stupid creature cameo in the climax – that reeks of a subpar script. The CGI is not as distracting as you might think and provides director Colin Trevorrow with the opportunity to craft a few spectacular sequences, yet there's a disappointing lack of tension and scares on display. The hit and miss output stays true for the eclectic cast. Pratt is affable, Bryce Dallas Howard is steely but likable, Jake Johnson is humorous in full-nerd mode, and Irrfan Khan and Omar Sy add gravitas in small roles; whilst Vincent D'Onofrio is depressingly one-dimensional, and child duo Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson are unbearably awkward and bland. An admirable effort to rekindle the dino-magic that falls squarely into the good-but-not-great category, its spate of flaws makes it hard to recommend with confidence.