Not as magical but still a spectacle.

Rating: 8/10 (16 June 2015)

*probable spoilers*
I went to view this with my brother, and admittedly I have dipped in and out of the Dino movies ever since I first saw Jurassic Park. I appreciated them, but was never part of any cult fandom etc.
It was apparent pretty quickly that this film didn't have the initial magic of the first film. It almost felt a bit too polished and clinical at times - but i guess this was hammering the corporate image and its subsequent ethical dilemmas home. The product placement would have looked ridiculous in the 90s but I wonder how many people even noticed it these days. I liked the references to the old park as well, for nostalgia.
The twists with the iRex were very clever, but I was almost heartbroken at the valley scene with the wounded dinosaurs. Honestly, kill whoever you want but leave the damn animals, you *insert profanity here* dinosaur. Yes, i'm the kind of person who cries when animals die way more than I do humans.
The final Dino battle was epic, as soon as they said "more teeth" i knew exactly what was happening and it was amazing, in a nostalgic way. Definite flashbacks to JP's T-Rex.
Characters were good, nice mix of people in there. Chris Pratt was total alpha male material and as for Bryce Dallas Howard...I need her heels, any nude heels that can survive a Dino rampage more than warrant a place in my wardrobe. Liked the story arc with the kids, even if it was cliché.
Overall, it would be a fitting end to the franchise, IMO. I wouldn't know where they could take a sequel in terms of plot, so I hope they leave it at that. I defy anyone not to get a lump in their throat from the final scene before the credits.