Definitive Proof That This Is A One-Story Franchise

Rating: 3/10 (27 February 2017)

"Jurassic World" was guaranteed to turn a large profit no matter if it was "good" or "bad". The franchise is quite popular and it just has that "summer blockbuster" feel to it. Sadly, I wish that the film's creators would have attempted to make the plot of the film even decent, or create characters that aren't wooden caricatures.
For a basic plot summary, "Jurassic World" sees the vision of Mr. Hammond finally complete...a fully-functional dinosaur amusement park. Of course, in today's "bigger and better" society, it isn't good enough just to reproduce classic dinosaurs. Now, new dinos (one bigger than T-Rex and another that can swallow a shark in a single gulp, among others) are being genetically spliced and created in a lab. The park is run by Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), a profit-driven corporate executive type who doesn't even have time for her two nephews (played by Nick Robinson & Ty Simpkins) when they visit the park. Dinosaur caretaker Owen (Chris Pratt), on the other hand, is fully aware of what these dangerous animals can do if not reckoned with. A military sub-plot simmers in the background of the story. The new "big boy" dinosaur gets loose, and from there it is what one would expect from this type of film.
This movie features an ethical debate about genetic manipulation, two annoying kids who are the definition of stupidity, a lot of rampaging dinosaurs, and and vision to build the most ill-advised theme park in human history. If this sounds at all familiar to you, it is probably because you've seen the original "Jurassic Park". I honestly don't know if I've ever seen a sequel (which does not market itself as a remake) that is so unabashedly similar to its predecessor(s).
I think the problem with this franchise is simple: It had one great story to tell, and Steven Spielberg did just that in "Jurassic Park". All the sequels have failed to capture nearly a glimmer of that magic, because the novelty has worn off and there aren't good stories to tell. At least "Lost World" & "III" try to bring something original to the screen. "World" doesn't even go that far, instead settling for a few new dinosaurs and riding on the name of the franchise. The plots are incredible dumb/predictable and the characters are more of the same.
The only reason I won't give this movie a "bottom of the barrel" 1-star review is because there are a few exciting scenes (the opening 20-30 minutes shows promise before quickly descending into predictability and repetition) and it is a "slick" experience from beginning to end. Even though you know that what you are watching isn't great, there is so much going on and so much action that you can never just mentally "check out". In that sense, this really is the textbook "brainless summer blockbuster".
Even though I came into this viewing experience with mediocre expectations, I was disappointed that "Jurassic World" didn't even live up to that standard. If you've been hiding under a rock since 1993 and haven't seen any of the other "Jurassic" films, you will love this one! For those who like a little bit of plot and a few interesting characters with their whiz-bang dinosaur action, however, it will be clear to you that this franchise can no longer deliver either of those two things.