Well worked and entertaining blockbuster sequel...couldn't have asked for much more

Rating: 8/10 (30 July 2006)

This sequel to the 1993 blockbuster tends to get a bad write-up from all corners, but I don't really know why. People complain about it trying to market the brand too much and featuring too many illogical and inconsistent events; but the thing you've got to remember is that this is a sequel to a fantasy blockbuster...so how can you go in expecting anything else. Personally, I've always found this film to be a far more worthwhile dinosaur themed adventure film than the first film; I held that opinion when I first saw it (in my early teens), and upon rewatching it - I'm retaining the same opinion. It has to be said that the sense of wonder is somewhat depleted, but Spielberg seems all the more keen to capitalise on the danger of the situation this time around, and that more than makes up for the fact that we've seen his array of monsters before. The plot simply follows an another excursion into dinosaur territory, only this time the monsters are on an island named 'Isla Sorna' somewhere near Costa Rica, and the lead is Ian Malcolm; by far the most interesting character in the original film.
The fact that the lead role has been taken away from Sam Neill is an overall plus point for the film, as Jeff Goldblum makes for a far edgy lead, which suits the theme of this sequel. Goldblum receives good support from an array of talented stars, including Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, Peter Stormare, Richard Schiff and; best of all, Pete Postlethwaite, who brings a touch of class to the film in the role of a hunter. Given that it's a sequel, writer David Koepp doesn't need to spend as much time building up the central plot and therefore we get straight into it...which can only be a good thing. The action scenes are really well done, and a variety of different species of dinosaur help to ensure that the film always has enough up its sleeve to remain entertaining. Scenes involving the Tyrannosaurus Rex early on, as well as an awesome sequence involving Velociraptors and long grass are the pick of the action right up until the end; when Spielberg lets rip with the highlight of the entire series, which sees the main dinosaur rampaging down a busy San Francisco high street! Overall, this is not brilliant or a masterpiece; but it's a very good film for what it is and I wouldn't hesitate to rate it as the best of the series.