The Empire Strikes Back of the Jurassic Park Franchise

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2019)

Here's a bold claim; The Lost World: Jurassic Park is to the original Jurassic Park what The Empire Strikes Back was to A New Hope. While the original Jurassic Park is undeniably a masterpiece, the film's comparatively light hearted and wondrous tone compared to its darker, more adult source material never quite sat right with me. Spielberg puts childish things away with The Lost World, which can be seen as a commentary on emotions overpowering reason, on the dangers of romanticizing nature, even on the cynicism of the act of creation itself (A theme that could almost be argued to be autobiographical on Spielberg's part.)
Nobody is safe from egregious harm or even death in The Lost World. While the victims of Jurassic Park were either mercifully killed off screen or irredeemable and one note caricatures (Not that there was anything wrong with that, given the whimsical tone of the film) who existed to die, The Lost World removes the plot armor that protected the more benevolent characters of the original. An innocent, wide eyed child finds her naive curiosity rewarded with vicious mutilation, the charitable and proactively heroic Eddie Carr gets torn to pieces as reward for saving his friends in a backbreaking ordeal. Spielberg critiques our enchantment of his world, the fantastical notion of a tame and obedient nature that exists solely for our entertainment. We see this in our villains, but also in our heroes as well, who come to a dangerous and hostile environment clearly unprepared on the absurd assumption that this environment will welcome them with open arms based solely on their good intentions. Malcolm's monologue about nature's inability to be contained and discovery being a violent, destructive act holds more poignancy and meaning here than it ever did in the original Jurassic Park.
Going off of that, it's quite interesting how nearly every character in the film seems to have their own murky and misguided excuse for their actions being respectful of the natural world. Roland Trembo, a prolific game hunter, justifies his actions with an imagined sense of honor ("A real hunter doesn't mind if the animal wins.") Nick Van Owen pretends to care for the rights of the animals on the island, but even admits earlier in the film that Hammond paid him considerably to sabotage InGen's plans and he only took jobs with Green Peace for the affections of their female members. Even Peter Ludlow justifies his actions under the pretense of Isla Sorna's dinosaurs being creatures of artificiality rather than nature ("An extinct animal brought back to life has no rights. It exists because we made it. We patented it. We own it.") In an age where environmentalism was becoming increasingly trendy, Spielberg has crafted a brilliant critique of those quick to label themselves "ecofeminists" or "environmentalists" out of desire to join a fad rather than any strong set of values.
That's not to say that the misguided characters here aren't likable as they absolutely are. Ian Malcolm is much more remorseful, human and humble in The Lost World than he was in the original Jurassic Park, jaded and cynical, but far more self aware, compassionate, proactive and concerned than he was in the first film. Malcolm can almost be seen as an allegory for the film itself (Right down to his decreased popularity) in his newfound sense of moral responsibility. His journey of redemption in the eyes of his loved ones, both his ex-girlfriend Sarah and his daughter Kelly, was truly captivating and really gave the character a soul and relatability he never quite had before. Jeff Goldblum's performance in the role is outstanding, going to a much more serious and dark place than he usually does, while still retaining his golden sense of wit and humor (The memorable and endlessly quotable dialogue is another wonderful aspect of the film.)
Vanessa Lee Chester's performance as Kelly Curtis is easily my favorite performance by a child actor in the entire franchise. Her Kelly Curtis is sweet, strong, intelligent and refreshingly stubborn and unlike the other child actors of the franchise, there isn't a single scene-breaking moment where she comes off as overly kiddish or not taking the role seriously, despite how adorable she is. Her arc of acceptance for her negligent father certainly has more heart than those of any other child character in the franchise, past or future. It's also worth mentioning that she has some excellent chemistry with Jeff Goldblum and it's truly impressive how effortlessly she's able to match her comedic timing. It's a crime she didn't have a bigger career after this.
The visuals are spellbinding in every way. The animatronics and CGI blend perfectly to create dinosaurs with a tremendous sense of power, beauty and awe. There isn't a single moment in the film where they don't feel totally and completely real and glorious. The sets are also deserving of serious praise; the forests of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park feel jaw-droppingly primordial, like a natural time capsule 65 million years old. If the almost otherworldly dinosaurs of Jurassic Park would fit in anywhere, it would be here. Spielberg's direction here is also among the best of his career, taking an almost Horror-esque vibe to it as he plays up the terror and menace of these creatures on their home field. Scenes such as the Velociraptor attack in the cornfield or the T-Rex intrusion of Sarah and Kelly's tent hold an incredible amount of suspense and dread, even moreso than the car scene from the original Jurassic Park.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a masterpiece, the best Jurassic Park film to date and it boggles my mind as ti how it's been so misunderstood and dismissed, if not outright hated, over the years. I'm glad to call myself among its loyal fanbase as the film has so much to offer. This is Platinum Tier Spielberg.