unnecessary and nearly unwatchable sequel

Rating: 2/10 (12 November 1998)

This movie commits a sin even if viewed as a stand-alone: It compels the characters to act stupidly in order to move the plot along. Case in point: a big-game hunter that doesn't realise that predators can follow the blood trail of their young. Another: a wildlife photographer who tries to pet the animals! Geeze. And Malcolm's daughter is a walking cliche. But what's worse, it violates the rules for sequels. It's not new, in any way (except to show us new dinosaurs, like the stegosauruses or the pterodactyls (pteranodons? either way, just how did Hammond intend to exhibit THEM? No roofs on Jurassic Park as I recall...), and it actually contradicts the original. For instance, Hammond flat out told us that EVERY dinosaur in the park was hatched in his lab under his personal supervision. So what's with this island? Again, the kids in JP did not act like children of the father JP:TLW showed us; they very definitely expected adult men to take care of them. "He left us! He left us!" cried Lexie in complete betrayal; that girl's father was around. So what happened? Another? How about the man who was "always on the lookout for another future ex-Mrs Malcolm" being presented to us a committed boyfriend? For that matter, Malcolm was the least likely person from JP to be the hero. And the whole "T Rex in California" bit ... doesn't work. There are a few nice scenes, but 2 minutes of dinosaur footage doesn't redeem this movie. Just watch the original again.