Excellent sequel

Rating: 8/10 (6 March 2010)

Like with all sequels, it is impossible to compare "The Lost World" to its predecessor. Yes, it goes without saying that "Jurassic Park" is the better of the two films. The first is a classic in its truest form, and this sequel has fallen from the tree, but not as far as many die-hard fans of the first might say.
After the events of the first film, InGen is being subjected to billions of dollars in lawsuits and damages, and the survivors are left looking like idiots when the company won't back up their claims of what happened at the park. John Hammond is ousted by his nephew, Peter Ludlow (Arliss Howard), who is about to make a bigger mistake than his uncle did: bring the dinos to a zoo he built in San Diego. Hammond sent an expedition to study the dinos in their "natural" habitat, including Nick (Vince Vaughn), Eddie (Richard Schiff), and Sara (Julianne Moore). He also gets Dr. Malcom (Jeff Goldblum), but he only goes to drag Sara, who is his girlfriend, and the others out of there before they become hors d'oeuvres for some very nasty dinosaurs.
The best thing about "The Lost World" is that it's not a clone of the first film. "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" showed us how badly a sequel can tank when it follows its predecessor too closely. Although there are many definite similarities (and not just the obvious ones, like characters and dinosaurs), "The Lost World" is an altogether different film.
The film generates plenty of tension and scares, but there are a few things that don't work. For one thing, Spielberg humanizes the dinosaurs too much. Monsters are more frightening when we see them as just that, not human beings who look like monsters. "Jurassic Park" did that, but "The Lost World" explains too much about the dinosaurs' (specifically the T-Rex) nature. Although this sets up the climax of the film, that one doesn't really work either.
The acting is solid. Jeff Goldblum is his same sarcastic, cynical self. He's the voice of reason, but as filtered through Dr. Malcolm, it becomes original instead of a cliché. Julianne Moore wasn't widely recognized at the time of filming as the versatile actress that we now know she is, but once again, she demonstrates her versatility. Moore is just as home in an action movie as she is in a character drama. Arliss Howard is perfectly vile as the arrogant, hubristic Ludlow. Whereas Hammond was simply misguided, Ludlow is cold and sociopathic; he makes Scrooge McDuck look like Mother Theresa. Pete Poslethwaite is delicious as the Big Game hunter, bringing every cliché about the character type to the role and still seeming fresh and original. Vince Vaughn, Richard Schiff, and Vanessa Lee Chester also turn in solid performances.
Steven Spielberg is a master filmmaker, and before he was into film just for the money, he took pleasure in making films. This isn't his best film by any stretch of the imagination, but it's also a lot better than most sequels.