Jurassic World [Movie Review]

I stand confused, and amused.
This year has so many franchise reboots that, as a film nerd, I am both giddy and apprehensive about.
This will either be a lot of fun, or a lot of sadness.

The 'park' is far more of a realistic theme park than before.

Simon Masrani, owner of Jurassic World, and one of the
first characters you really get to like. He was cool.

So far so good.
Both Mad Max Fury Road and Jurassic World have been very fun. We'll have to see how Terminator Genisys and Star Wars Episode VII turn out.

4 out of 5 stars

Stop!
This movie has more to say than you think.

Now, before I hear any ranting that I gave this the same rating as Mad Max Fury Road, let me explain myself. I already explained that Mad Max did several things that actually made me lose my suspension of disbelief. That did not happen in Jurassic World. The story moved fluidly, the edits were well done, the transitions unnoticeable.

Raptor Time!

This movie also did a better job of covering up it's science fiction failures of science. Why don't the dinos have proto-feathers? We are given two reasons. Why is X thing done? We are given answers. Sometimes they are not the best, but they never actually seem to say anything that is massively and amazingly stupid. That alone is some what impressive for a science fiction movie. Now, I'll admit their gene-splicing is insanely advanced sci-fi mumbo-jumob... but really, we accepted that plot device 22 years ago.

And the humor. Oh, I laughed during this movie. It was not at the movie, it was with the movie. It had snappy dialogue and good comedic timing. Actually something of a rarity in non-comedy movies. Sure there are almost always jokes in a film, but this did them well.

The park is really really a crazy nature theme park.
I'd go. Yes, even with the outbreaks of 'being eaten.'

The last major good point was that this movie fully recognized it's progenitor. It thoroughly and completely connected itself to Jurassic Park. There are constant references, and even plot specific acknowledgements of the original film. Now, it only acknowledges Jurassic Park, and not II or III... which is how it should be if we are honest about it. I mean I do not want to admit that I watched those two sequels.

Look closely. Stare past the kids.

Oh, and this movie, like Star Wars VII, actually uses more in camera effects than most people think. There were quite a number of puppet dinos. They were not all CGI, not by a long shot. Now some, like the pteranodons and the other flying one, well... those kinda are mostly (if not entirely) CGI.

Now I will admit that the plot is not the most easily defined plot.

Our main heroine begins all business.

I've been taking a writing course, and one of the things that we were taught on the very first day was (for me) reinforcement of an old movie idea. The 'Tagline.' Have your plot condensed down to a one single simple sentence.

I had to think long and hard to come to what I think might be the best one to sell Jurassic World.

And ends up far hotter and more capable.

"The park is open, but the need for bigger and better attractions leads to a disaster that threatens everyone at the park." It's not very good. But I think it sums it up... both the plot and in some ways the main subplot. There is a third subplot about the main heroine learning the value of family and relationships. It's the emotional subplot, the romance plot.

Now setting aside that terrible tagline I created, this movie has a lot of messages hidden in it.

See the guy in the middle, see him? You will be surprised.

First is a warning, like the original, about the illusion of control. It's not huge, but it is covered.  It is also seen in several ways. Lets just look at our heroine, Claire. She is the parks operations manager. She is in control - her hair and suit are perfect, she is all business. However she is also controlled by both her corporate duties and her phone. She does not show emotion. She does not even take any real time for her niece's children who came to see her and the park. As the movie moves along, she becomes less controlled. Her hair and clothes become disheveled. However she becomes far more competent. She takes matters into her own hands (not always, because she is working with Owen [Chris Pratt]), is far more resourceful, and expresses emotions. Control is shown as an artificial state.

Then there is a message about how we treat other animals. It is combined with a lesson about our human tendency to denigrate the intelligence of other species. The movie does a good job showing dinosaurs communicating, acting in groups towards a goal, and thinking / problem solving. There is an indictment against killing animals for sport - which we've seen growing increasingly unpopular in the modern world. "She's not killing for food. She's killing for sport." The scene this line is said over is not a pleasant scene, it is not meant to be.

My personal favorite message contained in the movie was about greed and excess. There is a dino in the movie that is not real, it is entirely created by the film as a message. It is a synthetic dinosaur "meant to embody [humanity's] worst tendencies. We're surrounded by wonder and yet we want more, and we want it bigger, faster, louder, better. And in the world of the movie, the animal is designed based on a series of corporate focus groups." (International Business Times, interview with Colin Trevorrow, director). I'm sorry, but that is absolutely great. I love that message.

I had a lot of fun watching this. I really enjoyed it. I can understand how some of my friends have already seen it twice. Well, maybe not... but it was certainly enjoyable. I might even get it on BD in the future.

I'm hoping that all the other reboots work out as well as the last few have.
May this year continue rocking for movies.

Oh yeah, go and see this. It is worth it.