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Tag: Jurassic Park
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Review
July 2, 2018 July 2, 2018 1 Comment
Dinosaurs have been appearing in cinema since the early 1900s. However, it wasn't until 1993 that the extinct creatures were fully made alive in the eyes of moviegoers. The first Jurassic Park made dinosaurs appear as real creatures; it really did look like a Tyrannosaurus Rex was standing next to a person. From there, we got The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and then Jurassic Park III. Dinosaurs would appear in other movies as well – such as Journey to the Center of the Earth and Land of the Lost. But, the Jurassic Park name always carries the connotation as the "true" dinosaur film. Naturally, as with Star Wars, a popular franchise will almost always make a return. Jurassic World released in 2015, 14 years after the third film, and became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. As of publishing, Jurassic World is the fifth highest-grossing film of all time worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. That is certainly an accomplishment, and shows that people will always have a fascination and enjoyment for the dinos.
However, making great money doesn't mean you're a great film. Jurassic World was decent enough, but was hindered by flat characters. Many of the mediocre aspects of that movie unfortunately return for its sequel, Fallen Kingdom. There are some great concepts, but it seems like the film was too busy trying to make the audience laugh than tell a complex story. The tone often lacks seriousness. Still, some credit has to be given. There is at least one outstandingly emotional scene, and Bryce Dallas Howard's character is vastly improved. The climax has some inventive moments. Also, unlike the first Jurassic World, there is at least one interesting human antagonist. But, as a whole, Fallen Kingdom is a stereotypical summer blockbuster: unrealistic "funny" dialogue, an often non-serious tone when one is needed, and characters with no true development. Although far superior to films like Battleship and the recent Independence Day: Resurgence, Fallen Kingdom rarely achieves excellence.
As stated, the story has some great concepts. So, the setting for act one is on Isla Nublar, where the Jurassic World theme park was held before the Indominus Rex incident. Now, it's just an island full of dinosaurs. However, the volcano is on the verge of erupting, forcing the government to consider an intriguing question: should dinosaurs be given the same rights as other endangered animals? Ultimately, the decision is to let the volcano destroy the island. Claire Dearing isn't keen on letting that happen, however. With resources from Eli Mills, she sets out with ex-boyfriend Owen Grady to rescue the dinos from extinction. Sadly, it turns out to be a fake mission, as Mills wishes to sell the dinosaurs, thus turning them into weapons. Claire and Owen aren't going to stand around and let that happen, however..
Two things should stick out from that plot summary. First, there's the debate of whether the government should protect the dinosaurs from the volcano eruption. The second thing is selling the creatures, and making them into weaponized forces. These are intriguing concepts, and under the direction of someone who takes the happenings seriously and grimly, we could have gotten an engaging tale. But, Director J. A. Bayona delivers a film that seems to be set on just being another action blockbuster with no passion, no heart. Jokes and sarcasm are used in deadly situations, as if people would actually talk that way in these scenarios.
Chris Pratt's portrayal of Owen is enjoyable, but generic – there's nothing that sets him apart as being special. (Give him a leather jacket and a blaster, and he's Star Lord.) Claire's best scenes are in the beginning. She displays a genuine concern for the dinosaurs. Owen and Claire have better chemistry here than in the first Jurassic World, but why were they broken up in the beginning? Owen apparently had stopped caring about dinosaurs. But after a couple of conversations with Claire, he's back and it's like their break-up never happened. (Of course, we do get another kiss.) This break-up backdrop added nothing to the story.
As for new characters, there's Franklin Webb and Dr. Zia Rodriguez. Franklin is the comic relief smart guy, and that's it. Some of his lines and quirks are humorous (I particularity smirked at the bug spray scene), but it's obvious he's there just for comedy. In a movie that often lacks a grim tone, a constant comedic character is not going to help. Worst however, is Velma from Scooby-Doo Zia. Now, Zia may look uncannily like Velma, but her personality is the opposite. Zia is bold and brash. Okay, but what does she actually do in the movie? Much of her dialogue comes off as completely unrealistic. It's almost as if the director gave Daniella Pineda the script and said, "Say these lines in the snappiest way possible." So, who is she, what's her story outside of being a doctor? Does she have development? Nope to all that, she's pretty much there just to be a character with an annoying attitude.
There are a few antagonists, with the primary one being Mills. Well, he was boring. He had some interesting dialogue with Claire late in the film, when he compared his work to her's, but that's about it. I don't think anyone will be remembering him. The best villain was easily Gunnar Eversol, portrayed by Toby Jones. Jones is no stranger to playing antagonists, having portrayed Arnim Zola in Captain America: The First Avenger and David Pilcher in the Wayward Pines TV series. He brings that subtle, villainous charisma to Fallen Kingdom. One of the most entertaining scenes was the "dinosaur auction," and it's primarily thanks to Eversol. He should have been the main antagonist, with Mills playing the secondary role. Ken Wheatley is another antagonist, but sadly not noteworthy.
A character who deserves mention is Maisie. She was likable. There is one scene in the film when she discovers something tragic, and she hides. She's smartly silent, but tears are rolling down her face. It's a genuinely emotional scene. There is an intriguing plot twist regarding her that's revealed late in the film. It's interesting, but comes out of left field, and doesn't really go anywhere. Hopefully this is a focus of the next movie.
The dinosaurs are the stars, as usual. There's a fantastic sequence when the volcano is erupting, and a Carnotaurus gets into a skirmish with a Sinoceratops. After the Sinoceratops leaves, the Carnotarus is soon killed by the T-Rex, who gets a fantastic roaring shot. The way the dinosaurs move in this movie comes off as realistic; it's always a treat when they are on screen. The new dinosaur, the Indoraptor, is good, and its scenes are always intense. But, it does come off as a retread, because it's pretty much a smaller Indominus Rex.
Going back to the eruption, the most well done and impactful scene of the movie is when the camera pans to a lone dinosaur that had been left on the island. Owen and Claire look sadly at the creature as it roars and eventually disappears into the smoke. It's a haunting, emotional scene. What really hits home is that it hammers in the fact that dinosaurs are not fantastical monsters – they are just large creatures. Godzilla is a monster, a creature that can withstand even molten lava. That isn't the case with dinosaurs, so there is a sympathy for these creatures as they run from the volcano. The climax is intense, and Blue (the main Raptor from the first Jurassic World) is a standout character. The climax is not as exciting as the T-Rex against Indominus Rex battle in the previous film, however. The soundtrack is generic, with only a few highlights. The Indoraptor does get a great theme in the climax.
There is nothing wrong with having a "fun" tone. Many films succeed by having a constantly fun, exciting atmosphere. But, it just doesn't work when there's an inconsistency. Fallen Kingdom tries to be dark at times, but it's hindered by comedy and flat characters. Compare this film to 2014's Godzilla. Director Gareth Edwards took the material seriously, with no obvious comedy. Pacific Rim was lighter in tone in comparison to Godzilla, but Director Guillermo del Toro still took the material seriously, and delivered a mostly engaging story. Fallen Kingdom would have benefited from a more serious direction. Can you imagine how great it would have been if the film went deeper into the subjects of dinosaur rights, and weaponizing the creatures? Fallen Kingdom is instead a film trying to be an enjoyable ride, and in the process, loses any special identity that could set itself apart from the other films in the series.
Overall, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom can be enjoyable. Some sequences are genuinely funny, such as when Owen and Claire attempt to extract blood from the T-Rex. The dino scenes are always intense and fun, and there's an emotional backdrop during the end of the first act thanks to the erupting volcano. The film can be called fun. But, a "fun" film is not always a "good" film. Many of the Marvel movies have pulled this off with stellar results. Fallen Kingdom does not pull it off. It is a film with unique ideas, but ironically, the outcome is a generic product.
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