By: Sari Cohen | HFLF Contributor
Disclaimer: SPOILERS! Proceed at your own risk!
Could the new “Jurassic World” dominate “Incredibles 2” at the box office this weekend? That’s the question a lot of fans are asking. “Fallen Kingdom” marks the fifth installment of the film franchise which began with 1993’s “Jurassic Park.” The second in the new trilogy following 2015’s “Jurassic World,” the movie hits theaters on June 22 and runs just over two hours.
A story originally based on the Michael Crichton novel, it’s now director J.A. Bayona who leads the way on the 2018 expedition. Returning to the screen is Chris Pratt as Owen Grady, Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing, Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm, and BD Wong as Dr. Wu. Included among the fresh faces who join the cast are Justice Smith, who stars as Franklin Webb, and Daniella Pineda, who plays Zia Rodriguez. James Cromwell is introduced as Benjamin Lockwood (John Hammond’s former partner) and we meet his granddaughter Maisie, played by young newcomer Isabella Sermon.
Paralleling some modern-day issues are a few cleverly tweaked storylines that somehow believably fit between real life and a world where dinosaurs exist. Goldblum speaks before Congress while a trending news ticker runs across the bottom of the screen as if the story was breaking in real time. The actor makes his onscreen return to the franchise pleading with politicians to let the dinosaurs die out naturally in a warning against what would inevitably be unleashed on humanity. Meanwhile, Howard is back this time as a dinosaur-rights activist. She, along with actors Smith and Pineda, work to save the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar from impending extinction due to a volcano that is about to erupt.
Right out of the gate (wink wink nudge nudge), audiences are clued in for what is apparently the plot of the next “Jurassic World” movie. Of course, as soon as things begin to go awry (surprise, surprise) an old friend Eli Mills, played by Rafe Spall, enlists the character of Claire at the behest of the extremely wealthy, yet dying, Benjamin Lockwood in order to help save the dinosaurs. She then calls on her team, made up of a computer hacker (Smith) and a paleoveterinarian (Pineda). Of course, the crew isn’t complete without the help of Chris Pratt, who, as Owen, is now off by himself putting his dinosaur-training skills to good use, building a house alone in the middle of the wilderness.
Obvious unfinished romantic business teams up with an eager dinosaur doctor and a fearful IT genius to complete a rather entertaining group. While character development is not exactly this movie’s strong point, this bunch doesn’t take themselves too seriously, which makes for some fun banter and an easier time accepting some pretty outlandish scenarios; outrunning flowing lava and a stampede of scared dinosaurs being a couple of them.
Although the film does offer up a few lessons in humanity, it doesn’t exactly dive too deeply into them. It’s really things such as Pratt’s charming quality, Smith’s comedic nature and the curious introduction of the precocious young Maisie that is likely to capture the viewers’ attention; that and the special effects. While, in a mere matter of years it is entirely possible our CGI standards will likely far surpass those we have now, with executive producer Steven Spielberg on board, you can guarantee you’re in for a visually stimulating ride. The seemingly never-ending list of digital artists that roll during the credits is something in and of itself to be in awe of. It’s those kinds of graphics that draw you in and will emotionally attach you to a particular dinosaur or a single moment.
As for the plot, writers Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow put together a “how far would you go for money?” scenario that cooks up some cool characters who get thrown into the mix. Ted Levine as Ken Wheatley, Toby Jones as Mr. Eversol and Geraldine Chaplin as Iris each add layers of corruption, greed, and intrigue, respectively.
In the end, the entire movie seemed to be one giant setup for things to come. The additions of new characters, potential storylines, impending doom; you know, all the good stuff that leaves fans wanting more. The only thing is, the third installment of the “Jurassic World” trilogy isn’t supposed to hit theaters until June of 2021, so fans are going to have to wait a while to see what comes next.
For now, all eyes are on “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” The first “Jurassic World” managed to break two major box office records on its opening weekend; one of which, at the time, was the best all-time debut (bringing in a record-breaking amount of just over $208 million). Even today, the 2015 movie remains high on the list, standing at No. 4.
Some gamblers might play their odds and say that this film is likely to do the same thing as the one that came before. How will you place your bets?
