Review: Jurassic World Dominion

Gracie Moore finds some enjoyment in the latest instalment of the Jurassic World franchise, even if it doesn’t come close to Spielberg’s original

It’s been 29 years since the revolutionary Steven Spielberg took over our screens with the Jurassic Park franchise and, despite not directing Jurassic World: Dominion, his genius was outlandish enough to stay for good.

In many regards, the film is extremely touching with the cast from the first Jurassic Park returning to signify how, as the human race, we have come full circle with paleontological innovation. Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum are a perfect addition to this final film, teaming up with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard to merge the two franchises. The various Easter eggs throughout will have any superfan gleaming. Perhaps the most notable is when Ellie (Laura Dern) gasps and removes her sunglasses when seeing the decimated fields for the first time; mimicking her first glimpse of the Brachiosaurus in the original Jurassic Park. The two scenes are practically identical, and this is simultaneously comedic and cathartic. These little touches incite nostalgia – the feeling that, at times, we cling to while being exposed to the absurdity of the plotline.

If there is one thing about Jurassic Park, it’s that every movie needs to include the basics: dinosaurs stalking humans, a little bit of gore and a stressful showdown against the main antagonist dinosaur at the end. The film didn’t fully achieve these, considering most of the plot was focused on the mutant locusts that had been destroying crops and terrorising populations worldwide. It can be argued that this may be the director Colin Trevorrow’s approach to avoid repetition from previous films as dinosaurs devouring people may have been overused. But is this not what we signed up for when we paid for our ticket to see a dinosaur movie?

These little touches incite nostalgia – the feeling that, at times, we cling to while being exposed to the absurdity of the plotline

Regardless, the most outstanding feature of this film must be accredited to the dual use of props and CGI. Even watching the film on your TV from the other side of the living room, the experience is fully immersive, adding to the suspense that we have come to desperately crave from this franchise.

Frankly, the worst part of this film is the character of Maisie Lockwood, who frustrated us all at the end of the second film by releasing all the dinosaurs into the world, essentially being the cause of all the dinosaur-related incidents that occur in Jurassic World: Dominion. Compounding this, actress Isabella Sermon, who plays Maisie, is never seen in the latest film without a blank, emotionless expression on her face. It is hard for us, as an audience, to sympathise with Maisie’s troubled character as her errors are never addressed in this film.

Generally, this film is a must-watch if you are a fan of the preceding films. However, within the patchy pockets of brilliant action, there is a considerable lack of tension that is present in abundance within the previous films. For now, it’s time for Chris Pratt to put that raptor-chasing motorbike back in the garage and for Sam Neill to put his hat back on the stand so we can enjoy the magic of the Jurassic Park brand before the themes get too ludicrous.