I got an email inviting me to a Premier Event Screening of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom! I RSVP-ed so dang quickly. It promised a Fan Fest with dinosaur props and tshirts and video games and all sorts of fun stuff. And as a bonus, I’d finally get to go to Walt Disney Concert Hall. Sooooo, it turns out that the premiere was the night before, and this was just a fan screening. Still, totally cool. And it also turns out that it’s such a maze getting to the concert hall, that it took me an extra half hour to find the right road and I didn’t have much time at the fan fest. Can’t really complain though. It was a fun change of pace for watching a movie.
Isla Nublar has been abandoned in the wake of the events at Jurassic World, and the dinosaurs are running wild. A volcano on the island erupts, threatening their extinction all over again. Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt are back to try and rescue as many of these noble creatures as they can, but the people bankrolling this mission might not actually have their sights set on an honorable mission.
The first half was basically more of the usual run-from-the-dinosaurs style we’re used to, where they continually tried to up the ante from previous films. The change of scenery for the second half made for a more calm film, hoping for an unsettling slow burn suspense. While I give them points for trying something different, for me, I felt like it killed the momentum and created a less thrilling film that I was expecting. The suspense just wasn’t there.
Something else I think they did right was to further try and establish the dinos as sympathetic creatures. They were more than just monsters to be scared of, but ones that you felt genuine emotion for. Again, not sure how well it worked since it toned down the urgency, but it did increase the emotional connection of the film.
Ultimately, you go see this movie for the dinosaurs (and Chris Pratt). And these dinos wanna be seen on the big screen. Just be sure to temper your expectations and not ask for anything more than that. Jurassic Park is long gone
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – \m/ \m/ \m/