Take 23: Jurassic World Rebirth
In Jurassic World Rebirth, Zora Bennett (Scarelett Johansson) is hired to assemble and lead a crew for an expedition into an isolated tropical biosphere to obtain DNA samples from the three biggest dinosaurs which will then be able to use to manufacture medication that will benefit all of humanity. They are soon joined by Rueben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), designated DILF, who along with his two daughters (Isabella and Teresa) and Teresa’s boyfriend, are rescued by the crew after a narrow escape from an near fatal encounter with one of the dinosaurs Zoe and company are after.
Zora’s crew is made up of Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), a paleontologist who is excited to experience the dinosaurs in their natural environment but isn’t exactly field trained; Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali),the captain of the The Essex, the ship they are using into dinosaur territory; his pilot, LeClerc, mercenary Nina, and security chief, Bobby Artwater, and Martin Krebs, the pharmaceutical company executive that hires Zoe. Between the crew and the family, there is a good number for characters, and some will fair much better than others over the course of the film so probably not a good idea to get too attached to anyone.
The performance are pretty good. Special props to David Iacono who plays Xavier who goes from extremely annoying to likable comic relief, to only mildly annoying as the movie progresses. Jonathan Bailey balances semi-nerdy but enthusiastic. And Johansson and Nina (played by Philippe Velge) are bad @$$ women.
Although they have lofty intentions and are going after the biggest and the baddest, it all feels a little small. Maybe it’s because this handful of characters are really the only ones that will be affected if and when things go south. There are not rampages thought crowded cities this time around, so lowering the stakes is a definite choice. Does it pay off? I don’t know.
It’s not a BAD movie by any stretch, but also not very memorable. When you think back to the very first movie, there is a feeling of awe. It tapered off by the fourth movie and then there was a certain energy injected into the first and second Worlds. This one just seems to have run out of juice. Nothing about this feels particularly summer blockbuster. My score: 7. Exceptionally average.
Is this a World you want to live in? Let me know in the comments. And until next time…