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| Courtesy of Universal |
The
third sequel to Steven Spielberg’s 1993 marvel, which comes 14 years after the
previous installment, dumbfounded box office prognosticators last weekend.
People knew the film was going to be big, but not earth-shattering. Jurassic
World now has the biggest opening weekend of all time, earning a staggering
$208.8 million in just three days. The sci-fi thriller also broke the record
for biggest global debut, raking in $524.1 million.
Never
underestimate the combined power of dinosaurs and Chris Pratt, who is now unquestionably
one of the world’s biggest movie stars. I just wish he was in a better flick. I
know, I know. This is where sound like a stereotypical, fun-hating critic.
But
I’m the easiest target in the world for a movie like this. I’m a dinosaur nut,
I’m a fan of almost everyone in the cast (particularly Pratt, Bryce Dallas
Howard and Jake Johnson) and I loved director Colin Trevorrow’s charming Safety
Not Guaranteed. But Jurassic World is a clear example of a
reverse-engineered blockbuster, rather than a story that evolved organically.
The
plot is simple enough: two decades after the disastrous events of the first
film, the dino-populated island is now home to Jurassic World, a hugely
successful theme park. But in this modern age of marketing and unreasonable
expectations, the suits behind the park (represented by Howard’s tense character)
are constantly looking for bigger and scarier attractions.
When
the inevitable happens – namely, a genetically-engineered monster called
Indominus Rex escaping and killing everything in its path – a dino trainer (Pratt)
must save his boss’ visiting nephews (Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson) and
prevent further bloodshed.
Look,
I know the target demo for Jurassic World isn’t looking for nuanced
storytelling or three-dimensional characters. I’m not a dummy. But it seems
like Trevorrow, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver and
Derek Connolly, had the big action sequences in mind and then slapped together some
plot points to fill in the gaps. Most people won’t care, but it struck me as a haphazard
use of a terrific premise.
Those
looking for spectacle won’t leave disappointed, but – for me, at least – the
cartoony CGI removes any sense of danger from the proceedings. Not once did I give
in to the illusion of cinema and believe these were real people in a
life-threatening situation. Instead, I saw actors pretending to run from an
invisible monster that a computer would create later.
I
don’t blame the actors. Pratt further cements his movie star status, committing
fully and instilling his character with an old-school Harrison Ford vibe. (I
totally get why Spielberg wants him to play Indiana Jones.) Howard does the
best she can with the thankless killjoy role. Johnson brings some much-needed comic
relief with his control room technician. Vincent D’Onofrio plays a great
moustache-twirling villain.
Yet
it’s all in service to a paint-by-numbers blockbuster. Again, that’s not
entirely a bad thing – but it could’ve been so much better.
Jurassic World is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril.
Grade: B-
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