Jurassic World

"We have the best structural engineers in the world." 

"Yeah, so did Hammond..."

Twenty years after John Hammond attempted to open the theme park Jurassic Park, the theme park Jurassic World has been successfully operating for 10 years.  The geneticists, led by Dr. Henry Wu (Wong), have successfully created several dinosaurs and are preparing to unveil their first hybrid: the Indominus Rex.  The dinosaurs in the park wear tracking devices and are carefully monitored.  The park is owned by businessman Simon Masrani (Khan) and Claire Dearing (Howard) runs the park.

As they prepare to show the Indominus Rex to the world, Masrani insists that Owen Gardy (Pratt) inspect the cage to make sure it is safe.  Owen is the trainer for the Velociraptors and the alpha in their pack.  As he is arrives at the cage, the Indominus Rex excapes and heads towards the park.  Meanwhile, Claire's nephews Zach (Robinson) and Gray (Simpkins), are visiting the park and exploring in gyrosphere.  Can Claire and Owen find her nephews and stop the Indominus Rex before it kills again?


Since 2001 there have been rumors about a fourth film in the Jurassic Park series (after Jurassic Park in 1993, The Lost World: Jurassic Park in 1997, and Jurassic Park III in 2001).  Most of the cast from the original cast expressed interest in returning to the series.  However, the script and cast changed numerous times over the years.  They ultimately settled on an idea written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, with some re-writes by Derek Connolly and director Colin Trevorrow.

Unlike the other films in the series, this one features a functioning dinosaur park.  Only one character from the original films appears in this one, Dr. Henry Wu, portrayed by B.D. Wong.  He has a bigger role in this film than he did in the original.  Paleontologist Jack Horner again served as an advisor on the film, and had a small cameo as well.  Despite Horner's involvement, the film was criticized by paleontologists for failing to accurately portray the dinosaurs in the film (lack of feathers, etc).

In many ways the plot is rehashing the original Jurassic Park film, but with higher stakes (since there are more people on the island).  The acting is ok, but not great.  It is a big, loud summer blockbuster in a popular franchise, so you get what you expect.  It's not terrible, but it's not a great movie either.

A sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is scheduled for a 2018 release, with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard reprising their roles from this film, and could potentially appear in subsequent sequels.

Jurassic World (2015) 124 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Chris Pratt as Owen Grady
Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing
Vincent D'Onofrio as Vic Hoskins
Ty Simpkins as Gray Mitchel
Nick Robinson as Zach Mitchell
Omar Sy as Barry
B.D. Wong as Dr. Henry Wu
Irrfan Khan as Simon Masrani
Jake Johnson as Lowery Cruthers
Lauren Lapkus as Vivian