Mr Knight's Pick of the Month: Jurassic World

Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi

Rated – M

Duration – 124mins

Release – July2015

Director – Colin Trevorrow

Cast – Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, BD Wong, Judy Greer


Jurassic World has proven what many believe to be true. To get the recipe right, it can take patience, time and the promise to stay true to its origins. After twenty two years it appears the Jurassic World team have got it right.

Jurassic World takes place in today’s time with the ambitious and high spirited John Hammond’s dream of a dinosaur theme park come to reality. The failed Jurassic Park set in the tropical island Isla Nublar in 1993, reborn as Jurassic World, and in its early years, experiencing great success.

The park boasting twenty thousand visitors a day bringing in what appears to be one of the many reasons for the parks previous failures. Money. With cooperate pressures and investors wanting a bigger return, the Jurassic World’s park operator, Bryce Dallas Howard’s (Ron Howards daughter) Clare, presents the investors with a bigger and better dinosaur, ready to be introduced to the park.

This dinosaur however is something never seen before, created in the lab by the only character featured in Jurassic World and in the original Jurassic Park, BD Wong’s Doctor Henry Wu. Wu using the characteristics of current animals DNA creates a highly versatile and intelligent new dinosaur, bigger than the T-Rex, set to bring more dollars in.

  Bryce Dallas Howard’s Clare looking at the parks newest creation.

As the park plans to reveal its new money maker, on the other side of the island resides an ex-navy park ranger there to work with one the Jurassic franchises favourites, the Velociraptor. Enter Chris Pratt, Hollywood’s latest new up and comer after great success with his leading role in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Pratt’s character Owen, has the perfect mix of Dr Alan Grant’s adventure and Dr Ian Malcolm’s wit.

When Owen is called in to review this new dinosaur and its secure pen, in a horrific series of errors and outwitting behaviour by this dinosaur, it breaks loose and creates havoc. As the park operators scramble to keep the safety of twenty thousand visitors, and Clare’s two nephews who manage to separate themselves from their group and into the dangers of the park, Owen and Clare are forced to go out on a rescue mission to find the boys and stop this new killing machine.

Jurassic World manages to satisfy old fans whilst inviting in and thrilling a new generation. It fills the movie with homage to the 1993 classic without over doing it. Giving just enough to put a smile on the 90’s generations face. An old Jurassic Park t-shirt here, a book with an image of Dr Ian Malcolm on the cover there, and a quick venture into the original parks dining room with a dusty and dirty image of a Velociraptor painted on the wall. All these little bits and more to help bring back memories of its predecessor.

Jurassic World features the excitement of the park, the awe of the dinosaurs, the thrill of the chase and just enough gore to make parents with youngsters maybe think twice before taking them in. It doesn’t make the mistake of many other movies, such as Dracula Untold, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lone Ranger, and others like it, where the body count stacks in the hundreds, yet not a single drop of blood is found.

In my opinion studios make those titles that way to keep the rating low and bring more customers through the cinema doors. As a result making films lose some of the reality in these already fantasy based themes. Jurassic World however does not hesitate to take that challenge and rip it to pieces with the body count soaring of both people and dinosaurs with the blood to match, as the movie progresses.

Director Colin Trevorrow, stays true to the original keeping special effects to its minimum with many of the dinosaurs actually robotically made to keep them feeling more genuine. With this being Trevorrow’s first big budget movie with him in the director’s chair, his attention to detail in comparison to Jurassic Park in 1993 is to be admired. By keeping as much of the film away from special effects, Trevorrow avoided the trap of the Hobbit films, I am Legend and the recent additions to the Star Wars saga by not over doing the green screen and using real life creations instead of CGI where possible. As a result making the dinosaurs feel real in comparison to watching a video game.

Chris Pratt’s Owen riding on the hunt with his Velociraptors.

Chris Pratt steals the show in this new epic bringing the films requirement for a hero to the forefront in style.Pratt’s character Owen displays intelligence, humour, ability to survive and the respect for the dinosaurs, which all combined make him a joy to watch. As young talent Nick Robinson playing Clare’s nephew Zach states, “You’re boyfriend is a badass!” as Owen speeds through dense jungle with four allied raptors in tow.

For the old faithful, Jurassic World will not disappoint. As for the new generation, it’s time to get to a cinema and enjoy the ride. A must see on the big screen.