Jurassic World: Rebirth Brings Back Dino Thrills

The Jurassic Park franchise is alive and well again on the big screen with Jurassic World: Rebirth, a fresh style that re-invented the franchise's story about dinosaurs. The next installment is directed by Gareth Edwards, with original Jurassic Park scribe David Koepp returning to the series as the writer. 

The movie takes place 30 years after the original story and features a new cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey. They play characters who are a part of a biotech research team and are sent to a remote island to retrieve dinosaur DNA. However, the supposedly scientific mission quickly turns into a deadly struggle for survival once the team realizes they are stuck on an island with dangerous dinosaurs.

Rebirth takes a different a slightly different approach from the last trilogy, which relied heavily on engineering and theme park disasters. Rebirth goes back to basics: humans versus nature. The story doesn't directly relate to the last trilogy (and part of the original trilogy), but it relies on the same basic premise: what happens when humans seek to control the strongest elements of nature with science?

A memorable moment is the T. rex attack on a raft, which is admittedly more dramatic than it is suspenseful. People who have read Crichton's novel will recognize the scene; it was never included in the last trilogy or the original trilogy. That moment, combined with spectacular visuals, has elicited praise from fans and critics.

The production team filmed on location in Thailand, Malta, and the UK. The film aims for realism by successfully blending a few real locations with practical effects and CGI techniques. This combination maintains a human touch while creating the fantasy vivarium of the dinosaurs. Modern visual effects and intricate animatronics bring the craze of dinosaurs in a film to life and help make it more realistic. The musical score composed by Alexandre Desplat features new themes while replicating versions of melodies introduced in John Williams' acclaimed original score.

As many moviegoers are less concerned about the franchise's last gasp of dinosaurs on the big screen, the critics are more ambivalent about the total effect of Jurassic World: Rebirth. The amount of visual stimulation, aghast action, and lighting quickly have given critics seemly a uniformly forked appreciation of artistry from capturing the damage and legacy of the franchise; while praising how well the film succeeds in packing in danger and power respectively.

A new era is born. Watch the Jurassic World Rebirth trailer now. pic.twitter.com/JbTsCK9NMm

— Jurassic World (@JurassicWorld) February 5, 2025

Still, some critics said the movie's human characters are bland and the plot didn't provide anything new. It's full of spectacle and nostalgia, but some critics say it does not take enough creative risks or introduce new ideas. Vanity Fair and The Washington Post even mentioned the movie very closely follows the Jurassic film motif.

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’: Critics Split Between Roar & Meh

Regardless, for many fans that are accustomed to that model, sequels hold value, as fans seemingly want the same formula. It provides suspense, great dinosaur moments, and just enough new things to feel new for a sequel. The new sequel might not change a franchise, but it can turn out a solid film and entertainment for consumers and fans, regardless of the message around "failed aspirations."

Image Source: nme.com