Jurassic World Dominion hits theaters on June 10, 2022.
Nostalgia has become such a common device that it could basically be media currency at this point, but there are some movies where it just works. Jurassic World Dominion is one such flick, combining this generation’s heroes with those of the ‘90s with a surprising amount of success. Now, Dominion is far from a perfect movie. But how low of a rating can you really give to a film that had you grinning from ear to ear from start to finish?
Let’s get the weaker points out of the way before we dive into all the reasons this movie kind of rules. Michael Giacchino’s score isn’t anything to write home about. Anything that makes your ears perk up here is going to be thanks to homages to/riffs on John Williams’ original work. There are some odd character beats — particularly with Owen and Claire — where it kinda seems like neither Chris Pratt nor Bryce Dallas Howard wanted to be on set that day. And the character of Maise (that’s Fallen Kingdom’s cloned child), while admirably performed by Isabella Sermon, mostly just plays as a lack of faith in the audience to find empathy without a human counterpart to the dinosaurs.
While none of these are insignificant flaws, Jurassic World Dominion still manages to play with dino DNA in a way that keeps you excited and marks some notable improvements from previous entries. Most notably is the character of Claire Dearing. She’s given breakneck character changes between Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, none of which are earned in any way that’s meaningful. In Dominion, we get several moments that retroactively acknowledge the woman she was when she allowed Isla Nublar to fall and the woman she wants to be now that she sees the dinosaurs as actual living beings.
Those living beings, by and large, look pretty great too! Dominion does seem to lean heavier on VFX than past entries, and there are a couple rough-looking atrociraptors. These new raptors are meant to play as more form than function, though. Their existence in the story is solely as quick-moving foils to Owen, Claire, and Kayla (DeWanda Wise), so any distractions that may be presented by dicier-looking dinos is limited to a few seconds-long glimpses. Action-wise, everything else is thrilling raptor chases, dino-on-dino fighting, and the return of fan-favorites like Blue, Rexy, and the dilophosaurus. And don’t worry, those atrociraptors are the only dinosaurs who look a little funky!
Jurassic World Dominion may be leaning heavily into nostalgia, but every single one of its newcomers is an impressive introduction to the franchise. Mamoudou Athie rules as new addition Ramsay Cole, and I couldn’t be more here for DeWanda Wise’s cargo pilot Kayla Watts. Each one of them is invaluable to the story, with Kayla showing up Owen’s machismo with ease and Ramsay showing — well, we actually can’t tell you that because it’s kind of a spoiler, but rest assured that he’s imperative to the storyline and is fun to boot.
And Blue’s baby, Beta? Listen. Was this baby dino created solely with the intention of selling toys? Probably. Is she an exciting and incredibly cute new addition to the Jurassic Park Dino Pantheon™? Yes. You can put her plush right next to your Baby Yoda and Baby Groot toys. Beta and the atrociraptors aren’t the only new prehistoric players, either. We see realistic versions of several of the dinosaurs (updated from what we knew about the era at the time that the original Jurassic Park was made) and a surprising new bio-threat is introduced that ends up ultimately competing with the dinosaurs for the biggest current threat to humanity’s survival as a species.
Dominion still has enough going on to keep it both exciting and fun for audiences.
All of this takes us to what had most fans hyped for Jurassic World Dominion to begin with — the return of the big three. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum all make their homecoming as doctors Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm, respectively, and said return is as delightful as one would expect after missing them together on-screen for nearly 30 years. More importantly, though, is the fact that their presence in the World franchise isn’t shoehorned. Writers Emily Carmichael, Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly didn’t think up some hamhocked reason for Claire and Owen to go to any of the three for help. Instead, their paths cross in a very organic matter that easily justifies everyone’s presence in the story. No one’s trading their character goals for anyone else’s, and they all play a part in saving our world while doing our best to keep the dinosaurs humanity has brought back as safe as they can.
Jurassic World Dominion doesn’t tie any bows on the fact that dinosaurs are now an ever-present challenge in our world, nor does it believe in its audiences’ intelligence enough to explore that complicated of a story. Honestly, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous does a better job with such themes with its long-form narrative. That’s a warranted frustration with the continuation of the franchise, but Dominion still has enough going on to keep it both exciting and fun for audiences. The film’s successful marriage of hardcore nostalgia and new challenges works in its favor, and I can’t wait to see what the franchise does next.
Continue reading...
Nostalgia has become such a common device that it could basically be media currency at this point, but there are some movies where it just works. Jurassic World Dominion is one such flick, combining this generation’s heroes with those of the ‘90s with a surprising amount of success. Now, Dominion is far from a perfect movie. But how low of a rating can you really give to a film that had you grinning from ear to ear from start to finish?
Let’s get the weaker points out of the way before we dive into all the reasons this movie kind of rules. Michael Giacchino’s score isn’t anything to write home about. Anything that makes your ears perk up here is going to be thanks to homages to/riffs on John Williams’ original work. There are some odd character beats — particularly with Owen and Claire — where it kinda seems like neither Chris Pratt nor Bryce Dallas Howard wanted to be on set that day. And the character of Maise (that’s Fallen Kingdom’s cloned child), while admirably performed by Isabella Sermon, mostly just plays as a lack of faith in the audience to find empathy without a human counterpart to the dinosaurs.
While none of these are insignificant flaws, Jurassic World Dominion still manages to play with dino DNA in a way that keeps you excited and marks some notable improvements from previous entries. Most notably is the character of Claire Dearing. She’s given breakneck character changes between Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, none of which are earned in any way that’s meaningful. In Dominion, we get several moments that retroactively acknowledge the woman she was when she allowed Isla Nublar to fall and the woman she wants to be now that she sees the dinosaurs as actual living beings.
Those living beings, by and large, look pretty great too! Dominion does seem to lean heavier on VFX than past entries, and there are a couple rough-looking atrociraptors. These new raptors are meant to play as more form than function, though. Their existence in the story is solely as quick-moving foils to Owen, Claire, and Kayla (DeWanda Wise), so any distractions that may be presented by dicier-looking dinos is limited to a few seconds-long glimpses. Action-wise, everything else is thrilling raptor chases, dino-on-dino fighting, and the return of fan-favorites like Blue, Rexy, and the dilophosaurus. And don’t worry, those atrociraptors are the only dinosaurs who look a little funky!
Jurassic World Dominion may be leaning heavily into nostalgia, but every single one of its newcomers is an impressive introduction to the franchise. Mamoudou Athie rules as new addition Ramsay Cole, and I couldn’t be more here for DeWanda Wise’s cargo pilot Kayla Watts. Each one of them is invaluable to the story, with Kayla showing up Owen’s machismo with ease and Ramsay showing — well, we actually can’t tell you that because it’s kind of a spoiler, but rest assured that he’s imperative to the storyline and is fun to boot.
And Blue’s baby, Beta? Listen. Was this baby dino created solely with the intention of selling toys? Probably. Is she an exciting and incredibly cute new addition to the Jurassic Park Dino Pantheon™? Yes. You can put her plush right next to your Baby Yoda and Baby Groot toys. Beta and the atrociraptors aren’t the only new prehistoric players, either. We see realistic versions of several of the dinosaurs (updated from what we knew about the era at the time that the original Jurassic Park was made) and a surprising new bio-threat is introduced that ends up ultimately competing with the dinosaurs for the biggest current threat to humanity’s survival as a species.
Dominion still has enough going on to keep it both exciting and fun for audiences.
All of this takes us to what had most fans hyped for Jurassic World Dominion to begin with — the return of the big three. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum all make their homecoming as doctors Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm, respectively, and said return is as delightful as one would expect after missing them together on-screen for nearly 30 years. More importantly, though, is the fact that their presence in the World franchise isn’t shoehorned. Writers Emily Carmichael, Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly didn’t think up some hamhocked reason for Claire and Owen to go to any of the three for help. Instead, their paths cross in a very organic matter that easily justifies everyone’s presence in the story. No one’s trading their character goals for anyone else’s, and they all play a part in saving our world while doing our best to keep the dinosaurs humanity has brought back as safe as they can.
Jurassic World Dominion doesn’t tie any bows on the fact that dinosaurs are now an ever-present challenge in our world, nor does it believe in its audiences’ intelligence enough to explore that complicated of a story. Honestly, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous does a better job with such themes with its long-form narrative. That’s a warranted frustration with the continuation of the franchise, but Dominion still has enough going on to keep it both exciting and fun for audiences. The film’s successful marriage of hardcore nostalgia and new challenges works in its favor, and I can’t wait to see what the franchise does next.
Continue reading...