Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

Much like the genetically altered dinosaurs in this blockbuster, Fallen Kingdom is a monstrous abnormality, altering The Lost World’s DNA, with horrific results. 

Genre: Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi

Director: J. A. Bayona

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Justice Smith, Daniela Pineda, Rafe Spall, Ted Levine, Toby Jones, James Cromwell, BD Wong & Jeff Goldblum.

Run Time: 128 min.

US Release: 22 June 2018

UK Release: 06 June 2018

German Release: 06 June 2018

After a relative return to form with Jurassic World, I was really looking forward to this fourth sequel in the dinosaur series. Similar to the re-awakened Star Wars, Universal decided to create a new trilogy, with each instalment being directed by a different regisseur. Also like the space saga, it tried copying the original trilogy’s formula, and while it worked with the previous blockbuster, this one ends up being messy without an ending, due to specific creative choices. As such, let me tell you what didn’t work with this newest blockbuster. 

Three years after the theme park needed to be shut down, Owen plus Claire are tasked to return to Isla Nublar, to save as many of the giant lizards as possible, when a once dormant volcano becomes active again, threatening to extinguish them once again. Along the way, they discover a conspiracy that could disrupt the natural order of the world.

Honestly, the first arc, centring around the rescue mission on the island, is the best part; it is what the whole film should have been about, containing high stakes, racing against a natural catastrophic event. It also sets up the topic of cloning ethics at odds with animal rights perspectives, questioning if it is humanity's moral obligation to save de-extinct creatures from certain death, given that they were brought back by us in the first place, through genetic experimentation. Yes, that first part has its issues, containing slapstick humour elements that also transfer into the rest of its runtime.

By the end of that first act, things start falling apart completely. It is here where the creative team proves that they have no clue what the heart of the franchise is about. Having learned all the wrong lessons from The Lost World, it shifts the setting away from an enclosed space, bringing the dinosaurs back to the mainland, including a greedy suit-wearer who takes away control of a sickly, billionaire philanthropist’s company, to make money out of these animals. Sounds familiar, doesn’t? However, it doesn’t stop there, as it plays around with the formula, injecting it with stupid ideas of its own, about a second genetically modified dinosaur.

Generally, the narrative feels disjointed, as if two different scripts were thrown together, which creates a tonal imbalance, as well as uneven flow. Thanks to the recycling of familiar plot beats, the whole premise is easily predictable, while the few new elements included are illogical. The dialogue relies on heavy exposition, just like struggling to balance self-serious monologues and childish humour.

The acting is generally murky, ranging from over-the-top to contained performances. Justice Smith’s high-pitched screams were especially irritating. Not knowing how to conclude the romance between Claire and Owen, the writing team decided to reverse everything done in the previous flick, to rehash the same blossoming romance. Supporting characters are given bare motivation, turning them into forgettable set pieces. 

Chris Pratt returns as Owen Grady, giving this time around a more sombre performance, with fewer jokes. His physical performance is strong, making him believable as the animal expert who used to train raptors; nonetheless, the script starts humanising the main raptor, Blue, hinting at it having human emotions, as well as an understanding of the English language. Grady himself is battling with his consciousness: emotionally, he wants to save the creatures he helped raise, though logically he knows they don’t belong to our timeline.

Bryce Dalla Howard’s character is flipped; now a turned animal activist, she tries to obtain governmental funds to save the dinosaurs from being wiped off the surface a second time. Howard gives her persona more emotional depth than in the forerunner, while handling physical action segments well. Her transformation from corporate exec to conservationist feels underdeveloped plus abrupt. It also seems as if she has less chemistry with co-star Pratt, compared to the previous picture. 

Rafe Spall plays the corporate villain Eli Mils with a polished, slimy attitude. The character itself is the clichéd, one-dimensional baddy, motivated by pure greed, without giving it a deeper complexity, such as Wayne Knight’s Dennis.  

James Cromwell was cast as Benjamin Lockwood, the apparent former partner of the original park creator John Hammond, though he was never mentioned before in any of the other movies. He is basically a copy-paste creation of Hammond. Isabella Sermon plays Lockwood’s granddaughter, Maisie, giving a strong debut portrayal. Sadly, a specific revelation is made about her that destroys much of the plot's credibility.

Visually, director of photography Óscar Faura enthrals mostly with grand, epic spectacles. Especially during the first forty-five minutes, which include the volcanic eruption of Isla Nublar, are framed with exceptional lighting that employs a rich, saturated colour palette. However, these are opposed by overly dark sequences that take place in the second half, inside a mansion, obscuring what is happening on screen. Chase sequences are well captured, using fluid movements, but the use of shaky cam in some scenes disrupts clarity.

Then there is the issue of overreliance on visual effects while underusing practical craftsmanship. Yes, the computer-generated dinosaurs look imposing, yet they are too polished, impacting realism. That said, the destruction of the island is a highlight for sure! 

Michael Giacchino returns to continue his musical scoring from Jurassic World, once again playing it safe by re-using Michael Williams' original theme to invoke nostalgia, yet the score lacks an original piece.

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Verdict: After the strong debut of the fourth film in this franchise, this sequel is more than disappointing, it is right-out insulting! Starting out with a gripping first act, about the salvation of dinosaurs, from an island that is about to erupt in volcanic chaos, it quickly deteriorates once it moves onto the mansion segment. Using the second feature as its blueprint, patches in themes from some of the other films, creating a hollow monstrosity. Motivations are thin, dialogues are not believable, and the villain is a cookie-cutter corporate suit. Byrce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt give good performances, though some of the incentives are thinly developed. The camera is mostly alright, managing to capture a grand display on film; nonetheless, some of the mansion shots are too dark. The effects look great, but are too polished. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom fails spectacularly. It’s a 4.0  out of 10. 

This is not a recommendation from me, save your money & go see Deadpool 2 instead, if you haven’t yet. If you want to read my previous review of this series, you’ll find related posts underneath. Thanks for reading. If you liked my review, don’t forget to give it a thumbs up & please share.