Jurassic World

REVIEW:

Fourteen years after Jurassic Park III left fans divided, Jurassic World arrived in 2015 with the weight of the entire franchise on its genetically modified shoulders. The stakes were sky high: one misstep and the once groundbreaking series risked extinction. But instead of fading into the fossil record like a forgotten sequel, Jurassic World soared. It didn’t just reboot the franchise, it injected it with new DNA. For the first time, we see the park as John Hammond always envisioned it, operational, overcrowded, and utterly awe inspiring. From the gyrospheres gliding through open plains to the Mosasaurus launching out of the lagoon like a prehistoric SeaWorld headliner, the spectacle is stunning. I’d give anything to visit such a theme park, you know, minus the inevitable chaos and body count.

The beauty of the park is only rivalled by the richness of its production design. The vibrant colour palette feels like a theme park promo brochure sprung to life, and every location from the monorail to the control room has a lived in energy. When Gray flings open those hotel balcony doors and Williams’ classic theme swells, it’s impossible not to feel that familiar tingle down your spine. The entire film plays like a love letter to the original while still carving its own path. Sure, I’d have loved to see more of the attractions, but the tight pacing makes it a fair trade off. Maybe an extended cut someday?

Three factors really drive Jurassic World’s success: the visual effects (which are jaw dropping), the cast (a smart blend of charisma and chemistry), and the nostalgia (which is weaponised with frightening efficiency). Chris Pratt, fresh off his Guardians stardom, brings a laid back alpha energy as Owen, while Bryce Dallas Howard plays Claire with a sharp edge that mellows as the crisis unfolds. Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson as the brothers offer that Spielbergian touch of sibling drama, and Vincent D’Onofrio is perfectly slimy as the corporate villain. But it’s nostalgia that hits hardest, whether it’s the reveal of the old Visitor Centre or a dusty pair of night vision goggles, it’s like revisiting childhood memories, only this time with more teeth.

BD Wong’s return as Dr. Henry Wu is a welcome continuity thread, though his transformation from geneticist to morally ambiguous mastermind deserved more exploration. His final scene, ominous and cryptic, hinted at an arc that sadly fizzled out in later films. That said, his presence here works to link the old and new eras of the franchise. And while Pratt and Howard headline, it’s Owen’s bond with Blue the raptor that really resonates across the trilogy. There’s something beautifully absurd about a man training velociraptors like hunting dogs and somehow, Jurassic World sells it.

If I have one real gripe, it’s the lack of practical animatronics. The original Jurassic Park set a benchmark in blending digital and physical effects, and while Jurassic World leans more into CGI, it’s hard to complain when the results look this good. The Indominus Rex, engineered nightmare that it is, moves with terrifying weight and detail. Its thermal camouflage ability? Genius concept, underused execution. It’s introduced, impressively demonstrated, and then seemingly forgotten, like a script note lost in a rewrite. Still, the creature’s presence is genuinely menacing.

Speaking of creatures, I love the inclusion of the Mosasaurus. It’s our first aquatic dinosaur in the franchise, and its grand reveal, leaping from the water to devour a great white shark, is a cheeky nod to Spielberg’s Jaws. It’s moments like that which show the filmmakers knew exactly who they were speaking to. And when that same Mosasaurus emerges again in the finale? Goosebumps. While it’s not quite positioned as an apex predator, its sheer scale and unexpected involvement in the final battle make for one of the film’s most thrilling surprises.

The relationship between Zach and Gray adds unexpected emotional depth. I saw this movie with my older brother, and watching those two slowly reconnect, especially when Zach says, “We’re brothers. We’re always be brothers and we will always come back to one another,” really hit home. It’s not always about the dinosaurs, as odd as that sounds. Jurassic World remembers that the human element is what grounds the chaos. Sure, some of the dialogue is on the cheesy side, but I swear I once heard Colin Trevorrow say that was intentional, to echo the tone of 80s and 90s adventure movies. I can’t find the quote now, maybe I dreamed it, but it would make perfect sense.

And let’s talk about that ending. The final battle between Blue, Rexy, and the Indominus is pure dino mayhem, and I am here for every tail whip and roar. After the anticlimactic fight in JP3, this one feels like Trevorrow himself walked into the writer’s room and said, “You want a dino brawl? Watch this.” It’s chaotic, crowd pleasing, and ends with just enough emotional payoff to elevate it beyond spectacle. Jurassic World may not be perfect, but it’s exactly what the franchise needed, a triumphant resurrection, roaring into a new era.