Sunday, 14 June 2015

Film Review - Jurassic World



Walk In The Park

Film: Jurassic World
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan
Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
Duration: 2 hrs 4mins
Rating:  *  *  * 1 / 2

It’s been over 20 years since the dinosaurs and Steven Spielberg’s vision blew us away with Jurassic Park, adapted from Michael Crichton’s book. While watching Jurassic World the latest in the franchise and fourth in line, you are constantly reminded, in a good way, what a spectacular film the original one was - anyone can use CGI but to use it tell a darn good story with so many memorable scenes, it takes a Spielberg to do that.     

Director Colin Trevorrow has done a commendable job with Spielberg on board as executive producer – there is only so much you can do when dinosaur’s run riot in a fairly predictable plot and he seems to be aware of that. Within those parameters, considering that the previous two films failed, Trevorrow does well to pull it off by keeping it simple.  Time and again, the film also pays a tribute to the original, the rear view mirror shot being one of them.

John Hammond who envisaged the park is gone but his dream has come alive.  A fully functional Jurassic park but called Jurassic World is operational in Costa Rica and tourists are flocking there, ignoring everything that happened in part 2 and 3.

The place is managed by Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) who is career oriented woman and a bit stiff at time. Investors want something bigger bolder and cool and the park to keep the interest going, it is bit like mobile companies coming up with new models ever so often. Hence a new dinosaur is genetically modified, he is called Indominus Rex.  While Claire is supposed to look after her two nephews, which she doesn’t, all hell breaks loose when Indominus Rex comes out in the open. Irrfan Khan plays an entrepreneur who controls the park while Owen (Chris Pratt) is a dinosaur trainer of sorts. The stage is all set for the prehistoric creatures to run amok.

There are a couple of sub plots thrown in for good measure – an army man (Vincent D’Onofrio)  is controlling the ‘experiment’, after robots, the army is looking for dinosaurs to fight for them and the relationship between man and animal, raptors in this case adds a nice touch to the proceedings. Trevorrow knows which buttons to press, and when, to keep the audience engaged despite of the plot being formulaic.  

Even if the dinosaur is threatening lives, there has to be some romance in the story, that is the order of the day, so Claire and Owen have a thing going between them and it would have also been interesting to see in a mid or close up shot how she managed to run at quick speed in those heels. 

The acting is at par, Bryce Dallas Howard (Manderlay, The Village) is not seen that often but she is a mighty good actress while Chris Pratt is likable, much like the dinosaurs he trains. 

In toto, Jurassic Park delivers what it promises. 


Published in The Navhind Times on 14th June 2015

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