Jurassic World (2015)

[Bruinsfan]

He was a less prickly character, but as Neill can act circles around Pratt I found myself caring about Alan Grant a lot more than Owen [insert last name here].

[Lugal]

So I finally saw this and I was underwhelmed. The beginning had some interesting meta comments about pop culture. I can totally see people lining up to watch live animals fed to a T. rex, but I would expect just a few protests about it (someone can post a picture online of a leopard chasing down a gazelle and it will get angry comments). I can also totally see them making a petting zoo out of baby dinosaurs (and I would totally be the kid hugging the brontosaur). I also liked Lowery's comments about why not just let the corporations name the dinosaurs. Are you talking about the park or the movie? Either way it really didn't matter once the carnage starts

I liked the mosasaur (note: they were not dinosaurs and were actually closer related to snakes and monitor lizards) even if it did look a little more crocodilian than I thought it should be.

The ending fight between the Plotasaurus, I mean the I. rex, the T. Rex and the raptor, that was pretty cool.

But there were so many other problems, in random order:

I felt worse about the dinosaur deaths than pretty much all the humans.

None of the characters stood out. I like Chris Pratt, but I think he does better as a ne'er-do-well character, rather than the great big hero. I'm curious why they said he was a former Navy SEAL when it really didn't seem to manner. I think it would have done much better if he was say Alan Grant's student or something. I was curious about the next generation of paleontologists now with actual dinosaurs to study.

Bryce Dallas Howard, despite her All Terrain Heels, was kind of a generic business type who we see does actually have a heart after all. She was all right, but she was no Ellie Sadler.

The kids had no purpose in this movie. They could have been cut out and it would have made no difference in the movie.

I like Katie McGrath, but Zara was the biggest missed opportunity. She had the kids dumped on her despite probably having a lot of other work to do (I remember jobs where I ended up watching the manager's dogs, and I don't even like dogs). She could easily have been there alongside the boys throughout the movie, but she pretty much disappears after they ditch her. Then she only shows up to die in a long extended sequence that was really kind of creepy by how much focus it got. The villain's death didn't even take that long.

Speaking of which, WTF kind of plan was that? Weaponized dinosaurs? You're going to send dinosaurs (that cost millions of dollars to create, years to mature, and you can barely control them anyway) onto a battlefield to fight enemy soldiers? Did he ever see that Mythbusters episode where Kari cuts down the tree in like 45 seconds with the machine gun? Now I know dinosaurs can move around as opposed to a tree, so we better hope that the enemy doesn't have any kind of swivel technology. War Dinosaurs would only work in a medieval, early modern or maybe steampunk setting (note to self: write story with dinosaur cavalry)

The Pterosaurs. Where to begin? Movie depictions of pterosaurs have not changed since the 1970's despite all that we have learned. There is a great book, The Pterosaurs from Deep Time by Charles Unwin. It should be required reading for any future JP filmmakers. I think we'll have a Star Wars movie flop before we get an accurate representation of pterosaurs in a movie. First, they are not birds. They were quadrapeds that walked on flat feet. Second, they could not pick up anything with their back feet (not only because they don't work that way) let alone a baby brontosaur, or even a human, anymore than a five ounce swallow could carry a one pound coconut. Third, a lot of pterosaurs were fish-eaters, so they wouldn't go after humans anyway. Fourth, I would think they would head for their natural habitats rather than for the crowd of people for maximum carnage.

A lot of super-persistent predators in this movie, not only the pterosaurs. The Plotasaurus just killed an ankylosaur, yet still feels compelled to go after the two small humans in the inedible glass ball. It also killed a whole heard of brontosaurs, for the hell of it, which would not be an easy thing to do.

The plotasaurus, I mean the Indominus rex. It really makes no sense. Not only can it camouflage, but it seems to have a cloaking device of some kind. It only tried breaking through the window once (why hasn't that been fixed yet?) it seems to have human type intelligence. It doesn't seem to work as a park attraction or as a military weapon. It only seems to be designed to run amok.

Let's see: it's part T. Rex and part velociraptor, escapes from any kind of containment, it can smash through walls and doors with minimal injury, it can cloak, it can remove its tracker in a convenient and clever way, it killed a whole heard of brontosaurs, it killed an ankylosaur, a helicopter with a machine gun can't take it down, it commands a pack of velociraptors, and it fought a T. rex to a standstill and it only taken out by a mosasaur. My God, they've created a Mary-sue-saurus!

I think they summed it up when they called it the most expensive SciFi Channel Original Movie ever made. But we have a sequel coming, (I wonder if it will be all about the legal settlement to all the park attendees that day) so get ready to do this all again in a few years.

[Danny Franks]

I like Katie McGrath, but Zara was the biggest missed opportunity. She had the kids dumped on her despite probably having a lot of other work to do (I remember jobs where I ended up watching the manager's dogs, and I don't even like dogs). She could easily have been there alongside the boys throughout the movie, but she pretty much disappears after they ditch her. Then she only shows up to die in a long extended sequence that was really kind of creepy by how much focus it got. The villain's death didn't even take that long.

 

I was really put off by that sequence. It was needless, graphic and just thoroughly out of place. The character had done nothing at all to deserve to die at all, let alone for the movie to ask the audience to revel in her death. I'm assuming that, because everything else in the movie was a callback to the original, this death was supposed to be an amped up version of Gennaros' in the original, but it just did not work at all, for me.

 

However, now you mention her being a missed opportunity, I'm picturing a movie where she's the protagonist. A put-upon personal assistant who has two kids dumped into her care by her uninterested boss, and ends up forging a relationship with them through keeping them alive while everything goes to shit. It's not original (like everything else in the movie), but it would resonate more with the audience, I think. Keep the romance with the rugged dinosaur whisperer if needs be.

[Morrigan2575]

However, now you mention her being a missed opportunity, I'm picturing a movie where she's the protagonist. A put-upon personal assistant who has two kids dumped into her care by her uninterested boss, and ends up forging a relationship with them through keeping them alive while everything goes to shit. It's not original (like everything else in the movie), but it would resonate more with the audience, I think. Keep the romance with the rugged dinosaur whisperer if needs be.

It's funny you say this because that's actually the story I expected to see when i finally watched the movie. I went online and read comments at IMDb before deciding to watch the movie and there was so much praise for Zara. So many people complaining about her death and how she was the only likable character.

I fully expected Zara to have a much bigger role, one where she played the Alan Grant role, helping the kids lost in the park get back safely. Only since she wasn't a main character she would die heroically saving the kids.

It was rather odd to see not only how little screentime the character got but how emotionally detached she was from the kids.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Morrigan2575

[JustaPerson]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/sam-neill-was-also-shocked-by-how-violent-that-one-death-was#.kiglEMj0Lx

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just caught this on cable and really enjoyed it. Though I much prefer the kids from Jurassic Park, since the two kids in this one just didn't feel...like real kids.  And I coudn't stand Claire. And it wasn't because she didn't end up like some damsel in distress, but just her whole attitude, and she just annoyed me.

Though I have to wonder, is the third movie not part of this continuity? Because there should be three more T-Rexs==Mama, Papa, and baby.  And yes, yes, I'm overthinking, but how'd they get Queenie locked into her paddock in the main park? Because last we saw her, she was eating and fighting the Velociraptors. I didn't dwell over it, but I did wonder.

I wasn't a kid when Jurassic Park came out, but it's still, by far, my favorite.   

[gator12]

You mean the second film, the one with Julianne Moore w/ Mama, Papa, and baby?

[VCRTracking]

I thought Claire was given some great hero moments like shooting the pterodactyl off of Owen and the big moment at the end leading the T-Rex out of the paddock with the flare.

[GHScorpiosRule]

7 hours ago, gator12 said:

You mean the second film, the one with Julianne Moore w/ Mama, Papa, and baby?

D"OH! Yes! I meant the Lost World. The way that one ended, you knew the dinosaurs on that side of the island ruled. And Hammind said that we (humans) should leave them alone.

[Watcher0363]

Jurassic Park took place on one Island. Jurassic Park two and three took place on a different island. Do not know which island Jurassic World took place on.

[anna0852]

Jurassic World took place on the same island as Jurassic Park, just a separate section of it. The movie showed the boys visiting the site of the original 1993 park.

[topanga]

On 5/23/2016 at 9:11 PM, GHScorpiosRule said:

Just caught this on cable and really enjoyed it. Though I much prefer the kids from Jurassic Park, since the two kids in this one just didn't feel...like real kids.  And I coudn't stand Claire. And it wasn't because she didn't end up like some damsel in distress, but just her whole attitude, and she just annoyed me.

Though I have to wonder, is the third movie not part of this continuity? Because there should be three more T-Rexs==Mama, Papa, and baby.  And yes, yes, I'm overthinking, but how'd they get Queenie locked into her paddock in the main park? Because last we saw her, she was eating and fighting the Velociraptors. I didn't dwell over it, but I did wonder.

I wasn't a kid when Jurassic Park came out, but it's still, by far, my favorite.   

Jurassic World was fun to watch but not at all memorable. I didn't strongly identify with any of the characters, and I've never felt compelled to watch it again.

I still watch Jurassic Park from time to time, and I still quote lines from the movie. "He left us. He left us." "Life, uh, finds a way."

[GHScorpiosRule]

11 hours ago, topanga said:

Jurassic World was fun to watch but not at all memorable. I didn't strongly identify with any of the characters, and I've never felt compelled to watch it again.

I still watch Jurassic Park from time to time, and I still quote lines from the movie. "He left us. He left us." "Life, uh, finds a way."

Exactly.

Plus, Pratt is no Sam Neil.

[Morrigan2575]

On 6/9/2016 at 9:00 AM, topanga said:

Jurassic World was fun to watch but not at all memorable. I didn't strongly identify with any of the characters, and I've never felt compelled to watch it again.

I still watch Jurassic Park from time to time, and I still quote lines from the movie. "He left us. He left us." "Life, uh, finds a way."

I just watched Jurassic Park on Netflix and it's still a great movie.  I remember when the movie premiered it was Dinosaur this, special effects that. However, the thing that made the movie great was the characters and their interactions.  

I went to see Jurassic World because they suckered me in with the nostalgia factor. It's a fun movie but, not something I have any desire to watch again.  I think they were too by the numbers with the story and characters. 

Edited June 12, 2016 by Morrigan2575

[GHScorpiosRule]

Yeah, plus I could never tell the velociraptors apart. Like which one was Blue? I thought she was the first one to get killed.

It's on Netflix? I keep searching for it and it never shows up; all I get is "See movies related to Jurassic Park.

[tinaw]

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 1:54 PM, Watcher0363 said:

Jurassic Park took place on one Island. Jurassic Park two and three took place on a different island. Do not know which island Jurassic World took place on.

Jurassic world took place on the same island as the first jurassic park movie. We see that one scene where the boys are looking at the toys in the store that the old man wanted to sell. When he wantedbto make the park availabe to everyone.

[Bruinsfan]

Jurassic Park still pulls me in every time I stumble across it while channel surfing. I enjoyed Jurassic World well enough, but I don't see that happening unless I catch a moment with Rexie (the real hero of the movies!) onscreen.

[Amethyst]

On 6/9/2016 at 8:45 PM, GHScorpiosRule said:

Yeah, plus I could never tell the velociraptors apart. Like which one was Blue? I thought she was the first one to get killed.

I know the raptors were named after military terminology, but I thought Blue had blue streaks on her back and that was the only way I could tell her from the others.

IA that JW was ok, but not memorable.  Some good scenes, but nothing here captured the awe and wonder of seeing the dinosaurs for the first time; it really felt like an empty cash grab.  They basically amped up everything: more dinos, more people, more blood, but skimped on characterization.  Pratt was forced to be all the male characters (the bravery of Alan Grant, with the pragmatism of Ian Malcolm) and came off as a generic action hero as a result.  Same with Howard, who was little more than "businesswoman in a suit" and I can see why there was such a fuss about the heels.  Would have loved to see her just throw on some Chucks and keep moving.  Neither of them held a candle to their predecessors, and I wasn't gung-ho about the first film to begin with.

Co-sign on the assistant's death.  Just drawn out and unnecessary.  Clearly meant to parallel Gennaro, but at least he was a jerk who abandoned the kids, so we're not supposed to feel that bad for him, although I still do, lol.  This is just a helpless woman who gets devoured by the mesosaur.

The kids were annoying.  I wouldn't have cared if they got eaten.  The whole divorce plot with their parents kind of fizzled out, didn't it?  Seems like they left that on the cutting room floor.

Even the Indominus sucked.  That wasn't a dinosaur, it was a killing machine with no sense of loyalty and is A-OK with killing anything else.  Guess they made a whoopsie on that one, huh?  Best part was the T-Rex taking it down.

I did laugh at the bad guy screaming "Oh, shit!" when the raptor showed up (think it was Delta) and ate him.  That was some legitimate fear.

Surprised that Jurassic World even came to fruition after the disastrous events in JP I, II, and III that preceded it.  Malcolm said it best "John, when Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists."  Unless the sequel is like JPII with the dinos getting off the island and wreaking havoc in public, I don't know who would want to finance another park.

[Jediknight]

8 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Even the Indominus sucked.  That wasn't a dinosaur, it was a killing machine with no sense of loyalty and is A-OK with killing anything else.  Guess they made a whoopsie on that one, huh?  Best part was the T-Rex taking it down.

That was the point though, it wasn't designed to be a dinosaur, it was designed to be a weapon.  The only ones who knew exactly what was used to make it were Henry, his team, and some of InGen's security team.  Masrani didn't even know, because InGen's security team had been manipulating it all without his knowledge.  They were complete idiots thinking that a dinosaur could be controlled, Owen and Barry had a relationship with the raptors because they were there for the entire life of the raptors, Owen was the alpha, and Barry was always by his side, they were always taking care of the raptors.  Hoskins thought because he once got a wolf to be loyal to him, that he could do the same with dinosaurs, and he obviously wasn't the only one.  He just ignored that wolves have evolved for centuries.

It's the age old trope of man playing around in nature, and thinking he can control things he really doesn't understand.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Jediknight

[Bruinsfan]

The thing is, there are plenty of modern day animals at least as deadly as velociraptors. You don't see the Army hiring Siegfried & Roy to train tigers for front line war use; there are probably good reasons for that.

[Browncoat]

The field of dead dinos reminded me of the field of dead bison in Dances With Wolves.

[Artsda]

[SnoGirl]

1 hour ago, Artsda said:

Goldbum...found a way.

Well now I want Grant and Ellie back too. But they'll never get them, Grant's a digger.

/cheapjoke. But for real, if Goldbum is back, I want them too!

[SimoneS]

I am glad that Malcolm is back, but they better not kill him off.

[Artsda]

[Bill1978]

I love the Jurassic Park series, I really do. But after Jurassic World left me cold, I'm not anticipating JW2 at all. Of course I will see it, but I'm not counting down the days. Well not until I see a trailer. I remember enjoying JW at the time of the first watch but it took me over a year to actually buy it cause there was not a defining scene I felt I needed to watch again. Whenever the original trilogy movies get shown on TV and I stumble upon them I will sit down and watch until the major scenes appear. In JP I will always sit until I see the T-Rex escape its enclosure (but who am I kidding - I will generally watch all f this movie), JP:TLW I will eagerly await the T-Rex's saving their baby and pushing the 'bus' off the cliff. Even JP3 has the Pteradactyl set piece to keep me watching. But in JW, there is nothing. There are plenty of set pieces that could have been gripping, but they are over by the time they begin. The closest it gets is the Pterosaurs attacking the crowd but Zara's demise always dampers that moment.

[topanga]

On 6/24/2017 at 7:00 AM, Bill1978 said:

I love the Jurassic Park series, I really do. But after Jurassic World left me cold, I'm not anticipating JW2 at all. Of course I will see it, but I'm not counting down the days. Well not until I see a trailer. I remember enjoying JW at the time of the first watch but it took me over a year to actually buy it cause there was not a defining scene I felt I needed to watch again. Whenever the original trilogy movies get shown on TV and I stumble upon them I will sit down and watch until the major scenes appear. In JP I will always sit until I see the T-Rex escape its enclosure (but who am I kidding - I will generally watch all f this movie), JP:TLW I will eagerly await the T-Rex's saving their baby and pushing the 'bus' off the cliff. Even JP3 has the Pteradactyl set piece to keep me watching. But in JW, there is nothing. There are plenty of set pieces that could have been gripping, but they are over by the time they begin. The closest it gets is the Pterosaurs attacking the crowd but Zara's demise always dampers that moment.

That was my biggest gripe with JW. It was enjoyable enough but not at all memorable. I still quote JP and watch it whenever it's on TV. 

[HunterHunted]

So this has been playing on tv a lot, which always causes me to revisit my earlier opinions. I don't mind that the billionaire owner died. He's the actual villain of the movie. He's too dumb and impulsive to realize just how dangerous the park is. He's so busy seeing dollar signs that he lets his scientists build dinosaurs that might be unstoppable killing machines without even a pause. When said killing machine gets loose and kills dozens of people, he's so worried about money that he doesn't immediately close the park and evacuate the guests.

After the strike team is eaten, he still thinks this is a disaster that can be managed. He says "I'm not going to let you destroy this animal. We spent $26 million on it." $26 million? That's it? Disney spent $500 million to build Pandora - The World of Avatar. $26 million is garbage money. Disney World nets a million dollars a day. Kill the Indominus Rex. This thing has killed at least a dozen employees. That's at least a million dollar settlement to each of their families. This park has insurance. Kill the Indominus Rex. It's easy math. 

Now that Colin Trevorrow has been bounced from Star Wars because of his inability treat female characters sympathetically, you can see the same thing all over Jurassic World. Every woman is a shrew, except for Lauren Lapkus' control room tech. Just ugh.

[Bruinsfan]

Seriously. The Indominus Rex ended up costing many, MANY times its value in dead dinosaurs, dead employees, damaged infrastructure, and danger to the park's guests. The only way to offset that might have been with good word of mouth about how quickly and well the park's security stepped in to resolve the situation once an unforeseen disaster occurred. Instead, the owner crashed his helicopter and unleashed the park's entire population of flying dinosaurs to descend on the assembled guests like the customers at a Vegas buffet when fresh crab legs are brought out.

[benteen]

Agreed.  If you have enough money to run an entire island of dinosaurs that you're created, then losing a $26 million investment is pretty much the same thing as taking $26 out of your wallet and flushing it down the toilet.

[HunterHunted]

I just saw this on TV again. It occurred to me that the Rube Goldberg-ian disaster that results from the Indominus Rex trampling through the park and the park's inept response which results in letting all manner of dinosaurs loose comes about because the people in the control room completely forgot that every other dinosaur still had their electric control chips. They literally could have shocked every other loose dinosaur into submission. It's a massive plot hole.

Edited January 21, 2018 by HunterHunted

[anna0852]

I thought those were simply chips for tracking the dinos if they got loose. Not implanted shock collars.