The park is gone.
When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.
EA’s Review
Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom, directed by J.A. Bayona, is the newest installment of the successful dinosaur movie franchise started by Steven Spielberg. It directly follows the disastrous events of Jurassic World. When we last visited this world, a genetically created hybrid dinosaur had escaped its containment and put hundreds of people in mortal danger, leading to the closure of the park. In this highly anticipated sequel, the remaining dinosaurs in the park are threatened by an enormous volcano and it’s up to a new group of people, with the help of a pair of well known characters, to try and rescue as many creatures as possible from extinction.
Bayona has a track record of great films. From 2012’s The Impossible, a depiction of the tragic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, to the 2016’s fantasy/drama adaptation of A Monster Calls, a story about coping with the loss of a loved one. Now, in The Fallen Kingdom, Bayona returns to his horror roots, those that audiences around the world first witnessed in his critically acclaimed debut feature film The Orphanage back in 2007.
The score is one again composed by the incredibly versatile Michael Giacchino, who manages to blend some of the classic themes from the original John Williams score with a new musical atmosphere that fits with the darker tone of this movie. The cinematography was done by Bayona’s constant film partner Oscar Faura, and production design by Andy Nicholson (Assassin’s Creed, Gravity). I want to make emphasis on the production design, because the set where the second half of the movie takes place is very special; not only does it honor natural history museums and the work of real-life paleontologists, but it’s also a great setting for the story to unfold, apart from being visually stunning.
Jeff Goldblum reprises his role as Dr. Iam Malcom, the mathematician who warns everyone about the consequences of meddling with nature, and even though his screen time is very short, he leaves a big impression on the films scientific community and audiences alike. Also returning are Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing, the operations manager of the park in the previous movie, and Chris Pratt as Owen Grady, who oversaw the training of highly intelligent velociraptors. If you like these iconic predators, you’ll be happy to know velociraptors play a huge role in this movie.
The screenplay was written by Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow (who also wrote and directed the first Jurassic World) based on characters created by Michael Crichton, author of the original books. This time around, the plot focuses, in greater detail than previous films, on the moral dilemmas inherent with the genetic manipulation of living beings: Should dinosaurs have rights? Should we distance ourselves from nature’s course and let them go extinct? There’s even a commentary on the capture and illegal trade of real-life endangered species.
The story shifts right in the middle from a sort of adventure/action movie into a full monster horror movie, which might divide audience’s appreciation, especially long-time fans. In my opinion, far from being a detractor, it gives a new and interesting direction to the series. There’s quite a few homages to the first movie, and even some heartbreaking moments. If you remember (and liked) the scene in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the second movie of the first trilogy, where a Tyrannosaurus Rex peeks into a kid’s bedroom somewhere in San Diego, then you’ll probably love this film, as half of it is basically an extended sequence of that scene.
Without a doubt, I can guarantee you’ll have a good time. This is Bayona’s territory and he knows what he’s doing. I’m sure you’ll find yourself at the edge of your seat in more than one occasion. And after all, who doesn’t like to see dinosaurs on the big screen? Whether you’ve been following the series since 1993, or you’re someone who just experienced this world three years ago, you’ll reach the end of The Fallen Kingdom and discover, as the film posters warned us, that the park is gone, and that the world has never faced a threat like this one before. The anticipation for the next chapter couldn’t be greater.
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