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Jun 19, 2018 · Directed by J.A. Bayona from a script by Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, “Fallen Kingdom” opens with a few DNA pirates on a stealth mission at the now-abandoned-by-humans island park where the dinosaurs still roam. These bootleggers get away, not quite clean, of course, because we need the pre-credits chomping sequence the way a Bond ...
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“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” is a blast (on the most giant screen possible), but with weak foundations, it’s hard not to feel disappointed and wonder what could have been.
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- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Review
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By Gav Murphy
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 7:00 pm
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom opens with one of the most exciting set pieces of the year and from there it barely stops for breath as we’re bounced from a huge, high-stakes disaster film to a claustrophobic gothic horror.
Three years have passed since the events of Jurassic World, and the dinosaurs have been left to their own devices on Isla Nublar. To be honest, this feels like the best situation for both humans and dinosaurs given their vibrant history of not getting along. Unfortunately for the dinosaurs there’s a volcano on Nublar with different ideas and is threatening to wipe them out for good (again). Rather than take that as a sign that these creatures definitely should not exist, the humans decide to meddle once more and mount a rescue mission. From there you may think you know where the film is headed but Fallen Kingdom is all about playing with those expectations and taking you to places you wouldn’t expect.
J.A. Bayona feels like the perfect director to take control of Fallen Kingdom after proving he can handle large-scale destruction with confidence but is equally capable of delivering intimate scares. There are echoes of his previous works such as The Impossible (big old natural disaster) and The Orphanage (creepy old secret-filled house) in Fallen Kingdom but more impressive is how it draws on further inspirations like Alfred Hitchcock and Hammer horror style suspense. The latter is definitely felt throughout the film and Bayona’s use of light and shadows to create tension is one of the highlights of Fallen Kingdom. Whether it’s a toothy Baryonyx stalking through a tunnel lit by a menacing drop of lava or the claws of the terrifying new Indoraptor illuminated by a child’s night-light, Bayona’s horror seems classy and rarely resorts to simply jump scares.
Having massive scary dinosaurs trying to eat humans or fighting each other is always going to be brilliant and Fallen Kingdom has a lot of both. I spent most of the film either wincing in terror or laughing at the bonkers drama of an erupting volcano. The dinosaurs’ individual traits are also utilised for nice dramatic effect with the stand out being Stiggy the Stygimoloch whose solid dome head gets put to good use several times and who you end up rooting for as much as the humans by the end of the film. The same goes for series stalwart Rexy the T.rex (seriously who names these dinosaurs) who you can’t help feel a genuine bond for now having either been terrified by or watched her save the day on multiple occasions.
It’s a brave choice to literally blow up everything that’s come before but one that definitely pays off in Fallen Kingdom. While Jurassic World gave us a lovely self-contained story, Fallen Kingdom leaves us wondering just where the series will go for its third act - as long as Stiggy plays an extensive pivotal role, I’ll be absolutely fine with it...
Review scoring
great
It’s a brave choice to literally blow up everything that’s come before but one that definitely pays off in Fallen Kingdom.
Gav Murphy
- Gav Murphy
Jun 5, 2018 · ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’: Film Review. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard reunite — this time to both escape and save the dinosaurs — in J.A. Bayona's sequel.
Jun 5, 2018 · “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” is a liberal pulp message movie, yet it treats itself with even more sobriety.
Jun 20, 2018 · Review: ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ Brings the Gang Back. Sigh. The director J. A. Bayona narrates a sequence with Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and a slumbering T. rex. Universal...