Jurassic World

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Following up Steven Speilberg's original Jurassic Park movie is so difficult that even in the director's chair Spielberg himself wasn't able to do it too fantastically. Four years after that attempt, Jumanji's Joe Johnston gave it a try, and while he was able to bring some fun back to the franchise, his entry too lacked the awe of the first Jurassic Park movie. Now, we welcome in Colin Trevorrow, who brings to the franchise no previous experience with big-budget pictures. Instead, he brings an approach.

Immediately when Jurassic Park was released, people were enthralled, leading nostalgia to be a obvious presence in the sequels. By bringing back and focusing on familiar characters like Sam Neill's Alan Grant and Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm, Speilberg and Johnson brought superficial nostaliga to their respective follow-ups - hoping to inspire memories and wonder just because of some familiar faces on an island with dinosaurs. Trevorrow, on the other hand, incorporates into his film a more effective form of nostalgia - an emotional type, a true type. Aside from one doctor with a minor role in the first film, Jurassic World gives us a completely new set of players. A risky move, but one that pays off, because Jurassic World is the sequel we can whole-heartedly admit we have been waiting for. Not because it shows the same characters, but because it invokes feelings audiences have not felt in a dinosaur movie for 22 years.

So, like most of you, my hopes were extremely high for this film. The park is open, we're back to the original island, and speaking frankly, the trailers looked pretty awesome. Still, one in my position can't help being hesitant. Unfortunately, those working at Jurassic World aren't too hesitant, especially when the park's operation's manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) okays the genetic construction of a new super dinosaur, bred to evade any threat manmade or in nature. When things inevitably go wrong, the entire island of animals and visitors - including Claire's two nephews (Ty Simpkins & Nick Robinson) - loses the illusion of safety and control. So, out comes dino trainer Owen (Chris Pratt) on his motorcycle with his entourage of trained raptors to save the day.

Trevorrow, who also co-wrote the script, knew where to take the audience to bring us back to our happy place in this franchise. With some subtle and other not-so-subtle nods to the original Jurassic movie, he manipulated my emotional attachment to the story so well that I was able to overlook the film's occasional flaws effortlessly. When Simpkins' character runs to his hotel room and opens up his balcony to see the fully active theme park, I was wide-eyed and grinning like an 8-year-old. That's talent that can't be ignored, and I'm glad that talent was brought to this franchise.

Sadly, the movie was not without its eye-rolling moments, namely the unnecessary subplots and characters. For example - Claire and Owen had/have a thing for some reason? Sure. Why not? Zach and Gray's parents are getting divorced, even though this moment is only brought up once and never shown to be evident in the parents' behaviors? Sure. Why not. InGen is once again trying to undermine the people who actually know what they're doing on the island and sends out a cocky and annoying character to stir up even more trouble as if there isn't enough already? Sure. Why the heck not. But let's face it - I was having way too much fun watching this movie that most of the time I told my critic mind to shut up and enjoy the ride.

So, please, do yourself a favor and allow yourself to go back to Isla Nublar. See what's new for you and what shining moments from the past it has to offer. Pratt will charm you, Simpkins and Robinson will relate to you, and the movie will inspire you. Because if you thought the times where you could have a complete blast at the movies were over, you'd be wrong.

Rating: 4/5