David Lagachu
When you see a dinosaur for the first time, it feels like a miracle.
In 1993 when ‘Jurassic Park’ came into our lives for the first time, our imagination and fantasy went into an overdrive. Steven Spielberg introduced us to a world that was equally magical as it was intimidating. There was an unparalleled sense of excitement and fear, and we developed a strange sixth sense connection and attachment to a creature that existed long before us and is finally in front of our eyes. Both the protagonists and the antagonists always keep running away from them but somewhere deep within our hearts we don’t want the gigantic creatures to get hurt. Cut to 2018, in the fifth movie set in the ‘Jurassic’ universe – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – we finally get to see dinosaurs bonding with humans on an emotional and intellectual level. They are no longer just meant to induce awe and scare on the audience’s mind; they help the good guys escape, create havoc on unsuspecting baddies and a genetically modified Indoraptor – rex even play sly mind games on the hunters. However, the big question is ‘Will they take over the planet, slowly and steadily, and create their own Jurassic World?’
It must not be easy to come up with new ideas revolving around dinosaurs within a franchise that seems to be ever expanding. The audiences have already seen too much and expect a radical change or shift in the story line. Well for starters the makers finally decide to blow up the island of Isla Nublar and offer a much needed change of scenery. Whether or not the change has been for good is debatable, but it definitely accelerates the narrative and gives it a more real world appeal. The screenplay hardly gives you a breather which is a good thing as nobody expects stagnancy in a film brimming with possibilities of imminent danger and adventure. However to the credit of director J. A. Bayona he manages to provide moments of pure nostalgia and genuine emotions of loss and survival, amidst all the chaos.
A lot of noise was made about the return of Jeff Goldblum to the ‘Jurassic’ series but he appears for barely five minutes and makes no impression except for a vague promise that we might get to see more of him in the next installment, hopefully. Chris Pratt returns as the trainer of dinosaurs who connects with them on a familial level. Pratt who is easily one of the biggest movie stars in the world right now plays his part with a relaxed but focused manner. He is a clever action hero in opposed to being a brave action hero and holds the film together by forming a formidable team along with his ex-flame and her hangers-on.
Apart from the scintillating VFX and larger than life visuals, the film scores high on compassion and the humane message of live and let live that it conveys. Director J.A. Bayona, a self-confessed Spielberg fan, adapts well to the Jurassic universe and given a chance to spearhead the next film in the series he will definitely take the wow factor to the next level. For now, ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ lives up to the pre-release hype.
Rating: 3/5
