Jurassic World: Rebirth, the seventh installment in the franchise inspired by Michael Crichton’s novel, has finally been released in theaters.
Garett Edwards’ filmmaking and David Koepp’s screenplay are a nod to the original trilogy, but with the desire to be an entity that stands on its own two feet.
The Jurassic Park IP has always had a troubled history. Even Steven Spielberg’s return for The Lost World (1997) —the sequel to the 1993 original—was harshly criticized despite still being the best of all the sequels. Jurassic Park 3 was the final nail in the coffin of what seemed to be a franchise with nothing left to offer.
It took a full 14 years to resurrect the “Jurassic” brand from extinction, this time with new faces and a new name. Jurassic World debuted in theaters in 2015, marking a new chapter in the saga’s tumultuous history. It was followed by two sequels: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Dominion (2022), which also saw the return of the trio of Alan Grant (Sam Neil), Ellie
Sattler (Laura Dern), and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). Through ups and downs, the “Jurassic World” trilogy grossed nearly $4 billion and seemed to definitively put an end to the franchise.
However, a few months later the announcement came: the saga continues.
And so, just three years after Dominion, another chapter begins, this time with a completely new cast (none of the characters or actors from the current trilogy have returned). What about Jurassic World: Rebirth? It’s a competent film, a sequel that’s certainly above average but doesn’t venture beyond that. It is a very respectable 7/10 that knows what to give people, what to show, and for how long.
We’re certainly not talking about a perfect film; there are some things that are disappointing, but given the low expectations, it’s definitely a pleasant surprise. The great cast delivers solid performances, there are excellent special effects, the characters (for the most part) are well-written, and the plot holds up, but nothing more.
