Movie Review: Jurassic World

There is some level of difficulty in deciding how to approach a film like Jurassic World. Part of the problem lies in the fact that it is, on the most basic level, more than just a performed narrative. It is an essential component of a multi-billion dollar entertainment empire. It is also a comment on the nature of the blockbuster climate that we have created for ourselves, and the diminishing returns of wonder which that system propagates. It is also a sequel, which is itself the platform for more sequels yet to come. Each of these facets of its nature demand, and deserve, a different model of evaluation.

On the most basic level, as a narrative film, Jurassic World is a minor success. It has action, a few well placed laughs, spectacular visual effects, and solid if uninspired acting. Evaluated on this level its biggest crime is that it wastes Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. Check that, its biggest crime is the belief that anyone would want to weaponize dinosaurs. That’s a dumb thing to think, and the screenwriters should have known better. As a straight forward action picture, I’d give Jurassic World an 82/100.

As a tent pole feature, however, or as a master class on the construction of consumer anticipation, it deserves the full 100/100. This film didn’t just break the single day (counting Thursday night) record opening. It demolished it like the Indominous Rex tearing up a t-shirt stand. The film earned $82 million and change yesterday (and Thursday night).

As a meta-commentary on the nature of blockbuster entertainments and the diminishing returns of continual access, Jurassic World is a triumph. Its fancy new creatures tear apart the avatars of blockbusters past. Grantland’s Wesley Morris highlighted the best example of this in his review when he commented on the way the enormous Seaworld-esque dinosaur devoured a great white shark (standing in for Jaws). There is a scene where Jake Johnson’s computer tech comments on the relationship between the new film and the original Jurassic Park by saying that the previous park was old school “it had dinosaurs, and that was enough.” This attitude runs through the film. The people attending the park wouldn’t be in any danger, except for the fact that they long ago grew accustomed to wonders. In response the wonders had to be made bigger, faster, scarier, until all at once the line between wondrous but safe and totally out of control was crossed. When, the film seems to ask, will enough to enough? In most summers, such an explicitly raised concern would qualify as the deepest one raised at the movies. Unfortunately for Jurassic World this summer already saw the rise of the excellent Mad Max: Fury Road with its much more pointed, much more vehement question “who killed the world?”

Overall Rating: 3/4