JEANNE’S REVIEW

Starring Scarlett Johansson as the indomitable covert ops expert Zora Bennett, JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH is the seventh film in this $6 billion franchise, which has spanned 32 years. Directed by Gareth Edwards from a screenplay by David Koepp, who wrote the scripts for the original JURASSIC PARK and THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, this new concept is a collaboration with Steven Spielberg, who is one of the executive producers.

Smarmy big pharma guy, Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), convinces Zora to accompany him to Ile Saint-Hubert, an island near the equator home to the secret R&D facility where the dinosaurs were cloned for the theme parks in the first two Jurassic trilogies. The area is a forbidden zone, but Krebs is determined to extract DNA from three specific creatures to create medicines which will cure cardiac disease.

Also along on this potential suicide mission is Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), a close buddy of Zora’s from the military, and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), a former student of Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and now a paleontologist specializing in colossal dinosaurs.

On a boat with their crew speeding toward the island, the group saves a father, Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and his two daughters, Isabella (Audrina Miranda) and Teresa (Luna Blaise) and her boyfriend, Xavier (David Iacono). Their sloop has been capsized by a Mosasaurus, one of the three dinosaurs Krebs needs for a blood sample. This sequence with the massive reptile terrorizing both boats is phenomenal, a la JAWS.

Ile Saint-Hubert holds a lot of surprises for Krebs, Zora and the rest. Reuben and his group become separated from the others, but to get off the island, everyone must make it to the abandoned research facility where a helicopter is scheduled to land to extract Krebs and his team.

Plenty of action ensues as Zora and Henry attempt to gather DNA and Reuben’s entourage tries to survive without getting eaten by the plethora of dinosaurs roaming the land and populating the sky. Isabella does manage to make a new friend, a small Aquilops she promptly names Dolores. Of course, the puppy-sized herbivore is adorable.

Despite Johansson’s determination and bravura, JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH feels more like a retread. The cast is good enough, especially Johansson, Ali and Bailey. Friend is great as the lying, cheating bad guy, he just isn’t given enough to do. But the break-out star from JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH is Iacono. He does a terrific job playing the slacker boyfriend.

The most fun scenes happen when people are being devoured by the variety of creatures --- it just doesn’t happen enough. The opening sequence puts you on the edge of your seat, but unfortunately that intensity isn’t sustained. And I must comment that the helicopter scene comes off as so juvenile and tacky I couldn’t believe the special effects were so amateurish.

The gorgeous vistas of Thailand and Malta are courtesy of director of photography John Mathieson, while Alexandre Desplat created the magnificent score. And, as one would hope, the dinosaurs are amazing. But, was all of this really necessary? Does the movie-going public need --- or want --- another summer blockbuster about dinosaurs? I guess we will find out.

Opinion: Wait for VOD

           DAVID’S REVIEW

Despite the fact that JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH has many predecessors, I give credit to the filmmakers for employing a new approach by having two separate groups of people in jeopardy from the multitude of prehistoric creatures. The scenes shift frequently between the two groups which maintains the

viewer’s attention.

The cast is up to the task of not overacting. And while there could have been an unnecessary romantic link between  Zora Bennett (Scarlet Johansson) and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) that never happened.

I will not belabor the rest of the cast or the premise which my illustrious partner has already covered. So I will merely offer that JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH is suspenseful and well photographed, and of course anything that Alexandre Desplat composes for a movie score will be perfect. However, I must admit that as the movie approached its final run time of two hours and 14 minutes I was ready for it to be over.

Opinion: Mild See It Now!