Jurassic World was the talk of the cinematic world this weekend. (Cinematic might be a … generous word.) The long-anticipated release broke world records. We, Brianna Jett and Rebecca Morin, saw the movie last weekend, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should. It’s not going to win any Oscars, but you will have a really good time at the movies again.
Spoilers ahead.
Rebecca Morin: It’s hard not to want Jurassic World to be real — even though it’s obviously not possible. The film, which is an adaptation from the 90s franchise Jurassic Park, opened this past weekend breaking box office records with $208.8 million domestically. We, luckily, were among those people who contributed to the dinosaur frenzy.
Brianna Jett: And Chris Pratt frenzy.
Morin: The movie starts off with two brothers, Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach Mitchell (Nick Robinson), leaving their home in the U.S. to vacation at Jurassic World — the now successful and popular resort. The brothers’ aunt, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the park’s operation manager, but isn’t very present in the Mitchell’s lives before the trip.
During their visit, however, things go awry.
Jett: It wouldn’t be a movie about dinosaurs if they didn’t.
Morin: The villain of the movie is Indominus rex, a genetically modified dinosaur, was created as a new attraction for the park. It is part T-rex, part undisclosed dinosaurs.
But let’s just say Indominus was not the kind of attraction the park needed. Owen Grady, played by the very popular Chris Pratt, is amid training his rat pack of Velociraptors when he and his squad are tasked with saving the day, after everything else has failed in stopping the dinosaur outbreak.
If we’re honest, we’re probably being generous with the rating we’re giving this box-office hit. But here’s the thing: I love films, and this one is high on my list. There is nothing close scientifically accurate about this movie, especially in regards to what paleontologists believe real dinosaurs look liked.
That being said, this is a definite ode to the classic franchise we — and we’re positive many others — grew up with and adore.
Jett: I enjoyed this movie, for sure. But the only thing I loved about it was Chris Pratt. I wanted something new, something more. The movie is a thrilling monster movie, but no dinosaur movie (I think dinosaurs had feathers). Which, I believe, may be the point. It is an ode to the movie we grew up with, and I appreciate that.
Morin: Yeah, I agree, the movie’s first nod to the original is definitely the music. The Jurassic Park theme song opens the film and you are filled with the nostalgia of 1993 … or whenever you saw the first movie. Hearing the familiar tune, especially in a large theater, was like hearing it for the first time. The song is speckled throughout the film. I remember most vividly when a light piano version of the song played as the Mitchell brothers stumble upon the old Jurassic Park site, which still stands.
Jett: I loved the scattered references to the old movies. It felt like we were returning home. There were a few points during the movie when the music became a little too much – when it was trying just a little too hard. But overall, it was not bad. I think if I was to type up a list of buzzwords for this film, after Chris Pratt and dinosaur and raptor squad, I think I would list corny. Even without knowing anything about the past franchise, you will probably be able to decide how it’s going to end before you even step into the theatre. Perhaps the only thing I didn’t predict was the very unique and surprising way the secondary characters died.
Morin: Yeah, the film was definitely corny. But I feel like that’s how all late-80s, early ’90s films were.
Jett: The best part of the movie? The Margarita Man. If for no other reason, go see the movie to watch Jimmy Buffett run away from pterodactyls carrying a margarita in each hand. What a champ.
BJ: The biggest issues I had with this movie — the part that stopped me from totally loving this film — was Dallas Howard’s character running from a T-Rex in heels and Chris Pratt’s character fixing his motorcycle. This was a good movie, but a movie that’s been done before. I’m holding out hope that there will be another one, something a bit different. My suggestion to the big guys in Hollywood: a movie that follows Blue, the female raptor who runs off into the shadows after she helps save the day.