Jurassic World

Movie Name: Jurassic World
Year of Release: 2015

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Jake Johnson, Judy Greer, Omar Sy, BD Wong, Lauren Lapkus, Katie McGrath
Genre: Action, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:
The Jurassic Park franchise is back, after the last feature which premiered in 2001. This time around the film is under the helm of Colin Trevorrow, a young director, with only one other feature in his career, the independently financed "Safety Not Guaranteed".

"Jurassic World" takes us back to Isla Nublar, where the events of the original park took place. The park is now fully functional, and has been getting lots of visitors. The manager of the par is Claire, who receives the visit of her two nephews for the weekend. She's also busy overseeing a new dinosaur created genetically, one that is menacing and intelligent beyond anything ever seen. When this creature escapes the confinement area, things get out of control in the park, and all the public in attendance has to be evacuated. Claire with the help of Owen, an ex-marine and now a trainer at the park, have to save her nephews, and get everyone to safety. 

"Jurassic World" premieres 22 years after the original, and sadly without much originality to add to the franchise or build upon what Steven Spielberg so smartly created (alongside the late Michael Crichton). The premise of both films is very similar: men change the genetic code of creatures long extinct with the goal of creating a park and bring in the money, however things go awfully wrong, and soon enough there's people getting eaten, two young children being threatened, and a couple of heroes (and lovers) who have to ultimately save the day. Where Steven Spielberg created a sense of wonder and magic, Colin Trevorrow's feature feels contrived and derivative. The script is unoriginal, and the introduction of the new dinosaurs only works for a brief moment: the action for the remainder of the film is an inferior duplication of the events of the original film. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard do their best with their cliché ridden parts, while Vincent D'Onofrio as the token corporate villain doesn't have much to do. The film ends up being a pale homage to a film that even after 22 years (and visual effects from 1993), is still more interesting, more accomplished and more rewarding. Instantly forgettable.