Jurassic World: Dominion – Goes Out With A Roaring Whimper

In the three decades since the original triumphant blockbuster, the Jurassic Park franchise has cemented itself as a generation-defining, four-quadrant blockbuster franchise which is undoubtedly one of the most famous of all time. Globally, the franchise is massive. Its pop culture influence can be felt all the way down to the way we look at water rippling in a cup. The achievements that were achieved by Steven Spielberg and his team on the original 1993 film changed the moviemaking industry overnight. The film was a phenomenon, and quite frankly has been ever since. So with a franchise this large, this successful, and this monumental, why is the film output so consistently disappointing?

Just over two decades ago Joe Johnston’s poorly received Jurassic Park 3 put this franchise to rest for some time. The decade that followed was filled with speculation of a potential fourth installment. With rumors about the fourth film ranging from it starring militarized dinosaurs engaging in military combat to seeing Joe Johnston return to direct a continuation of the original trilogy, the road to Jurassic World didn’t commence overnight. When the studio officially greenlit the reboot in 2013, they had intended for it to be a direct sequel to the original film, not retconning, but just ignoring Spielberg’s (underrated) The Lost World and Johnston’s Jurassic Park 3.

Jurassic World represented a strong revival for the franchise. The movie was massive, grossing over $1.6 billion dollars at the global box office, and coming in the same year as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it is safe to say that those two films changed the vision for Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking, and the impacts are still being felt today. It revived the franchise by following the very model of the first film so closely, and even a mediocre attempt at retelling the original Jurassic was still bound to be a safe choice structurally for this franchise to make. Was it a return to form? Not quite. But was it a good time? Sure, even despite the fact that it was abundantly clear now that no film would ever come close to the heights of the original.

Seven years later, cue Jurassic World: Dominion, a film billed as an epic end to the Jurassic saga. The marketing has gone full tilt on the idea that bringing back the original characters will suddenly regain everyone’s interest in this franchise once more. It was never going to be easy to rebound from the critical flop that was Fallen Kingdom, even if that film soared past $1 billion dollars at the box office. Dominion changes the structure of this franchise as it jumps into new territory never before. Dinosaurs and man coexisting? Preposterous! It’s a concept that this franchise has always hinted at, but finally goes full throttle here.

Getting the good out of the way, Jurassic World: Dominion fully commits to the b-movie schlock and dinosaur rampage that this trilogy has been good at. While the monsterification of these animals has directly correlated with the way it strayed from the quality and vision of the original, it has been undeniably fun to watch. This film, much like the last few installments, introduces unique new dinosaurs that command the screen and offer up some undeniably fun action. Another high point is the introduction of DeWanda Wise as Kayla Watts. Wise delivers plenty in the charm department, as many of the characters audiences have come to know have been reduced to just faces with nothing much behind them.

Bringing back the original cast to reunite in some grand and epic way as they collide with our new crew is what the filmmakers were surely riding on when selling Jurassic World: Dominion to audiences. While it’s easy to be skeptical considering how the series has gone, knowing that it’d feature the trio of Laura Dern, Sam Neil, and Jeff Goldblum on the big screen together once again was still exciting. While it was great to see them back, their epic return was anything but. The film attempts to operate on two different levels, infusing two separate storylines together, following the new and old crews. The result is an overly convoluted product with too many sad attempts at nostalgia bait that it feels like a product of our current state of blockbuster filmmaking. Jurassic Park and Jurassic World are not properties that thrive on nostalgia cookies and easter eggs that audiences have become accustomed to in other major Hollywood properties. They thrive on dinosaurs. The reduction of these characters is sad to watch while the forced callbacks only add insult to injury in a film too messy for its own good.

In the end, Jurassic World: Dominion is still fun and merely another monster movie akin to the current Monsterverse films with its ridiculous over the top shenanigans that provide genuine thrills and popcorn entertainment. On the other hand, it is sad to see this franchise go down the path it has. Its opening scene sets the stage for what’s to come, an overstuffed, convoluted film that ultimately sends this trilogy over the edge and into the depths.

It’s sad to say that the Jurassic era doesn’t go out with a bang, but rather a whimper.

*still courtesy of Universal Pictures*

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Where to watch Jurassic World Dominion

Brennan Dubé

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