As undeniably one of Hollywood's greatest ever blockbusters, wowing audiences for almost thirty years, Jurassic Park remains the gold standard when it comes to big screen dinosaurs, and may well lay claim to being Steven Spielberg's finest work. Few movies have ever offered the adventure, terror, and fun of the 1993 movie.
There are many reasons why this masterpiece holds up so well today, and therefore much like the dinosaurs, Steven Spielberg's classic is destined to be looked back upon with awe, wonder, and excitement forever. Despite its age, any modern movies would do well to draw favorable comparisons to Jurassic Park.
10 The Exceptional Screenplay From Michael Crichton And David Koepp
From the well-crafted scientific explanations behind the dinosaur's creation to the fantastic foreshadowing in the form of Dr. Alan Grant's seat belt still being effective despite only two "female" parts of the fastening, the script from Michael Crichton and David Koepp remains a masterpiece in storytelling, character development, and world-building.
Crichton adapted his novel for the screenplay and with some tweaks from Koepp and suggestions from Spielberg, formed the vital, priceless backbone for one of Hollywood's most enduring movies.
9 The Movie's Masterful Midpoint
Movie midpoints simply don't come much better, and even after a re-watch, many people simply forget that the film's behemoth beast, the Tyrannosaurus Rex doesn't actually appear until halfway through Jurassic Park.
The midpoint is often used to twist the plot and raise the stakes, and a T-Rex roaring and ripping its way free from its enclosure, and devouring a particularly sleazy lawyer in the process, is a sure-fire way to accomplish this. Even today, few films up the ante in such spectacular fashion.
8 The World Building Is Some Of The Best In Cinema History
Few films take as much time and care with creating their world as Spielberg does with Jurassic Park. The reason the first half of the movie flies by is that the exposition is expertly hidden beneath captivating dialogue, awe-inspiring visuals, and a swiftly-enhancing story.
Spielberg creates a sense of wonder right from the opening titles, and as a result, Jurassic Park is near impossible to look away from. Even in its slowest sequences, the characters, the environment, and the dinosaurs themselves are all utterly engaging.
7 The Villain Isn't Always Quite So Clear, But The Film's Message Endures Regardless
The real villain of Jurassic Park is the creator himself, Dr. John Hammond. Richard Attenborough repeatedly reminds his guests and the audience that he spared no expense, showing off his extravagance and appearing to take great pleasure and pride in doing so.
Of course, his sparing expense is what motivates Dennis Nedry to seek funding from elsewhere, which leads to him inadvertently causing the majority of the disasters within the movie. Cutting corners and costs is never a good look, and this message is as relevant today as it was in the early '90s.
6 John Williams' Magnificent Musical Score
The Jurassic Park theme music remains one of the most recognizable music pieces ever created to accompany a film. John Williams' score isn't just infectiously catchy, it's quite possibly euphoric and uplifting enough to wake a long-dormant dino from its decades of slumber.
Music is often one of film's most underrated and overlooked ingredients, yet this is never the case with Jurassic Park. Even the few people on the planet that haven't seen the Spielberg classic have likely heard its incredible music at some point in their lives.
5 The Branding And Design Of The Dinosaur Theme Park
Branding may seem of bite-sized importance in the grand scheme of Jurassic Park's greatness, but part of the blockbuster's everlasting appeal is its instantly recognizable aesthetic choices. From the park's iconic logo to the design of the memorable Jurassic jeeps, everything within Hammond's creation is perfectly tailored to ensure that this dinosaur inhabited world feels real to the viewer.
The franchise continues to move merchandise on a monstrous level, and a large reason for that is just a viewing of the classic JP logo or even Ingen's trademark title can evoke a wonderful sense of nostalgia for any fan of the original movie.
4 The Stellar Performances From A Legendary Cast
Jurassic Park didn't just start one of cinema's most adored franchises, it also cemented the careers of many of its stars. With some assistance from Spielberg's tried and true direction, almost every performer within the film comes out looking like a movie star of the highest caliber.
Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, even smaller roles from Wayne Knight and Samuel L. Jackson all play their hugely important part in making Jurassic Park a success, and given some of the weak spots in later installments, particularly where performances are concerned, these actors and their achievements deserved all the recognition they received.
3 The Fantastically Quotable Dialogue
A vital component that can easily cause a movie to sink if not executed correctly, the words from a character's mouth can be the difference between forgettable or iconic when it comes to Hollywood.
From Jeff Goldblum's "Life, uh, finds a way" to Samuel L. Jackson's "Hold on to your butts," Jurassic Park is littered with unforgettable quotes that keep audiences returning to the world's deadliest theme park time and again.
2 Spielberg's Unmatched Direction, Especially When It Concerns The Movie's Scares
Steven Spielberg is perhaps best known for his heartwarming, family-friendly action adventures, yet many forget that the legendary filmmaker made his name by scaring an entire generation off of swimming in the ocean. Jaws remains a masterpiece when it comes to on-screen terror, and with some of Jurassic Park's most fearsome sequences, Spielberg manages to match the fright-heights of his first movie.
Kitchen cat and mouse games with velociraptors, Ellie Satler's horrific race to restore the park's power, and Tim's brush with becoming fried dino food are all highlights, yet once Jurassic Park takes hold with its horrors, it doesn't let go until the final showdown.
1 The Truly Remarkable Visual Effects
Of all the ingredients that went into making Jurassic Park one of Hollywood's greatest ever adventures, the one which arguably holds up the most surprisingly well is the movie's visual effects. Whether looking at the film itself with the naked eye or examining the golden statue that Spielberg's classic won for its dinosaur delights, Jurassic Park will forever be a truly groundbreaking picture when it comes to SFX.
Minimal use of CGI and an absolute mastery of puppetry, model building, and creature creations from the legendary Stan Winston ensured that dinosaurs had never looked so alive, and they arguably haven't again since.