There is no denying that Jurassic Park has had a major pop culture impact, as seen with the more recent Jurassic World films. After kicking off in 2015, the series is now on its third film with Jurassic World Dominion, directed by Colin Trevorrow. The latest movie not only connects even more to the original Jurassic Park films, but it also attempts to capture the popcorn fun of the first Jurassic World movie while trying to deliver a few important messages regarding not ignoring a crisis and the dangers of exploiting nature for financial gain. However, this leads to a large number of plot lines and characters and an extensive runtime, further hampered by a lackluster script.
Picking up a few years after the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, dinosaurs are now loose in the wider world. In the midst of this, a new corporation seems to be trying to do right by humanity and the dinosaurs; however, mysterious and suspicious events surrounding environmental changes catch the eyes of the original Jurassic Park cast -- Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) -- who begin to investigate. Meanwhile, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) are doing what they can to protect their adoptive daughter, Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon), who has caught the attention of the corporation and its boss, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott), a caricature of countless big named capitalists.
There are two main storylines in Jurassic World Dominion, the legacy characters' and the newer characters'. The former provides the more character-driven and thematically stronger storyline, with Sattler, Grant, and Malcolm taking on a big corporation abusing nature and science for profit. It's definitely a topical and important issue to address, and Jurassic World Dominion is not afraid to take this on head first, although it's very on the nose about its message, forgoing any nuance. While this storyline is asking important questions, the pacing of the script doesn't do it service, as the film must cut back to the second storyline, which is the more action-focused one. Because of this, it feels like there are two separate movies going on until the third act, and with an over two-hour runtime, that is a lot.
That being said, the dinosaur action is entertaining, especially given the freedom the creatures now have. While it would have been cool to see the world adjust to dinosaurs roaming society, the movie taking place a few years later allows viewers to truly see what a world with dinosaurs could look like, and the fact this is already the norm is still jarring. In fact, exploring this new world with the dinosaurs could have been a film on its own, or even a televised series, as this is one of the more interesting aspects of the films. It's a shame the film favors its clone storyline from the second movie, as well as another secluded location, because seeing the dinosaurs in mainstream society is a delight.
Jurassic World Dominion's dinosaurs are not just there for action either. There are some peaceful and beautiful moments which will delight anyone who is or was a dinosaur kid at heart. Along with that, there are some very tense moments with the dinosaurs, with a particular scene with Claire being especially engaging.
Claire also has come far since the first film. Her development is still a little jarring because of the time skip, but it is nice to see her actively trying to make a difference as opposed to being compliant with the problem. Along with her are new characters, Ramsay Cole (Mamoudou Athie) and Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise), who both manage to be as compelling, if not more so, than the more established characters. They both contribute to the overarching themes of standing up for what's right instead of looking the other way. Athie, in particular, is a true stand-out, delivering a charismatic performance, one where audiences will want to root for Ramsay in the end. It's a shame that it took until the third Jurassic World movie to meet these characters.
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As for the script itself, it is predictable, especially the dialogue. It reads like a typical action movie, where one can easily predict the next line or beat, and the quips and comebacks do not often land. Jurassic World Dominion is trying to be funny, but humor is not the movie's strong suit. As for the action not oriented around dinosaurs, there are some serious spatial issues, making things feel too plot-convenient and thus removing some of the stakes. That, along with some of the character decisions, will leave some viewers scratching their heads about the logic of this film. It also makes some situations feel coincidental or easy to escape, further reducing believability and tension.
Jurassic World Dominion is an improvement from the last Jurassic World installment, with the highlight still being the dinosaurs. Getting to see them in all the situations of Dominion is a treat, and there are also the underlying themes and messages that one can't help but relate to. That, along with the engaging new characters and welcomed legacy characters, make Jurassic World Dominion an okay ride, albeit a long one, with plenty of bumps along the way.
Catch Jurassic World Dominion in theaters June 9.