'JURASSIC WORLD' REVIEW [SPOILERS] - IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME

I loved the original 'Jurassic Park' film, so I didn't care what the reviews were I was going to see 'Jurassic World' and that was exactly what they were counting on--brand loyalty. *sigh. Unfortunately, you can add 'Jurassic World' to the list of mind numbing, entertaining, idiotic, blockbusters. That said, this movie was so much fun to watch! And perhaps that's enough. It's summertime and this is a popcorn summertime film. I got spoiled with 'Fury Road.' I'm beginning to think that a movie like 'Fury Road' is truly a rarity akin to 'Gravity'--big budget, beautiful, smart and action-filled. I guess I better get used to the idea that most big budget blockbusters will not compare.

After the events of the first three films, in which dinosaurs routinely escape from this park, seemingly "sane" people still want to visit a park filled with genetically engineered dinosaurs. However, to be fair, I could actually see people doing this. Since when has this world been sane? "If you build it they will come." So this part is quite believable. People want to be entertained. That's why I go to the movies-- to be entertained. Seeing 'Jurassic Park' as a working theme park (and not simply some island dinosaurs wander around in) is the most enjoyable aspect of the film. Because of this change, 'Jurassic World' is a vast improvement over its two previous sequels. I only wish the story focused more on the theme park. If 'Jurassic World' has a flaw, it's that it descends too quickly into a creature feature. The buildup and the anticipation was what made the original 'Jurassic Park' different from its sequels.

So once you accept that people will do anything to be entertained, then you have to get past the premise that a "sane" person would rebuild Jurassic Park, but then again, see my point above. Now go even further down the rabbit hole because regular dinosaurs aren't enough. Jurassic World's board of directors and it's adventurous owner, Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) decide that the park needs a new exhibit to draw in more attendees. Dinosaurs are becoming "old hat" now that small children can ride baby triceratops like go carts and families can paddle boat downstream while watching a brontosaurus graze. To be fair, I could actually picture someone coming up with a baby triceratop's ride.

So in order to up the ante and increase attendance the board gives Dr. Henry Wu's (B.D. Wong) carte blanche to create an "extra extra genetically" modified dinosaur. What a great idea right? It's not like these dinosaurs ever escape right? So why not make them even more dangerous? How did they even get insurance on this place? Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the park director and is clearly the "John Hammond" character of 'Jurassic World.' Thankfully Claire is far more resourceful and much more mobile than John was.

Let's not even talk about the truly crazy people, like the parents who let their children go to Jurassic World unattended in the "care" of their aunt Claire. No one seems to have an issue with children exploring Jurassic World by themselves. It's not like anything will happen to them. This movie is PG-13. This ain't 'Game of Thrones' y'all. Even though Claire hasn't seen her nephews for seven years, it doesn't occur to their parents that Claire may not be the best chaperon. Claire is much too busy with the park to spend time with her nephews. Instead she pawns them off on her poor assistant (Katie McGrath).

Seriously this is 2015, yet the "bitter childless career woman" stereotype is still in vogue. If only she got married and had some babies, she'd be so much happier. This gives the writers the opportunity to introduce some sexual tension between Claire and Owen (Chris Pratt). Owen is a former military man turned dinosaur trainer. Amazingly he can train the velociraptors not to eat a squealing pig... you know why because of R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

The velocirprator has always held a special place in the heart of the 'Jurassic Park' films. So it's no surprise that they are heavily featured in this film. It's alluded to that an unscrupulous defense contractor has been hired to handle Jurassic World's security, although it's never revealed who is actually pulling the strings. This is another aspect of the film that could have been clarified. Instead of a clear explanation, we get Vic Hoskins (Vincent D'Onofrio) as the mandatory "greedy corporate suit." Hoskins is crazier than any of the attendees or the board of directors because he wants to create an army of velociraptors to kill people because unlike drones, velociraptors are way more easy to control. Uh-huh.

It goes without saying that things go wrong...or else there wouldn't be a movie. The new big bad dino escapes its enclosure and wreaks havoc on the park, all the while Claire's nephews decide to ditch their chaperon and go off road. There are quite a few nice homages to the first film, as well as the casting of original 'Jurassic Park' alum B.D. Wong, in an expanded role (which could have used additional expanding).

As a last resort (and once everyone else is dead), Hoskins gets his wish to release the velociraptors like one would during a fox hunt. Of course things go swimmingly... The film ends with what appears to be a velociraptor fist bump. I was fine up until this point. The ending was just so over the top that it kinda detracted from the rest of the film. At some point the last scene looked like an episode of 'Dinosaur Fight Club."

Another complaint I have with 'Jurassic World' was the lack of character development. Director Colin Trevorrow was clearly trying to emulate Steven Spielberg, but Trevorrow is no Spielberg or even a J.J. Abrams, especially when it comes to character development. As a director Spielberg had the amazing ability to allow even the background characters an opportunity to shine, no such shining takes place in 'Jurassic World.' There is some interesting dialogue about what the shake and bake monster is made of and how it has been socialized, but like most of the film, it's not fleshed out enough. I would have liked to have learned more about the science than a forced romance between Pratt's and Howard's characters.

Similar to the first film, 'Jurassic World' is chock full of metaphors about consumerism, the ethical treatment of these animals, mad science, and the world gone crazy, but unfortunately, the film is too bogged down with cliches and stereotypes to be as compelling as the first film, but then again, sequels rarely are. Sequels (especially long awaited sequels) should add something new, fresh, or exciting to the storyline. 'Jurassic World' succeeds in bringing a sense of fun and a new take on the 'Jurassic' franchise. Despite the problems, it is still enjoyable summer fun.

THREE - 1/2 OUT OF FIVE STARS