Movies

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Review: More Dinosaurs, More Problems

BBG News

As a die-hard film enthusiast and Jurassic Park aficionado, I find myself drawn into the opening scenes of “Jurassic World: Rebirth.” The narrative starts with an emotional appeal that stirs our hearts. In contrast to the previous two installments of Jurassic World, dinosaurs had spread far and wide across the planet, only to face extinction once again. Remarkably, it seems the public has grown content with their disappearance. A fellow paleontologist laments the closure of his museum’s dinosaur exhibit, which sold a mere 12 tickets in the past week—a stark contrast to the long lines that used to snake out the door five years earlier.

He remarks that no one seems concerned with these creatures any longer, lamenting, ‘But they truly deserve more!’ I can’t help but echo his sentiment: ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be great if someone could consider the plight of these animals, like perhaps our long-lost dinosaurs?’

As a film enthusiast looking back on 2025, it seems that dinosaur movies have perhaps lost their appeal to contemporary audiences. If this is indeed the case, then one could argue that the “Jurassic World” franchise has only itself to blame for this decline in interest. The original “Jurassic Park,” released back in my youth, was not just a defining cinematic experience of its time but also an exceptional piece of science-fiction storytelling.

Fast forward 11 years, and we find ourselves with “Rebirth,” the fourth installment of the “Jurassic World” series. While it may be considered the best of the bunch, that’s more a testament to its predecessors falling short rather than any particular merit on its own.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I must admit that the characters in this latest installment of Jurassic World seem to exhibit a touch more common sense compared to their predecessors. However, this fresh set doesn’t stray too far from the traditional formula of the franchise – brilliant scientists and skilled soldiers blithely venturing into the most treacherous parts of Earth, declaring with unshakable certainty that everything will be smooth sailing mere seconds before characters meet their grisly ends. It’s almost amusing now, how swiftly any structure branded with “InGen” crumbles into utter pandemonium in these films. In this new movie, Rebirth, the chaos begins even before the opening credits roll!

The head of the most recent team targeted for T-rex attacks is Zora (Scarlett Johansson), a skilled mercenary with expertise in security situations who, as she nonchalantly mentions at one point, carries a bit of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following a disastrous previous job. Despite this personal history, she eagerly takes on a well-paying task from tech mogul Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), whose charming demeanor and frequent smiles suggest, as per the franchise’s tradition over the past 30 years, he should not be trusted.

Krebs employs Zora for a mission. They are tasked with collecting DNA samples from three distinct dinosaurs residing on an island, previously known as the R&D site for Jurassic Park before its downfall (as depicted during the opening credits of ‘Rebirth’). The objective is to manufacture their groundbreaking drug using these samples. Given the island’s history, what potential complications might arise? Additionally, can we expedite the process to maximize daily progress and potentially squeeze in an additional showtime per day if feasible?

To find and classify the specific dinosaur species accurately, they enlist the help of an unemployed paleontologist, Dr. Loomis (Jonathan Bailey from “Wicked”). To transport everyone to and from the island, Zora calls upon her old military buddy Duncan (Mahershala Ali) who brings a boat and a stylish beret. However, as per the rules of “Jurassic World”, there must always be a few children in danger, providing a nostalgic Spielberg feel and ensuring the film has characters relatable to its audience. In this case, a father (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) along with his two daughters (Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda) and the eldest daughter’s clumsy boyfriend (David Iacono who surprisingly provides humor) end up on Duncan’s boat as they approach the island of peril. Once chaos involving dinosaurs ensues, they too must struggle for survival.

In the world of Jurassic Park, the creators enticed the original screenwriter David Koepp to rejoin the team for the film titled “Rebirth”. Koepp contributed witty dialogue for the characters Zora and Krebs, but the movie occasionally loses momentum when characters engage in lengthy discussions about their emotions. This happens more frequently than you’d anticipate. There are numerous scenes involving the stranded family, whose conversations often interrupt the main DNA plotline with frequent interruptions that don’t significantly heighten tension, except for one impactful scene featuring a stubborn inflatable raft.

The story gains momentum once the movie reaches the island, allowing director Gareth Edwards to showcase his knack for grand visual effects. With a background in VFX and past work on films like the 2014 Godzilla, Edwards has ample experience at this level, and he does create a few chilling dinosaur encounter scenes. The most exciting scene features several human characters rappelling down a cliff to a quetzalcoatlus nest to gather some vital dinosaur DNA – just as momma quetzalcoatlus returns home from a day of flying and feeding on other predators.

This film offers a handful of creative visual moments, but it lacks substantial appeal beyond that. Compared to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, it’s certainly more believable, and unlike Jurassic World Dominion, it avoids the confusing locust subplot. However, none of its characters or action scenes compare favorably to those in the original Jurassic Park from 30 years ago. Rebirth appears visually pleasing, but Jurassic Park remains visually stunning; if anything, the almost entirely CGI approach used in this new movie seems less convincing than the blend of digital and practical dinosaurs that Spielberg employed decades earlier.

Dr. Loomis’ idea is that people have grown tired of raptors and triceratops, and this explains the cast of mutated dinosaurs in Jurassic World Rebirth. To create thrilling new attractions for their theme park, InGen scientists combined DNA from various dinosaurs to produce frightening creatures such as the “Distortus Rex,” a six-limbed beast with an enormous, round skull.

It seems that the concept of crossbreeding dinosaurs is a recurring theme in this series, as it was previously presented in the first “Jurassic World” through the creation of the Indominus Rex with similar consequences. Is it possible that I may have forgotten this? When Loomis laments about people no longer caring about these animals, he might be expressing concerns beyond just the on-screen characters.

Additional Thoughts:

The movie initially gives the impression that a key character’s injury will significantly impact the plot, but surprisingly, this is not the case. Instead, the injury serves as a plot device to facilitate high-risk actions by another character during crucial action scenes. However, when not involved in such situations, the character moves around with relative ease, traversing vast jungle terrains and escaping dinosaurs with only occasional limping.

Zora and her team are initially drawn to the expedition by the promise of a large financial reward. However, as Loomis urges her to share the DNA for the sake of global advancement in medicine, she starts to reconsider her reasons for participating. This narrative twist is particularly intriguing considering that Jurassic Park, one of Hollywood’s most commercially successful franchises, once marked its dinosaur toys with a distinctive “JP” logo to distinguish them from imitations.

RATING: 5/10

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2025-06-30 19:24

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