Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
Besides the name, and the occasional reference to JP and John Hammond, the franchise has jumped the preverbal shark, or in this case the Mosasaur.
SPOILER alerts, I suppose, but my thoughts are below:
The film didn't have the grounded suspense of what Jurassic Park franchise is supposed to be/have. Of course we have been departing the original mood/atmosphere of JP since JP3, but this was by far more of an action film with high speed videogame-esque action. Once you see the protagonists get almost hit 100 times but dodge every strike or threatening situation, the next 100 near misses are just that less suspenseful. The original Jurrasic Park knew how to balance action (jeep driving scene) with realism. This one did not, nor really did the first JW.
Film was poorly written. Not only just the story overall feel lackluster, but many lines fell flat, exposition ran more rampant than dinosaurs. Jeff Goldblum bloviated in the prologue and epilogue of the film, and even a sophisticated audience member probably thought once or twice, "where are you going with this?"
The Granddaughter character twist, I knew immediately once they talked about her mother. That entire sub-plot is never mentioned again until we have to be told the obvious and again is forgotten until the very end where it is only used to justify her opening the gate. A weird subplot to introduce just for that reason unless the future of Jurassic World films will involve human cloning too.
Also, James Cromwell's character was so pathetically weak and two-dimensional. He offers nothing but exposition, doesn't have any sort of arc or redemption. He dismisses the warning from his (grand)daughter, but then actually confronts his associate with conviction the next day? And perhaps a very old, weak, wheelchair ridden man shouldn't just assume he can talk a guilty, desperate criminal into turning themselves in. You'd think he'd perhaps call the police first and then confront a criminal?
Also, why does a bed-ridden wealthy man keep his old cell phone on a pillow across the room? It doesn't really matter because he would have been murdered either way, just felt stupid that a man with such limited mobility would keep important items, such as a phone, out of reach.
Again, from what I could tell, the bad guy wants to sell the dinosaur specimens to other world powers, to get seed money to open another Jurassic World/Jurassic Park? Is that what you gathered too? If so, I don't understand why selling IP at pennies on the dollar would allow you to make another Jurassic Park? Even if you raised the money required, you'd just be spending it to make... those same dinosaurs you just sold.... PLUS now there are multiple corporations/entities around the world that own some of that IP and could make competing parks or technologies using what took you 20+ years of super expensive RnD to perfect.
Also, why does Pratt turn off the lights during the climatic cat-and-mouse with indo-raptor? I thought raptors had incredible sense of smell, unlike the T-Rex which is mostly visual? I don't know the science in real life, but in the films it seems the Trex relies heavily on sight, while they were talking about how Blue can smell people coming a mile away. Figured the indo-raptor would be more about smell, so I'm not sure if I were trapped in a mansion with a raptor, I'd prefer to be in the dark myself. How could THEY even see?
There were just a handfull of redeeming qualities of the film:
1) The tech guy was really funny when we first met him.
2) The indo raptor suspense when the protagonists are first evading him(her?) in the large display room, was fun. Once the indo raptor climbs the roof to the girls bedroom, it felt off again.
3) Despite the 'bad guy' dino auction being the most stereotypical 'bond' villain roundup, it was fun to see the headbutting comedy relief dino charge through them all.
That's it. My GF and I regretted spending money on this film. She is a HUGE JP fan, even plays all the video games and etc. She said she wished she had never watched it.
So crazy they pour so much money into a script that holds such little promise. I still don't understand how we get to these points in cinema.
/rant
SPOILER alerts, I suppose, but my thoughts are below:
The film didn't have the grounded suspense of what Jurassic Park franchise is supposed to be/have. Of course we have been departing the original mood/atmosphere of JP since JP3, but this was by far more of an action film with high speed videogame-esque action. Once you see the protagonists get almost hit 100 times but dodge every strike or threatening situation, the next 100 near misses are just that less suspenseful. The original Jurrasic Park knew how to balance action (jeep driving scene) with realism. This one did not, nor really did the first JW.
Film was poorly written. Not only just the story overall feel lackluster, but many lines fell flat, exposition ran more rampant than dinosaurs. Jeff Goldblum bloviated in the prologue and epilogue of the film, and even a sophisticated audience member probably thought once or twice, "where are you going with this?"
The Granddaughter character twist, I knew immediately once they talked about her mother. That entire sub-plot is never mentioned again until we have to be told the obvious and again is forgotten until the very end where it is only used to justify her opening the gate. A weird subplot to introduce just for that reason unless the future of Jurassic World films will involve human cloning too.
Also, James Cromwell's character was so pathetically weak and two-dimensional. He offers nothing but exposition, doesn't have any sort of arc or redemption. He dismisses the warning from his (grand)daughter, but then actually confronts his associate with conviction the next day? And perhaps a very old, weak, wheelchair ridden man shouldn't just assume he can talk a guilty, desperate criminal into turning themselves in. You'd think he'd perhaps call the police first and then confront a criminal?
Also, why does a bed-ridden wealthy man keep his old cell phone on a pillow across the room? It doesn't really matter because he would have been murdered either way, just felt stupid that a man with such limited mobility would keep important items, such as a phone, out of reach.
Again, from what I could tell, the bad guy wants to sell the dinosaur specimens to other world powers, to get seed money to open another Jurassic World/Jurassic Park? Is that what you gathered too? If so, I don't understand why selling IP at pennies on the dollar would allow you to make another Jurassic Park? Even if you raised the money required, you'd just be spending it to make... those same dinosaurs you just sold.... PLUS now there are multiple corporations/entities around the world that own some of that IP and could make competing parks or technologies using what took you 20+ years of super expensive RnD to perfect.
Also, why does Pratt turn off the lights during the climatic cat-and-mouse with indo-raptor? I thought raptors had incredible sense of smell, unlike the T-Rex which is mostly visual? I don't know the science in real life, but in the films it seems the Trex relies heavily on sight, while they were talking about how Blue can smell people coming a mile away. Figured the indo-raptor would be more about smell, so I'm not sure if I were trapped in a mansion with a raptor, I'd prefer to be in the dark myself. How could THEY even see?
There were just a handfull of redeeming qualities of the film:
1) The tech guy was really funny when we first met him.
2) The indo raptor suspense when the protagonists are first evading him(her?) in the large display room, was fun. Once the indo raptor climbs the roof to the girls bedroom, it felt off again.
3) Despite the 'bad guy' dino auction being the most stereotypical 'bond' villain roundup, it was fun to see the headbutting comedy relief dino charge through them all.
That's it. My GF and I regretted spending money on this film. She is a HUGE JP fan, even plays all the video games and etc. She said she wished she had never watched it.
So crazy they pour so much money into a script that holds such little promise. I still don't understand how we get to these points in cinema.
/rant
