Jurassic World: Rebirth
[4K/Digital Code]
Life is full of surprises, and you gotta be open to letting them happen. That breakfast sandwich you never cared for can somehow suddenly hit the spot. That album you never understood can suddenly resonate. My Hollywood surprise of the year is Jurassic World: Rebirth.
The Jurassic Park IP has been squalid for decades. The best it could do was that Chris Pratt meme where he holds his hands open towards the raptors. What was he trying to do there, anyway? What was the meme trying to communicate? It was different times. Before that, interest plummeted after Jurassic Park II (starring national treasure Julianne Moore). Now it’s sort of DOA whenever a new movie arrives. But, Jurassic World: Rebirth was a pleasant surprise.
Let me explain.
This movie runs through all your typical beats: we know as soon as we meet them, who the villain is, who the hero is, and who is getting a redemption arc. The characters are two-dimensional at best. Even the story is kind of forced and awkward, with a long, unnecessarily dangerous and complicated walk towards the goal. That’s fine as well. But, Rebirth knows when to have fun and the perfect depiction of that is the Titanosaurus sequence, where the team is working together, basking in the majesty of these creatures, living together in harmony. Everyone is having a good time, including the audience. Also surprising is Scarlett Johansen who even though is the obvious choice as the know-it-all who is hypercompetent at her job, is portrayed in a likeable way. She’s actually good in this movie. She’s the green team member in the Insights exercise.
There are some good moments in Rebirth but maybe not enough to redeem it. The marooned family is an unneeded element that’s incredibly boring and adds nothing to the story except for hackneyed characters. Boy, did I wish Xavier died. This b-plot just made the movie drag too much. Also, the genetically modified dinosaurs look awkward, unsightly, and artificial for lack of a better word. More like Pokemon than dinosaurs.
Jurassic World: Rebirth was surprisingly not terrible. I might rewatch this someday, but I’m in no rush.
Why is it called “Rebirth” though? What’s being reborn? The franchise?
