Jurassic World Dominion
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Writer: Emily Carmichael, Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly
Based on: Michael Crichton‘s book (plus sequel)
Sequel to: Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III, Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Isabella Sermon, Campbell Scott, Omar Sy, BD Wong, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Scott Haze, Dichen Lachman, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Sam Neill
Seen on: 22.6.2022

Plot:
In a world where dinosaurs have started to roam the earth freely, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) live in a rather isolated location, and with good reason – they are hiding Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon). She is a clone and who knows what would be done to her if she was found. When Maisie is taken along with raptor Blue’s baby, Owen and Claire are desperate to get her back. Meanwhile, Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) enlists the help of Alan Grant (Sam Neill) to investigate strangely mutated locusts. Both Maisie’s disappearance and the locusts point back to the company BioSyn.

The last two Jurassic World films were already rather disappointing affairs, but I’m a sucker for dinosaurs, and when you throw Laura Dern on top, of course I couldn’t resist (despite Chris Pratt’s reactionary self). Was it worth it? I’m honestly not sure, but leaning towards no – Jurassic World Dominion is definitely not good.

From the start, the Jurassic World movies had what I felt a rather weird relationship with dinosaurs, but it became never more apparent than in this one. Personally, I would like these films to give me a whole lot of wonder at these creatures back in our world. they are terrifying, but they are also beautiful and it is amazing to see them just out an about. I wouldn’t have minded if the film had just lingered with this feeling for a while and had examined how it affects the world.

It’s a huge part of what made the old Jurassic Park films so amazing for me: yes, there is murder and mayhem, but before that there is this sense of awe. I felt that there is little awe in this film (there are moments here and there). In fact, it seems more interested in “who would win in a fight”, and honestly, I don’t really give a damn.

It was incredibly nice to see Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm reunited again. The movie comes most alive when it just gives these three a little space to maneuver. This doesn’t happen very often because it is so very overwrought with disjointed plot elements and both old and new characters (not that I didn’t like Kayla (DeWanda Wise) and Ramsay (Mamoudou Athie), I liked them a whole lot more than Owen as a whole or Maisie’s plot). But when it happens, it is gold.

The film does contain some criticism of capitalism, and the kind of techbro innovations and cults that are seemingly everywhere now, but that criticism is too shallow to be very meaningful. Ultimately, any kind of point the film may try to make is scrambled pretty much beyond understanding. What you’re left with are loosely connected action scenes and plot points that do neither the characters nor the dinosaurs any justice.

Summarizing: maybe it’s time to give this franchise a rest.