Image: Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
The intellectual property of “Jurassic Park” is a “theme park” that will always be revisited because it is financially viable, sustainable, and a proven worthy investment in Hollywood. This has led to new movies, whether direct sequels, soft reboots, or entirely new beginnings, although the latter has not yet happened.
I remember when I first watched “Jurassic Park” (1993), not in theaters, but on a VHS tape. Even at home, you could feel that “Jurassic Park” had broken new ground, pioneering a new form of family adventure films and transforming the best-selling novel of the same name by author Michael Crichton into something that would forever change how moviegoers think of what makes a blockbuster film truly one after watching dinosaurs come alive. Why not? Simply put, before “Jurassic Park,* there was nothing like it in scope, scale, and presentation in movies.
“Jurassic Park” could only have been directed on the big screen by one of the greatest visionary directors, Steven Spielberg. I do not think this legendary movie would be the same without him, and we would not have new installments still living on, the latest of which is the promising ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ (2025).
Wow! It’s hard to believe that more than 30 years after “Jurassic Park” (1993) came out, there’s going to be another one, just a few years after the last one “Jurassic World Dominion” (2002), which let loose the dinosaurs from that version of the theme park into the real world. It was the largest scale the franchise had ever reached. Now, with “Jurassic World Rebirth,” it is clear that the movie studio wants to take things slower, simplify the story a bit, and perhaps return to the roots of the franchise, which began with the first movie.
In “Jurassic World Rebirth,” many elements stood out to me. Several aspects reminded me of the magic of the first movie, while others pushed the legendary franchise into new territory. These elements are essential for bridging the gap between older Jurassic Park fans and new ones, allowing parents to watch the film with their children. This approach is a smart move for the studio, as blending classic and modern elements is the best way forward, especially since the last movie felt a bit too gray, gloomy, and depressing in some respects, particularly the color treatment, which was awful. It seems the colorful, bright, and rich textures of the cinematography from the Jurassic Park movies are gone, and instead, we got what we got!
Props to their efforts, but at that point, a pause was much needed.
In “Jurassic World Rebirth,” they are finally moving forward with the mutant-dinosaur concept, which has become almost like an urban legend for die-hard fans of Jurassic Park. These fans know everything about what was supposed to happen in the franchise but never did for some reason. However, this might be too much for younger moviegoers. I remember hearing rumors about human-dinosaur hybrids, which thankfully never happened — unless we are in for a shocking surprise with “Jurassic World Rebirth.”
The thing with the Jurassic Park movies, franchise or not, is that they have always captivated moviegoers. They have encouraged people from all walks of life to learn more about dinosaurs and to appreciate the kinds of animals that once walked the earth hundreds of millions of years ago. A large credit of thanks goes to the Jurassic Park movies for keeping that spirit of wonder alive and well.
On a personal note, if it were not for “Jurassic Park,” I would not have opened my mind to the wonders of dinosaurs. It led my parents to purchase books like Dinotopia, among others, which were a mix of non-fiction, fiction, and fantasy. I not only collected and played with the toys, but I also became fascinated with reading books about dinosaurs. This movie was incredibly influential during my childhood. “Jurassic Park” played a significant role in shaping the minds of many in my generation because we were all still kids, and wow, “Jurassic Park” blew our minds away!
Now, more on the official movie trailer for “Jurassic World Rebirth.” Anyone with a brain and a good set of eyes can tell that the official movie trailer shows a mutated dinosaur, likely an unfinished version or a mutant of one of the larger dinosaurs. If you recall, in the first movie, it was revealed that they used frog DNA to fill in the missing genome sequences in the dinosaurs’ DNA structure. Yes, it’s nerdy, but interesting nonetheless. This means there were many failed experiments, and that creature, whatever it was, is one of them. It looked frightening and nightmarish, stepping into almost horror territory, as the few stills and seconds did not resemble any kind of dinosaur but something more like a monster.
Scarlett Johansson: I do not know if she is perfect or suited for the role she plays in this movie, but my impression from the official trailer, in which she appears, was more like “Meh.” Of course, her casting adds star power and global attention because almost everyone knows and still remembers her as Black Widow. Until we see the movie, we can only form a surface-level opinion on Scarlett Johansson’s impact, but I still say “Meh.”
However, what caught my attention in terms of casting was Mahershala Ali, the actor who was supposed to play “Blade” in the reboot. After repeated delays and cancellations, that seems unlikely to happen. Well, at least he landed this big role. Mahershala Ali’s onscreen character, who is like a hunter crossed with a helicopter pilot tour guide, really stood out to me. I think his casting adds depth to the film, and I am looking forward to “Jurassic World Rebirth” because he might deliver a standout performance and contribute to the list of memorable characters in the Jurassic Park franchise.
Let’s be real here: regardless of who is cast in these movies under the Jurassic Park franchise, the real stars have always been the dinosaurs. In the case of “Jurassic World Rebirth,” there is a mutant dinosaur or two as well to give all the young moviegoers nightmares! Haha… Of course, I meant that as a joke. But, seriously, that thing is going to make some moviegoers feel uncomfortable, to say the least, once it is fully revealed.
Watch out for “Jurassic World Rebirth” because from what I have analyzed, this will be as entertaining as “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (1997) sequel to “Jurassic Park” (1993), but not as awesome as the first entry in the franchise. But it will probably be at least halfway to it. And that says a lot!