The Film
"These people. They never learn."
Technology has certainly come a long way. A lot has changed over the past 22 years. Well, it hasn't in the world of Jurassic Park. Won't they ever learn? I certainly hope not.
In the blockbuster fourth installment Jurassic World, man has learned to tame the dinosaurs -- sort of. Despite what happened in Jurassic Park, the theme park Jurassic World has been a thriving attraction for 22 years. People come from miles around to ride the dinosaurs, pet them, and get an up-close peek. They squeal with delight when one eats a shark in one meaty bite. However, as Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) says, "No one is impressed by a dinosaur anymore."
Silly tourists.
So in order to boost attendance, park scientists create Indominus rex, a super-scary dinosaur hybrid that will scare the pants off kids of all ages. The problem is, she will also eat the pants off kids of all ages. Please, if movies have taught us anything, it's that playing god never, ever works out well.
However, Indominus rex doesn't just have big teeth, but a brain to match. In fact, she initially tricks park employees into thinking she's escaped. During the mad dash, they actually end up letting her out. And here we go again. Only this time, instead of having just a set amount of visitors to devour, Indominus rex has got a packed theme park filled with tasty tourists.
Enter Owen (Chris Pratt), an animal expert and romantic interest for the high-strung Claire. He's the hero here, but Claire certainly holds her own against him and the dinosaurs. There's definitely a Romancing the Stone sort of thing going on here. She's the cold workaholic and he's the grimy jokester. The two have to set aside their differences to save Claire's two visiting nephews, 11-year-old Gray (Ty Simpkins) and 16-year-old Zach (Nick Robinson).
But that's not all. We have 125 minutes of film to fill, so we also have Vic Hoskins, played by Vincent D'Onofrio. He's a bad man (he always is!), who is looking to train the dinosaurs for military use. Good luck with that.
Jurassic World tries to combine a little too much into one movie. It has Vic, the kids, the romance, and the whole killing spree. It even sprinkles in so many nods to the original, it would make for the perfect drinking game. (Heck, even B.D. Wong is here!) That said, it's also fun and filled with heebie jeebies that will have you jumping, wincing and watching through the slits of your fingers. Despite a little too much going on, Jurassic World is still a bloody good time.
Want a bigger peek at this movie? Check out Karen Dahlstrom's theatrical review of Jurassic World.
The Picture
Like the actual movie, the image for Jurassic World does have its flaws. The 2.00:1 image is colorful, detailed, and everything you want in a dinosaur movie. However, when it comes to the 3D effects, this Blu-ray could've used a few genetic modifications, if you know what I mean.
It's just that the 3D effects are so incredibly disappointing -- and not just for this blockbuster franchise, but for any movie. It almost seems half-done. The beginning of the movie has very little depth, but it doesn't take long to kick in. Once it's actually "in," it's just not very consistent. Take a peek at the helicopter scene towards the beginning of the movie. It's pretty flat. Then, look at the scene where we first meet up with Owen, when he's instructing the little raptors and points outward. Chris Pratt's hand has a 3D effect to it, but the rest of his body is very flat. This is the type of inconsistency I'm talking about.
Throughout the rest of the movie I could routinely take off my 3D glasses and the image was fine. In other words, it doesn't have enough 3D effects. I'm not talking about the crazy pop-outs, but just good, engaging depth.
It does have its moments and when all hell breaks lose in the park, the 3D image does improve, but that's more than halfway through the movie. It's pretty awesome, but just a bit too late to recommend the 3D version.
Otherwise, as I mentioned, Jurassic World is fun to watch. The color is great and the detail is sharp, especially when it comes to Pratt's stubble, Bryce Dallas Howard's freckles, and the scales of the dinosaurs.
The Sound
Jurassic Park was the very first home release to get DTS sound, so it shouldn't be too surprising that this Blu-ray has an excellent DTS track. What is a bit shocking is that DTS didn't give this one the height channels of DTS:X, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track is exactly what you want it to be. Helicopters, sirens, and screams whip through the soundfield and there are crashes, crunches, and shots fired. Of course, the main attraction here is, well... the main attraction. The Indominus rex's footsteps go rumbling though the room and the pterosaurs swarm the surrounds. Also worth mentioning is Michael Giacchino's score, which is pretty thunderous as well -- and includes a lot of nods to the one John Williams delivered two decades ago.
The Extras
If you pop for the Jurassic World Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, know that the 3D disc does include deleted scenes and a 9-minute short called "Chris & Colin Take on the World." Both are also on the 2D disc, with the latter featuring Chris Pratt and director Colin Trevorrow talking about classic Jurassic and a few standout moments from the new movie. Other features focus on the dinosaurs, the special effects, and other tidbits of the film. The best of the bunch is "Welcome to Jurassic World," which has Trevorrow and Steven Spielberg taking a 30-minute peek at the history of the project and the franchise.
Final Thoughts
Jurassic World may be bigger as far as the cast, the dinosaurs, and the body count. However, that doesn't make it better -- but it may be easier to genetically create a dinosaur than to top Jurassic Park. That doesn't mean this movie isn't fun. It's actually a lot of fun and has an AV presentation that will keep you entertained and looking over your shoulder. Just don't bother with the 3D, which is incredibly disappointing for such a massive (in every way possible) blockbuster.
Product Details
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