JURASSIC WORLD (2015)

Genre: Science Fiction/Adventure
Running Length: 2:04
Cast:  Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Screenplay:  Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Colin Trevorrow & Derek Connolly, based on the novels by Michael Crichton

I was expecting JURASSIC WORLD to be another soulless CGI fest, but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Sure, it wasn't able to recapture the awe and magic of the original but that's actually a very tall order, isn't it? Even Spielberg himself couldn't pull it off in The Lost World. Although it's directed by a relatively newcomer (Trevorrow has only done one small movie before), he did really well here. It follows quite closely to the pattern of Jurassic Park; where the first 1/3 of the movie takes its time to establish its characters, the park and our "hero" dinosaur while the remaining of the film is dedicated to carnage and great action scenes. To be fair, it's not really a bad thing as it feels like an updated version for today's generation, but yet keeping the heart of the original intact (And speaking of heart, there is a moving scene which involved an interaction between man and dinosaur, that reminded me not to peel onions in the cinema).  In fact, this film is almost like a homage of sorts where all our favourite dinosaurs are back and even John Williams' iconic theme is fully embraced here too by composer Michael Giacchino. I actually like what he did with the subdued interpretations of the original score when it was used at appropriate scenes. And speaking of action, thankfully there is a sense of inherent danger and thrill in the dinosaur attack scenes but it doesn't come close to the memorable Raptors in the kitchen or T-Rex in the rain from the original. As for our actors, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard here are dependable with the former fairing better with his charisma, humour and caring heart all wrapped up in a rugged and imposing physique (ladies...awww~). Pratt is truly a legit and mega-star in the making. Overall, although the climax comes across as too neat and convenient, this sequel/soft reboot is a solid piece of entertainment. (Oh! And see if you can catch the little social commentary "wink at the audience" satirical jab at movie sequels needing to be bigger, badder and have more corporate sponsorships)

Rating: 8/10