Jurassic World Dominion’s different approach to the franchise and its subject matter doesn’t always work, but if you take it as it is, you’ll find that it’s actually quite engaging and lots of fun.
Overall Score: 7/10
Image: Universal Pictures
Jurassic World Dominion roared its way into theaters this month with the promise of being a fun, dinosaur-filled final adventure that ties the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World trilogies together. But as many other famous franchises have shown us, sometimes the final installment is the weakest (e.g. The Godfather Part III and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker). Therefore, that begs the question: Is Dominion the “epic conclusion” to the long-running dino blockbuster series its marketing claims it to be?
Well… not quite. Don’t get me wrong. Dominion certainly is a fun movie, and a decent one at that. But as a Jurassic Park film? In that regard it doesn’t always work and that’s where most people will be disappointed as it doesn’t really capture the same tones and vibes its predecessors had. Think of it this way: It’s as if the filmmakers got tired of playing in the same sandbox and just decided to ditch what they already had and go in an entirely new direction.
Dominion being the black sheep of the bunch, for better or worse, gives returning writer-director Colin Trevorrow the unique opportunity to try something new. Without spoiling anything, this latest entry in the series is more of a spy action-thriller than a traditional dino movie. And while some people may welcome this change, others will simply laugh at or be infuriated by it. I, on the other hand, find it to be both a blessing and a curse as while it does prevent the film from becoming something wholly unoriginal, it also means that the dinosaurs become secondary to the plot and more like fun side characters (who sadly have the spotlight stolen away from them). Thankfully, however, the latter half of the film does feel more akin to the other Jurassic movies as it begins to lean more into the franchise’s usual formula.
On the surface, Dominion falls short of everything that came before it and, in all honesty, it can seem pretty stupid. Yet, it’s nowhere near as bad as other trilogy/saga conclusions like The Rise of Skywalker as when you dig a little deeper, hidden meanings and allegories can be found that add to the overall viewing experience and are a natural progression of what was presented in the previous two films. Basically, Jurassic World follows in the footsteps of the original trilogy and is a warning against the dangers of playing god, Fallen Kingdom shifts towards a more animal rights and welfare-oriented standpoint, and Dominion explores how although we are unable to undo our past mistakes, we can learn to deal with and limit the effects of the ensuing consequences and ensure that we don’t do the same thing again — which is also a rather obvious metaphor for climate change and how humanity has been dealing with it. And while it probably should’ve done more to reinforce the themes of its predecessors as well, the movie does nevertheless deserve praise for at least trying to say something that’s relevant to the world of today.
Another thing I like is how, overall, it’s a more character-driven story. Most of the main cast members each have little moments where they’re given the opportunity to truly shine, and on top of that — and this strictly concerns the Jurassic World characters — they’re given a lot more depth in comparison to what they had in the previous films. All of this is, of course, elevated by the all around great performances, with Bryce Dallas Howard especially very clearly giving it her all and being the standout here. Furthermore, the return of Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill to the franchise is delightful and reason enough to justify watching this movie. Each of them is able to perfectly transform into their respective characters again and it’s impressive to see that they still have such fun on-screen chemistry three decades later.
Also, can we all just agree on how great Dominion both looks and sounds? Everything’s lighter and brighter, the dinosaurs themselves are beautifully designed and sound just as terrifying as ever, and Michael Giacchino’s score is spectacular, proving once again that regardless of how daunting the task, he is able to continuously knock it out of the park (no pun intended).
At the end of the day, Jurassic World Dominion may not be perfect, let alone great, but that doesn’t automatically mean that it’s bad. In fact, it’s far from the terrible monstrosity that most people have made it out to be. While I can totally understand why some people may be disappointed or even upset (especially if you go in expecting a traditional Jurassic Park film), I can’t deny that, objectively, the movie as a whole is actually pretty good. And although it’s certainly not “epic", it does at least close out the franchise on a mostly positive note.
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