A review of the 2022 movie “Jurassic World Dominion”
After the “Jurassic Park” trilogy, we now have the third (and final?) segment of the “Jurassic World” three-hander. Unlike all the other movies in this franchise, none of the action is on the island of Isla Nublar. Now all the dinosaurs are running round continental America and Europe and the genetic playing of the wicked corporation is producing new creatures such as giant locusts.
Such a challenge, it seems, can only be met by bringing together all the heroes of the franchise, a bit like a Marvel movie.
So, as well as Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) from the previous episodes of “Jurassic World” and a return by Ian Malcom (the scene-stealing Jeff Goldblum) who was brought back for the last movie, we have both Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) whom we haven’t seen for more than 20 years. And, to balance all these older and white characters, we have the addition of some young and ethnic players.
Indeed the whole narraive is opened up with action scenes on Malta and in markets and aircraft that remind one sometimes of “Star Wars” and “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”.
So, there’s a lot going on here and some of it is fun but, at almost two and a half hours, it is way too long and the concluding shots – of prehistoric and contemporary wildlife gambolling together – rather defeats the overall theme that dinosaurs are, well, scary.