The End of An Era - JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION

Generations collide in Jurassic World Dominion, the epic conclusion to the Jurassic Park franchise. Jurassic World Dominion was directed by Colin Trevorrow, who also directed and co-wrote 2015’s Jurassic World and co-wrote 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Set four years after Isla Nublar's destruction depicted in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, dinosaurs once again roam the Earth. Dinosaurs live and hunt alongside humans all over the world, including urban areas, causing ecological issues as can be expected with most invasive species. Many dinosaurs are relocated to dinosaur preserves while others are impacted by animal cruelty and poaching.

Facing the cataclysmic consequences of a planet once again dominated by prehistoric and apex predators, two generations of Jurassic characters come together as doctors Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) and Alan Grant (Sam Neill) reunite. The team joins Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) in an attempt to balance the destiny of humans and dinosaurs, once and for all.

Additional returning cast includes BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Justice Smith as Franklin Webb, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Zia Rodriguez, Omar Sy as Barry Sembenè, and Isabella Sermon as Maisie Lockwood.

Jurassic World Dominion also features new cast members Dewanda Wise as reluctant pilot Kayla Watts, Mamoudou Athie as Ramsay Cole, Dichen Lachman as the nefarious black market smuggler Soyona Santos, and Campbell Scott as Lewis Dodgson, CEO of global giant Biosyn Genetics.

Dinosaurs are less of a focal point in this film, while scenes with mutated locusts are made to seem more scary. It’s a bit surprising to see fewer dinosaurs in comparison to the human characters.

Be forewarned that if you’ve not seen or it’s been awhile since you’ve watched the predecessor films, you may feel a bit lost for the first twenty minutes of Jurassic World Dominion. The exposition is sparse and scattered, with the film rushing to get to the next villain and chase scene.

The dialogue in general is poorly written, often falling flat other than Neill and Goldblum, and the pacing is inconsistent to a fault. One cringe-worthy scene in particular where Dr. Grant attempts to order a coffee just plays out as a poorly executed attempt at comedy.

The build-up to the final big battle between apex predators is lackluster, and a far cry from the thrilling action of the original Jurassic Park. A highlight of Jurassic World Dominion is the film’s music by Michael Giacchino (The Batman), with the only consistent component being the Jurassic Park theme is by John Williams.

While I’ve been a proponent for watching action movies on a big screen for an immersive experience, my recommendation for Jurassic World Dominion is to wait until it’s available on your streaming service of choice.