JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

US, 2022, 146 minutes, Colour.

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, Isabella Sermon, Campbell Scott, BD Wong, Omar Sy, Justice Smith, Daniela Pineda, Scott Haze, Dichen Lachman.

Directed by Colin Trevorrow.

It’s almost 30 years since Steven Spielberg amazed the cinema world in his adaptation of Michael Crichton’s story of dinosaurs and the dinosaur park, Jurassic. There have been a number of sequels, including the more recent stories of Claire, Owen and Maisie and the attempt to tame and foster dinosaurs – despite some spectacular destructive consequences.

This film is the conclusion of that trilogy – but it is also the conclusion of the original stories, bringing all the characters together. So, while there is an appeal to the new audiences as well as to the older audiences, there is a new focus in the Jurassic story, the development of experiments in a huge institution, Biosyn, managed by a seemingly quiet scientist but who has enormous world power ambitions, experimenting with creatures, a different version of Dr Frankenstein, wanting to create new animal lives. Despite his quiet appearance, as played by Campbell Scott, he is still enormously arrogant and his pride will come before an enormous fall.

This film introduces Claire and Owen and Maisie again, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) doing a raid to capture a dinosaur from captivity. Owen (Chris Pratt) is living a more retired life. And there is their adopted daughter, Maisie (Isabella Sermon) who is abducted. Scene set for all kinds of adventures!

First port of call, so to speak, is Malta, with lots of location photography in the old cities. Enter a sympathetic but tough military type pilot, Kayla (DeWanda Wise) who has a touch of compassion and helps the anxious parents who are trying to find Maisie. In Malta, there is a huge underground market in illegal creatures, a dinosaur chase and motorbike through the narrow streets, and a plane taking off to go to Biosyn (and all kinds of aviation difficulties and landings!). So, plenty of action so far.

But then the oldies appear, Jeff Goldblum giving a lecture to eager students but offering a pessimistic view of human endeavour, humans overreaching themselves. And, visiting, Alan and Ellie (Sam Neill and Laura Dern), being welcomed to Biosyn but being alerted to Biosyn arrogance and immediately becoming involved in some biological espionage. And Maisie discovers the truth about her mother and her involvement at Jurassic Park.

And, at Biosyn, there are dinosaurs galore for those who feel the need to see them, huge, dangerous, in action.

It then becomes a huge action adventure, with a dangerous “cliffhanger” every couple of minutes, everybody having to use their wits, escape the dinosaurs and menace, get the plane going, aided by a sympathetic assistant to Biosyn (Mamoudou Athie), plenty of adrenaline pumping.

Perhaps this is enough Jurassic adventure for the time being. But, sequels being what they are, who knows?

1. The impact of Jurassic Park, the 1990s, the sequels, the new film is in the 2010 is, further developments, parallels in the plots? This film is culmination?
2. The work of Michael Crichton, characters, dinosaurs, issues, science and arrogance, dangers? The subsequent films taking his characters, parallel characters, repeating situations and crises?
3. This film is the last in the series? The last in the second trilogy? Bringing characters and themes together?
4. Clare, Maisie, this story, as characters, and from the past films, bonding together, adopting Maisie, Maisie and the explanation her background, Charlotte, the pregnancy, the powers, the scientific investigation and DNA? Owen and his training the dinosaurs? Claire and her concerns? The opening, the rescue, the dangers? Maisie and the abduction, their concern, flying to Malta, the search in Malta, the exploiters of dinosaurs and animals, meeting Kayla, the flight, the crash landing, the dangers, the adventures, encountering Ramsey, Alan and Ellie, the rescue, the helicopter, the dangers, the encounter Henry will? The final escape?
5. The Biosyn story, Lewis and Dodgson, his manner, dedication, his ambitions, the tradition of Jurassic Park, the DNA investigations, the power for good and healing, financial issues, power issues? The locus, the devastation, his creating the locusts? The laboratories and samples? Ramsey as his partner, the loyalties, Dodgson’s hopes? Dr Henry Wu, the background of Jurassic Park, his DNA investigations, his failures in the past? His wanting to rectify the situation, the pressure from Dodgson, the threats? The range of people working in the area, security, strongman tactics and investigations?
6. The vastness of Biosyn, the plant, the laboratories, the corridors, basements, vehicles and tracks…?
7. The presence of the dinosaurs, the initial rescue by Clare, Maisie and her pet dinosaur, both she and the dinosaur abducted by Dodgson’s orders? The ruthlessness of the controllers, Santos in Malta, the arrangements, her laserbeam on targets and dinosaurs attacking? The range of dinosaurs, the special effects, introduction into the plot, an abundance of dinosaurs? And human close encounters with dinosaurs? In Malta, the rampage in the streets? The flight on the landing and the dinosaur attacking the helicopter? In Biosyn, the confrontations of the dinosaurs? The threats to the humans?
8. The story with Ian, Alan and Ellie? The reputation, their agreement to come to Biosynin, the welcome from Dodgson, the welcome from Ramsey, the tours? Ian, his lecture, his pessimism, warning against developments in science to the detriment of the human race? The applause? His giving the key to Alan and Ellie, wanting them to get a locust sample to expose Biosyn? Their disguises, getting the sample, the plague of the locusts, their escape? Ramsey helping them? Teaming up with Ian? The confrontation with Dodgson?
9. Dodgson, his controls, threatening to destroy the helicopter, Denise and her help to Kayla? The betrayal by Ramsey? Henry will and his escape? Dodgson isolated, setting Biosyn aflame, the destruction of the locusts, the threat to the dinosaurs? His escape, the vehicle, the power going down, his attempt to escape, the attack, threats and his death?
10. The range of cliffhangers, dangers, rescues, adrenal excitement for the audience?
11. The characters from the past, their different characteristics, the memories, audiences glad to see them again? Participating in the dangers and escape? The newer family, audiences remembering their exploits, glad to see them again?
12. The final drama, the dangers, the dinosaurs, Kayla and helicopter, the final escape?
13. The film and its Dr Frankenstein themes, arrogance, ambition, creating life, yet leading to monstrosities and destruction and threats to the human race?