 |
| Jurassic World Rebirth |
Universal Pictures
- Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Manuel GarcÃa-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Bechir Sylvain
- Music: Alexandre Desplat
- Cinematography: John Mathieson
- Producers: Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley
- Runtime: 134 Minutes
- Screenplay: David Koepp
- Director: Gareth Edwards
Welcome to the beginning of a new franchise—with a new director, new cast, and nods to the 1993 film where nothing can possibly go wrong... heh, and of course, that's the first thing that does.
"Jurassic World: Rebirth" (2025) is set years after the story of Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen (Chris Pratt), the protagonists of the previous trilogy, in a world where humans and dinosaurs now coexist. Humanity treats dinosaurs like any other wild animal, but climate change has made survival nearly impossible for the prehistoric creatures. Most are going extinct, and only a few species can thrive near the equator—now a quarantined zone closed off to humans. However, as always, dinosaurs might hold the key to humanity’s future, and there are those willing to risk everything to get it.
Enter Zora (Two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson), a smuggler and covert ops specialist hired by Martin (Rupert Friend), an ambitious executive, to retrieve DNA samples from three dinosaur species. And guess what, dear readers? Dinosaur DNA now promises life-saving medical advances, this time targeting heart disease, making it a high-stakes prize for the pharmaceutical industry. Money is what drives Zora, who assembles a team: Duncan (Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali), Nina (Philippine Velge), LeClerc (Bechir Sylvain), Bobby (Ed Skrein), and dinosaur expert Dr. Henry Loomis (SAG-nominated Jonathan Bailey). What begins as a mission soon turns into a desperate fight for survival as the team finds themselves in a perilous situation threatening their lives.
Earlier I mentioned this film's nods to the legendary classic Steven Spielberg gave us decades ago: not only does David Koepp return as the screenwriter (as he did back then), but he does so recycling several clichés that the franchise has continued to lean on over time—an obsessive billionaire playing god, the ethical scientist protecting all species, the adventurer risking it all for a personal goal, and a handful of secondary characters that serve more as cannon fodder than anything else.
So, what's the point of rebooting the franchise at this stage? Well, it’s Hollywood playing it safe with tried-and-true formulas amidst the failure of original films (like Pixar’s Elio [2025]), and tired brands (like Disney’s Thunderbolts [2025])—though sticking to the familiar isn't always a guarantee either (Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning [2025] being a recent example).
So what do we get? A bunch of CGI dinosaurs and a big-name star carrying the film alongside an up-and-coming celebrity (who, with so much exposure, risks burning out). The result: a basic summer blockbuster adventure movie. Don’t expect deep reflections, provocative monologues questioning mankind’s obsessive need to dominate other species, or real character development.
The action scenes, while visually appealing, lack punch. Most of the carnage happens off-screen—we only see the actors’ reactions, who do their best to make it look convincing without seeming ridiculous. Johansson’s strength and her years as Black Widow help carry this otherwise nonsensical script.
The "glass generation" may welcome Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) with open arms, the diehard fandom will be pleased, while skeptics will keep their distance (and rightly so). The film isn’t bad—not at all. It ends up being the perfect excuse to bring people back to theaters. And really, isn’t that what movies are for? To entertain! That’s what they’re made for!
RATING FOR "JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH" (2025): AVERAGE
★★