Jurassic World Dominion review: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard’s farewell to dinosaurs is entertaining but lacking in substance

2.5/5

As two generations come together for the first time, the Jurassic era comes to a close. Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill join Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in Jurassic World Dominion, a daring, timely, and breathtaking new adventure that spans the globe. Dominion, from Jurassic World architect and director Colin Trevorrow, takes place four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar. Dinosaurs now coexist with humans and hunt alongside them all over the globe. This delicate balance will redefine the future and determine whether humans will remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with the most terrifying monsters in history.

The growling and roaring sounds of dinosaurs have been sending chills down the spine for the past three decades since the time Steven Spielberg translated the novel Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton onto the big screen back in 1993. 14 years later, after Jurassic Park III (2001), with Jurassic World (2015), the dinosaurs returned and the roaring sound created yet another impact on the new-gen movie-goers. With Jurassic World Dominion, two generations of not only the audience but also the cast come together one last time. But is it worth your tub of popcorn? Let's find out with a lot of apprehension.

In Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom (2018), Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) heralds the start of a neo-Jurassic Age in which humans and dinosaurs must cohabit. Four years later, humans are still trying very hard to do so. The film starts with a monstrous dinosaur coming out of the ocean and attacking a ship carrying fish. Well, now, after so many years, you can anticipate the sneaking attitude of the dinosaurs, but it still creates jump-scare moments. However, the first scene had nothing of that sort, and it just felt like a whale jumping out of the ocean and diving back in, which was hardly scary.

While in the Sierra Nevada, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) are foster parents to Maisie Lockwood in a cabin where they are protecting her from the world and accepting her co-existence with dinosaurs. Just like her, the Jurassic World couple is also protecting Blue, the last velociraptor, who by cloning herself created offspring. Looking after and protecting two clones is not an easy job, and they establish that very well in the film.

If we had dinosaurs created from DNA sampling of mosquitoes, this time it's the hybrid modelling of locusts and dinos. As you can imagine, dangerous and scary are an understatement. To solve this, the OGs from Jurassic Park, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler and Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, reunite with Malcolm (Goldblum).

Dominion has the most dinosaurs and is filled with different species. Well, there's one that looks like a pug, and I cannot take that image out of my mind. But too many dinos are like too many cooks; it just spoiled the film but not the fun. Yes, the dinosaurs can be called the saving grace in this film, which brings two generations together in terms of the ensemble cast too.

The first 20 minutes are gone into reintroducing the characters, and it just takes the interest out of the film. By the time we reach the middle of the film, the pace picks up, especially in the Malta sequence. The chase sequences between laser-targeting dinos and Chris & Bryce are too much fun and the highlight of the whole film.

However, the film turns into a world tour with so many locations, and it just adds to the disappointment. A world-dominated by dinosaurs only sounds good in the title (well, not really), but not in the film.

The horror elements with different species create jump-scare moments and pump up the adrenaline rush. But a scene without dinosaurs is hardly memorable and delivers a snoozefest.

The Indiana Jones mode is one of the sequences that are too in-your-face and seems forced. Colin Trevorrow appears to have just thought of adding all the possible elements inspired by earlier pop culture, but it has the exact opposite effect intended.

The nostalgia kicks in on so many levels, but only to remind you that, with limited technology in comparison, a better film was created about three decades ago. The after-effects of Dr. John Hammond's (Richard Attenborough) act of creating a theme park for children and adults take an ugly turn, and deservedly so. But the predictable twists in the world are old school, and all we can say is "been there and witnessed it."

However, the dinosaurs are a metaphor for climate change and the pandemic that the world is currently experiencing. It once again proves that humans can't be the only apex predators on Earth. The planet knows to seek revenge in its way.

Jurassic World Dominion is fun to watch with different species of dinosaurs, but only the roaring creates an impact on the screenplay without any depth.