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The Earth's climate is inhospitable to sustain dinosaur life, forcing the surviving species to live in remote areas near the equator, which are no-travel zones. Palaeontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) believes that three large dinosaur species could hold the key to developing a cure for heart disease, prompting pharmaceutical executive Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) to charter a mission to collect biomaterial samples on the island of Ile Saint-Hubert in the Atlantic Ocean. To join the expedition, Martin recruits ex-military operative Zora (Scarlett Johansson), who brings along her long-time friend Duncan (Mahershala Ali) and a few other mercenaries. While tracking a Mosasaurus aboard Duncan's boat, they receive a distress call from Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a shipwrecked father who was on a sailing trip with daughters Teresa (Luna Blaise) and Isabella (Audrina Miranda), and Teresa's boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono). The mission resumes after rescuing the family, but aquatic dinosaurs soon attack the boat, stranding them on Ile Saint-Hubert. With a rescue helicopter on the way, the team works to extract their samples without becoming dino food.
Koepp and producer Steven Spielberg worked together to develop story ideas, and the notion of a medical science exploration is more satisfying than the locust storyline from Jurassic World: Dominion. (There is also a touch of Deep Blue Sea to this premise.) Koepp structures Rebirth in a similar fashion to the first three Jurassic Park movies, with an opening act dedicated to build-up and character development before the humans navigate a succession of dangerous situations in a dinosaur-filled environment. Thankfully, Rebirth functions as a standalone story rather than a set-up for further sequels, making it a rarity in modern blockbuster filmmaking. However, the movie is not immune to silliness, as there are conveniently placed vehicles that still work at an abandoned InGen facility, while an opening scene involving a Snickers wrapper is one of the goofiest moments in the franchise. Plus, it almost goes without saying, but the dinosaurs always hesitate while pursuing the important characters, and none of the deaths are particularly surprising or shocking because the animals only devour the obvious dino fodder.
Like the original Jurassic Park, Koepp's script mixes horror and humour, as moments of levity enhance the sense of humanity and ease the tension. The pacing is not always ideal (Edwards is not exactly renowned for making fast-paced movies), but there is enough momentum to prevent the film from devolving into tedium. Character types are fairly broad across the ensemble, with Martin feeling the most trite, especially since Rupert Friend plays him like an antagonistic, callous corporate stooge. However, the character work is still mostly effective, with the family adding some sympathetic characters to the mix, while the likes of Zora, Henry and Duncan are easy to latch onto. Zora and Duncan receive tragic backstories through brisk shorthand, and the performances from Scarlett Johansson (a long-time Jurassic Park fan) and Mahershala Ali are energetic and spirited. Jonathan Bailey (of Bridgerton fame) also makes a positive impression as a palaeontologist who studied under Alan Grant, giving the movie its only direct connection to the franchise's legacy characters.
Viewers who were unimpressed by the over-the-top set pieces of the Jurassic World flicks will find more to like about Rebirth, which feels more grounded while still delivering thrills aplenty. The set pieces underscore that the prehistoric animals are dangerous, as Edwards aims more for terror and suspense. Edwards even pays loving homage to Spielberg, as the filmmaker fills the waterborne scenes in the first act with Jaws references (the score even references John Williams's iconic Jaws soundtrack), while a sequence in the climax harkens back to Jurassic Park's iconic "raptors in the kitchen" scene. Meanwhile, one of the Rebirth's best sequences involves a group of characters trying to avoid waking a sleeping Tyrannosaurus rex while escaping on an inflatable raft, a scene from Michael Crichton's original novel that finally makes it to the screen. (It was originally in the script for Jurassic Park, and the scene was storyboarded, but it was too expensive and complex for 1993.) It is always a thrill to see a T. rex on-screen, and Edwards ensures the animal's appearance is memorable. Although T. rexes and velociraptors are a franchise mainstay, Rebirth drastically limits their appearance to concentrate on other dinosaurs.
Edwards adds a visceral punch to the attack scenes, but the director does not push the limits of the PG-13 rating, ensuring Rebirth is appropriate for younger viewers, much like Spielberg accomplished for the original Jurassic Park. Edwards also finds time for wondrous moments to underscore the beauty of the animals, namely a sequence involving a Titanosaurus herd. Another addition is an adorable little Aquilops affectionately named Dolores by Isabella, who chooses to adopt it. Several other dinosaurs appear throughout Rebirth, including the monstrous Mosasaurus and the return of the Spinosaurus. Those anticipating the Spinosaurus to resemble its counterpart from Jurassic Park III will be disappointed, as Rebirth features a redesigned Spinosaurus that reflects new research suggesting the creature was semiaquatic. One of the key new monsters here is the Distortus rex, a deformed hybrid that resembles the rancors from Star Wars.
Despite the accelerated production schedule, ILM again brings their A-game to Jurassic World: Rebirth, creating astonishingly realistic digital dinosaurs. Edwards continues to demonstrate his talent for seamlessly integrating digital effects with practical sets and locations, as the animals often appear in real environments, including the gorgeous natural scenery of Thailand. Edwards is a big fan of the original Jurassic Park, and he clearly strives to emulate the look of Spielberg's original movie by shooting on 35mm film and avoiding CGI overload. John Mathieson's cinematography is striking, with shadows and smoke adding tension and atmosphere. Admittedly, not all of the blue-screen work aboard the boat is entirely convincing, but the sequence is exciting and thrilling nevertheless. Unfortunately, even though animatronics are a staple of the franchise, Edwards chose to stick with digital animals to maintain a consistent look for the dinosaurs. Additionally, although composer Alexandre Desplat's score is competent, it does fall short of giving the sequel its own distinct aural identity. Compared to Williams's nuanced, memorable scores for Jurassic Park and especially The Lost World: Jurassic Park (the best soundtrack in the franchise), Desplat's work is slightly underwhelming.
It is tempting to be cynical towards Jurassic World: Rebirth, particularly since not many major blockbuster franchises can even reach a seventh instalment, and critics are pulling out the all-too-predictable "the series should go extinct" catch-cry. However, outside of the Jurassic series, dinosaurs mostly appear in D-grade, low-budget, direct-to-streaming tripe, making it all the more fun to continue seeing these prehistoric animals on the big screen with the benefit of a generous budget. Children and young adults are still besotted with dinosaurs, and these movies are important to them, warts and all. Indeed, even the worst Jurassic films still have redeeming qualities. As long as Universal and Amblin continue to produce these movies, this reviewer will continue to show up.
7.3/10
