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David McK (3425 KP) rated Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1) in Books

Jan 28, 2019 (Updated Oct 1, 2022)  
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1)
Michael Crichton | 1990 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.3 (34 Ratings)
Book Rating
The first of the late Michael Crichton books that I've read, and this is still the best.

While the film of the same name is very good, it's really only a watered down version of the story contained within here, with several of the characters (most notably Alan Grant and John Hammond) undergoing a personality/trait change between print and screen. Presumably for reasons of cost and running time, the film also leaves out some of the dinosaurs and events of the books (eg the Pterodactyl lodge, although that is later used in the film Jurassic Park III).

For me, this was further proof of what I've always found: that films based on books are never quite as good as the source material.
  
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
2018 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
If you liked the first 4 films in this series, you'll like this one
Did you watch - and enjoy - the other 4 films in the JURASSIC PARK series? If so, then you'll enjoy the 5th installment, for it is more of the same - man's hubris causes giant animals to run amok and chaos, death and destruction ensues.

The plot of this film is simple enough - the island where JURASSIC WORLD was built is now in trouble as a dormant volcano is now dormant no more. The debate rages - should Man go to the island to save the Dinosaurs trapped there - or should they let nature take it's course (again). Some nefarious fellows - who's intentions don't seem to be as pure as we are led to believe - convince our heroes from the previous film, Claire and Owen to help "save" the dinosaurs.

But, of course, the plot is just an excuse to get some pretty awesome looking CGI Dinosaurs on the screen - and to put our heroes in peril. And on that score, this film succeeds wonderfully well.

I remember back in 1993 how awed I was at the spectacle on the screen. The CGI Dinosaurs were LIFE-LIKE! I was blown away by it. Today, I have come to expect the CGI will be top-notch - and I was not disappointed, to the point where I forgot that I was watching CGI.

As for the action and acting, Director J.A. Bayona (A MONSTER CALLS) keeps things moving along at a sprightly pace, not letting us catch our breath - or more importantly - stop to think of the plausibility or logic of decisions being made. His mantra seems to be "move our heroes from peril to peril" - and he does that well.

Chris Pratt is back as Owen, the "Raptor handler" and his charm and charisma on screen is in full display and really carries the weight of this film. He is able to charm his way into the audiences heart, so you end up rooting for him fully from start to finish. Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of "Opie Cunningham" Ron Howard) comes into her own as Claire, the Dinosaur "Scientist" and quasi-love interest for Owen. She is able to avoid (mostly) the cliches of "damsel in distress" or "kick-ass chick" and gives us a rounded character that I rooted for just as strongly as Pratt's character.

The rest of the cast - save two - are pretty much throw away that are set up to be Dinosaur food. The two that stood out are the great James Cromwell as an aging Billionaire who has a connection to the originator of Jurassic Park, John Hammond. Cromwell is his usual, solid self. And...the funniest character in the film...computer expert Franklin Webb (played by Justice Smith) who, of course, is asked to do more than just "computer stuff" that he is ill-equipped to handle.

Going into this film, you know what you are going to get - and this film delivers that entertainingly enough. As I stated at the top, if you like the first 4 films of this series, you'll like this one.

Letter Grade: B+

7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
2018 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Fun Summer Blockbuster
Taking place three years after Jurassic World, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) find themselves back on Isla Nublar where a dormant volcano is on the verge of erupting. Their mission is to safely rescue as many dinosaurs as they can, but there are others who have more sinister plans.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10

Characters: 9

Cinematography/Visuals: 9
The Jurassic Park series has set the standard for visuals and this new installment is no exception. From the opening scene to the film's conclusion, you are treated to the beautiful dino goodness that keeps viewers coming back for more. I appreciated the consistent attention to detail and the constant refining of the traditional dinos like the t-rex and pesky raptor. I left as I always do, thinking this is how these creatures must have moved and acted when they were alive.

Conflict: 9

Genre: 5

Memorability: 5

Pace: 8

Plot: 1

Resolution: 10

Overall: 76
It's funny how critics rag on films like these saying, "Where is the heart? This film is all over the place, big on action, lacking on script." Is that accurate of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom? Absolutely. However, sometimes we also have to remember why we came to the see the film in the first place. You came for the action. You came for the dinosaurs. In that sense, the film delivers. You want an enriching story? Go see Lady Bird. Meanwhile, I'll keep munching on my Raisinets and enjoying films the way they were meant to be enjoyed.

P.S.--Lady Bird is actually a phenomenal film.