25 years after the release of the first part of the Jurassic Park saga, the public's enthusiasm for this dinosaur universe remains the same! But if the last opus, Jurassic World 1, had been a hit at the box office, the critics were much more mixed… Did Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom manage to do better than its predecessor? Here's what we thought.
How can we forget the success of Jurassic World when it was released in 2015? With its $1.6 billion in revenue worldwide, the film was directly propelled to the ranks of the greatest hits in the history of cinema.
Only, if for the most part, it was an indisputable success; for others, Colin Trevorrow's film left them much more skeptical…Entertaining, but unsurprisingly, no wonder, a scenario that sounded far too much like Jurassic Park. In short, a fourth opus far from reaching the ankle of its ancestor !
For this second Jurassic World, the goal was to equal the success of the first at the box office, but with a much more worked content. And for that, the studios called on Juan Antonio Bayona, director of The Orphanage and A Few Minutes After Midnight.
Jurassic World 2 : The Synopsis
Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom takes place in 2 phases. The first takes us back to the famous island of Isla Nublar, three years after the disaster that destroyed the Jurassic World theme park and luxury hotel.
Deserted by men, dinosaurs are now the only occupants. Only, as revealed in the spectacular trailer of the film, the volcano in the center of the island threatens to implode. In order to save the species still alive, former lovers Claire Dearing and Owen Grady will once again have to team up. A rescue much more perilous than expected since they will lift the veil on a plot of a magnitude they could not have imagined…
It is this discovery that will also transform the atmosphere of the film and lead the viewer to a second phase, much darker than the first.
We discover a new place: the Lockwood mansion. While a clandestine auction is taking place there, something will disturb the transactions (it was to be suspected). And by something, we obviously mean a new dinosaur specimen, genetically modified, more ferocious and destructive than ever…
A film saved by its making
Does the synopsis sound familiar? To us too. A word of advice, if you are looking for renewal and risk-taking in this 5th opus, turn around… However, we must admit that once the disappointment of déjà vu is put aside, the film is no less catchy!
It may seem surprising, but although Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom still rehashes the same elements as its predecessors (in other words the famous theme park and genetically modified dinosaurs), the making of the film is much more worked and accomplished than in the previous part, and this is most likely what saves the film.
Special effects and spectacular scenes, twists, light effects and scary atmosphere. Through his choices, the Spaniard Juan Antonio Bayona knew how to keep the spectator in suspense. Bye bye the family aspect of Jurassic World 1, the second installment of this new trilogy (because yes, yes, a third Jurassic World is planned for 2021) is much more gloomy.
And on top of that, let's face it, it's always so nice to find our dear dinosaurs!
Speaking of reunions…
Regarding the casting, the duo Chris Pratt (Owen) / Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire) still works well. To this winning team, add two new characters with great potential (unfortunately too little exploited for our taste): Daniella Pineda (Dr. Zia Rodirguez, paleo-veterinarian) and Justice Smith (Franklin Webb, little computer genius somewhat trouillard on the edges).
And finally, icing on the cake: the nostalgic of the original trilogy will be happy to find Jeff Goldblum, even if only for brief appearances, in the skin of Ian Malcolm.
In conclusion, it must be admitted, Jurassic World 2 has something already seen. Nevertheless, we must look beyond that. The film's direction and fast pace make it a great entertainment ! The end of this installment also offers an open door to a most exciting sequel. It remains to be seen if it will be well exploited…
