Action/adventure/fantasy

Film review by Jason Day of Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025), the latest installment in the genetically resurrected dinosaurs-on-the-loose franchise, starring Scarlet Johannson. Directed by Gareth Edwards.

Synopsis

(Edited from IMDb.com): Five years after the events in Jurassic World: Dominion, an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough. The adventurers, scientists and business leader, however, have differing views about what to do with the samples, whether they are sold for profit or made freely available to all.

Review, by @Reelreviewer

Is it me, or are the (relatively) simple Jurassic Park/World films getting a bit…complicated and muddled?

The premise of Jurassic World: Rebirth (number four in the ‘World’ series, number seven in the overall ‘Jurassic universe’) is that there is yet another, ‘secret’ island where more dinosaurs have been genetically recreated for grubby, money-making reasons.

I appreciate that a good forward plan is a keystone of good business practice, but the InGen corporation must have had a clairvoyant on their board advising them to have umpteen secret island labs, back up island labs and extra back up island labs.

On that point, how did they ever receive permission from so many countries around the world to willingly part with prime plots of tourism land, asking no questions about what InGen want to do there or, perhaps, taking a few stuffed brown envelopes and keeping schtum?

Anyway, a reviewer could go mad ruminating on such things, so on to my main thoughts about this new addition in the second ‘phase’ of the Jurassic…series, where the dinosaurs are no longer confined to their original island pens.

Like one of the habituated theme park guests mentioned in the World movies, I am long past being shocked out of my seat by a prehistoric predator jumping at the screen out of nowhere, but usually the World films give me a few ‘gripping the arm of my cinema seat’ moments. Not so with Rebirth.

The D-Rex – modelled on the Rancor in Return of the Jedi (1983) – is more repulsive than scary, having too many arms and a torrent of dribble. It’s called the ‘mutant’ creation, but given how the other dinosaurs in these films are stitched together from bits and bobs of other animals’ DNA, aren’t they all mutants?

It makes short work of slimy limey corporate baddie type Rupert Friend, who doubles as a human/chicken satay stick and gets the best role in the film. You know that, as the least sympathetic character, what will happen to him, and his lip-smacking villainy is juicily rewarded.

A recent conversation on X about how CGI effects in the movies have progressed since the first Jurassic Park, now more than 30 years old, with less reliance on rain to cover up the process work and quality. The effects team lay on some brilliant big beasties. My personal favourite from the World series has always been the marine maelstrom Mosasaurus, and it doesn’t disappoint here. Given all the splashing around, I should have seen this film at the nearest 4DX cinema.

Johannson and Mahershala Ali are spirited heroes with nice athleticism and sarcasm – the script isn’t exactly bulging at the seams with laughs, but what humour there is, both of them run with it.

Someone who is bulging at the (trouser) seams is Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey, who is easy on the eyes and sets pulses racing during at least one key moment, a precarious abseil to a pterosaur nest. He also gets the chance to flex a mid-Atlantic accent beloved of British actresses (cf. Kate Winslet/Beckinsale, Tilda Swinton et al).

A final note – and nothing to do with the movie itself – but this was my first screening at The Arc in Daventry. I’ve lived in this Daventry town for eight months now – why hadn’t I gone to The Arc before?! It was a great time, the staff were so friendly and helpful, it wasn’t too busy (although, to note, I went on a Tuesday afternoon), the snacks were lush (Cherry Dr Pepper on tap), it only cost me £6 for the ticket, and there were reclining seats! Me thinks I shall recur…

See the CineSocial reviews of – Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World: Dominion.

See the official trailer here.

Cast & credits

Director: Gareth Edwards. 133mins/2hrs and 13mins. Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment. (12A).

Producers: Patrick Crowley, Frank Marshall.
Writer: David Koepp.
Camera: John Mathieson.
Music: Alexandre Desplat.
Sets: James Clyne.

Scarlet Johannson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain, Ed Skrein.