Jurassic World

Remember when that old, eccentric man thought it would be a good idea to resurrect dinosaurs and then arrogantly thought he could contain them in an amusement park? Well, "Jurassic World" is back to punish that hubris yet again. Despite the fact that the first park was a complete and deadly failure, and despite the fact that a follow-up dinosaur zoo in America led to a rampaging T-Rex in downtown San Diego, Ingen (the bumbling corporation responsible for the series of debacles) now thinks that super-sizing is a way to finally solve the problems that plagued them in the past. Jurassic World, complete with blatantly dangerous dino petting zoos, a flimsy gyrosphere safari ride, and a new diabolical hybrid dinosaur, is really a "fuck you" to murphy's law. There is no doubt that Ingen employs some of the dumbest people on the planet. Without revealing spoilers, let's just say that when the dinosaurs beset the island and wreak havoc, one stupid plan follows another until a crescendo of ridiculousness reaches its apex.

But the true addition to the franchise is the hybrid dinosaur, known as Indominus Rex. Ingen's logic is clear: we couldn't handle a T. Rex and velociraptor separately, so why don't we take all of the most dangerous attributes from both and combine them into one dinosaur. Makes perfect sense to me. Ingen should receive the lifetime achievement medal at the Darwin Awards.

The acting is largely unsubstantial and serves as innocuous filler between the carnage. The new director managed to inject some of Spielberg's favorite themes, including the hapless, self centered parental figure who comes into their own just in time to save their children from certain annihilation (see "War of the Worlds" and "Lincoln" for further examples of men finally becoming daddies).

Chris Pratt is, well, Christ Pratt: the likable but not so bright hero with a dash of machismo. He delivers his often corny lines with a twinkle in his eye, reminding us that he is fully aware of his role as stereotypical heroic beefcake. Bryce Dallas Howard delivers a respectable performance, capturing the "overly ambitious female businesswoman who forgets what's truly important in life" trope well.

But we are not in the seats to watch Pratt or Howard wax philosophical. We are there to watch a dinosaur royal rumble of epic proportions. The movie certainly delivers the action you expect and then some. The ending delightfully culminates in a dino showdown, a veritable who's who of the Jurassic period. In the end, only one dinosaur can rule them all. Can you guess who proves himself king (wink, wink)?

One of the best attributes of the movie is its teeming nostalgia for the first "Jurassic Park." Audiences will delight in little easter eggs scattered throughout the film: returning characters, an abandoned visitor center, and that amazing score from John Williams. "Jurassic Park" is my favorite childhood movie and the current installment rekindled my sense of awe. "Jurassic World" is a worthy addition to the series and is second only to the original. A summer must see!