Here's why Jurassic World is making so much money
(and why you should just go see it already)
In case you were wondering why people can't stop talking about the latest dino-mite blockbuster (and why it's breaking The Avengers' box office numbers), look no further because I will do the best of my ability to walk you through the reasons as to why this just might be the biggest surprise hit of the entire Summer.
First things first, and arguably the most important notion worth noting, is the nostalgia factor. No matter which way you look at the film, it's a Jurassic Park movie which is something worth pointing out in and of itself. For one, it's been fourteen years since the last (and almost franchise-killing) JP movie, Jurassic Park III, and make no mistake, Jurassic Park III is the epitome of a craptastic movie. JP3 commits the sin of not only being a bad third entry in a trilogy (a curse that has plagued trilogies since The Godfather) but it puts a salty taste in one's mouth when looking at Jurassic Park of all things as a franchise. Because what it all comes back to is that glorious first carnivorous incarnation, and it's nothing short of near-flawless.
Based off of Michael Chrichton's popular novel, Steven Spielberg brought to life one of the literal greatest movies of the 20th century. With groundbreaking technology in computers (and f**king puppets!) and an intense and immensely entertaining story, the original JP not only still holds up but it's still the king of dinosaurs when it comes to the archaeological dig of blockbuster films. No one needs to refresh anyone's memory of just how good the original Jurassic Park is but if you haven't seen it in a while, I strongly suggest you rewatch it (because it's quite literally that good). Flash forward through an underrated sequel (that's sadly just not great) and like I said, a third entry that almost deemed this franchise extinct, and here we are 22 years to the day after the original dino-tastic flick stomped its way through theaters and we're left with an entirely different beast all on its own.
With newcomer Colin Trevorrow in the director's chair and Spielberg once again in the producer's chair (which means nothing since he produced JP3), things were skeptical from the start. All the trailers promised new so-so looking special effects (1993 effects are arguably still better in most places), seemingly wildly looking eccentric action sequences and a Frankenstein-of-a-plot involving some failed experiment of a brand new dinosaur, and just about nothing in these teases of a return to Isla Nubar seemed truly exhilarating in the way the original quest to the island of misfit people-who-get-eaten-by-dinos seemed, over two decades ago. But what I respect about Trevorrow's decisions and ultimately his final product is that he made something that, while paying nods to the original, is literally and ironically a beast on its own two feet.
Trevorrow has said in interviews that the original Park is one of his favorite movies and the last thing he wanted to do was copy Spielberg's style because he's simply not Steven Spielberg. Now with that, when you venture out into the jungles of Isla Nubar for another tour of this doomed park, I want you to watch it with the 20153D glasses beer goggles that the filmmakers insist you wear when watching this new flick, since apparently there are a few ground rules established on this new venture out to the park, that will eventually help your experience become more enjoyable:
No seriously, the new film couldn't be more different than any of the previous JP films including the iconic original. Save for the fact that Trevorrow has blatantly said that the new film's canon completely ignores the second and third entry (and for good reason too), World's established universe couldn't be more different in terms of style, tone, cinematography, acting, editing, you name it, from any of the previous films. In fact, it's shockingly different and almost frustratingly skeptical at first. Our new characters (obnoxious kids) start at their home during Christmas time and end up on tropical Isla Nubar literally within the first five minutes and everything is painfully rushed save for the nods to John Williams' famous score. Once the movie picks up it progressively gets better (and there's some sprinkled nostalgia circa 1993 sprinkled around the middle act) but keep in mind the film is just a totally different end product. Spielberg is out of the director's chair and it shows. Colin Trevorrow knows this; his script knows this; and once the audience knows this, it will make the whole thing a lot easier to swallow. Which brings me to my next point:
This one's not a joke. Towards the end of the second act; somewhere betweenPterodactyls Pteranodons terrorizing the innocent tourists (and Jimmy Buffett) and a helicopter of bad guys flying over the sea while a grizzly looking gunman with beard and cigar shoots one of these flying dinos out of the sky, I had a sharp realization that this movie's just gonna do whatever the hell it wants to do whether we like it or not, but more importantly, I was still having fun. Yes, the stakes are upped and the action is outstanding but this is just simply not Jurassic Park as I stated (please refer to the first bullet point) but because Trevorrow embraces that, he embraces it to every degree. Whether it's helicopters crashing, gyrospheres spinning out of control and carnivores eating the sh*t out of some poor hapless sons a' b**ches, the movie almost never once truly takes itself seriously (especially in the final act). In fact, by the film's final climax, you won't be able to watch it without having a cheesy smile on your face (or without shaking your head). There's a line that's most definitely crossed towards the end of the film's climax that's just outrageous. But before you shake your fists in furious anger, remember that the highest April gross of all time is now a 2015 movie that features Vin Diesel leading a crew of people that PARACHUTE out of a PLANE IN CARS. No one in their right mind can watch a movie like that without laughing at it (at least on the inside) and Jurassic World is essentially no different than a Furious sequel and the reason behind it is that, again, the film never stops being fun. If Vin Diesel is allowed to fly then I'll be DAMNED if we can't have some dino-on-dino action.
Have some Godforsaken FUN with the movie; accept that it's NOT remotely close to Spielberg's classic; let it entertain you and I can almost promise that you will walk out of the theater a more pleased moviegoer.
After writing all this nonsense, I now respect Colin Trevorrow as a director, even if he's low on the respect list when it comes to directors. One of the main selling points for the man and why he wanted to tell this story was based on the notion that in the technologically advanced age as evolved as the world we live in in 2015, Trevorrow was akin to the idea of an image where a kid is bored and texting while standing in front of a giant window with a T-Rex behind it. It sold him and it gave an ironic birth to his storytelling that even he might not be too aware of.
Now, I tend to give directors too much credit sometimes when I'm on board with their works but lezbehonest... A story about a group of scientists who use technology to recreate dinosaurs and plan a new attraction for their dino-mite-theme-park as a means by creating something "bigger, scarier, more teeth," ("cooler" as BD Wong so gracefully puts it) and in the end, isn't it slightly ironic that these characters feel their tourist-audience is bored with dinosaurs and have a thirst for something new to keep them on their toes? In the end, isn't that WHY we not only demanded a new Jurassic Park movie but why we're also so split on it?
I've heard every kind of criticism from "best movie of the year" to "an abysmal mess;" a movie worth seeing multiple times in the theater and a movie that disrespects the memory of Spielberg and his original classic film. People can't decide what they want and they will ALWAYS nitpick because as all good moviegoers know, you "can't touch an original!" The entire Indominous Rex plot line is a ginormous representation of the industry and audiences wanting and "needing" more in this age where we're already so damn spoiled. Irrfan Khan, the actor playing the park's new director, says something among the lines of "they're dinosaurs, isn't that enough?" when in actuality, he's just a mouthpiece for the film's creators, possibly even for Spielberg, saying "we gave you something groundbreaking; how do you really want us to top it?" and Jurassic World is their answer, like it or not.
Is this the best movie of the year? ABSOLUTELY not. But is it a good movie? Eh. Is it ridiculous? Of course. But in order to serve a Spielbergly-spoiled audience, we truly did need something bigger, scarier; more teeth (either that or we should just leave these movies to become extinct). I WILL say this and it's not necessarily a backhanded compliment to World but there are no gymnast kids who dropkick any raptors here; no T-Rex's stampeding the streets of L.A. and NO cheap puppets, goofy special effects, Spinosauruses killing any T-Rexes or any ridiculous raptors who communicate with humans and show sympathy... Alright that last part was a lie.
But all nonsense aside (and Jiminy Christmas there's a LOT of nonsense), BEFORE you go out bashing Jurassic World, have some damn fun but don't try and make it out to be a wanna-be A+ of a new cinematic classic here folks... I mean. Chris Pratt rides a motorcycle through the jungle leading a pack of trained velociraptors to take down a cloned Frankenstein abomination of a T-Rex that was "cooked up in a lab"... If that doesn't sound like a damn B-movie to you then you clearly don't know what it is you're getting into.
This is a movie that's ridiculous, KNOWS it's ridiculous and wants you to enjoy the ridiculousness of it all. The film doesn't try to be something it's not; it CERTAINLY doesn't try and be Spielberg or recreate any of the magic he did 22 years ago.
BUT HEY. WE FINALLY HAVE DINOSAURS AGAIN
that JUST happened.
First things first, and arguably the most important notion worth noting, is the nostalgia factor. No matter which way you look at the film, it's a Jurassic Park movie which is something worth pointing out in and of itself. For one, it's been fourteen years since the last (and almost franchise-killing) JP movie, Jurassic Park III, and make no mistake, Jurassic Park III is the epitome of a craptastic movie. JP3 commits the sin of not only being a bad third entry in a trilogy (a curse that has plagued trilogies since The Godfather) but it puts a salty taste in one's mouth when looking at Jurassic Park of all things as a franchise. Because what it all comes back to is that glorious first carnivorous incarnation, and it's nothing short of near-flawless.
GIVE ME ALL THE PUPPETS
Based off of Michael Chrichton's popular novel, Steven Spielberg brought to life one of the literal greatest movies of the 20th century. With groundbreaking technology in computers (and f**king puppets!) and an intense and immensely entertaining story, the original JP not only still holds up but it's still the king of dinosaurs when it comes to the archaeological dig of blockbuster films. No one needs to refresh anyone's memory of just how good the original Jurassic Park is but if you haven't seen it in a while, I strongly suggest you rewatch it (because it's quite literally that good). Flash forward through an underrated sequel (that's sadly just not great) and like I said, a third entry that almost deemed this franchise extinct, and here we are 22 years to the day after the original dino-tastic flick stomped its way through theaters and we're left with an entirely different beast all on its own.
With newcomer Colin Trevorrow in the director's chair and Spielberg once again in the producer's chair (which means nothing since he produced JP3), things were skeptical from the start. All the trailers promised new so-so looking special effects (1993 effects are arguably still better in most places), seemingly wildly looking eccentric action sequences and a Frankenstein-of-a-plot involving some failed experiment of a brand new dinosaur, and just about nothing in these teases of a return to Isla Nubar seemed truly exhilarating in the way the original quest to the island of misfit people-who-get-eaten-by-dinos seemed, over two decades ago. But what I respect about Trevorrow's decisions and ultimately his final product is that he made something that, while paying nods to the original, is literally and ironically a beast on its own two feet.
Trevorrow has said in interviews that the original Park is one of his favorite movies and the last thing he wanted to do was copy Spielberg's style because he's simply not Steven Spielberg. Now with that, when you venture out into the jungles of Isla Nubar for another tour of this doomed park, I want you to watch it with the 2015
Who the hell is out here COLLECTING these things?
- 1) First things first, remove as much of the original Jurassic Park franchise from your mind while still keeping the nods to the original in tact (this will help you enjoy a trip down memory lane without being TRULY disappointed).
No seriously, the new film couldn't be more different than any of the previous JP films including the iconic original. Save for the fact that Trevorrow has blatantly said that the new film's canon completely ignores the second and third entry (and for good reason too), World's established universe couldn't be more different in terms of style, tone, cinematography, acting, editing, you name it, from any of the previous films. In fact, it's shockingly different and almost frustratingly skeptical at first. Our new characters (obnoxious kids) start at their home during Christmas time and end up on tropical Isla Nubar literally within the first five minutes and everything is painfully rushed save for the nods to John Williams' famous score. Once the movie picks up it progressively gets better (and there's some sprinkled nostalgia circa 1993 sprinkled around the middle act) but keep in mind the film is just a totally different end product. Spielberg is out of the director's chair and it shows. Colin Trevorrow knows this; his script knows this; and once the audience knows this, it will make the whole thing a lot easier to swallow. Which brings me to my next point:
- 2) Treat Jurassic World the same way you treat any of the Fast and Furious sequels (post Tokyo Drift).
This one's not a joke. Towards the end of the second act; somewhere between
Have some Godforsaken FUN with the movie; accept that it's NOT remotely close to Spielberg's classic; let it entertain you and I can almost promise that you will walk out of the theater a more pleased moviegoer.
- 3) Embrace the cliches, embrace the irony and evolve with a new era of a prehistoric age in modern society.
Clever girl?
After writing all this nonsense, I now respect Colin Trevorrow as a director, even if he's low on the respect list when it comes to directors. One of the main selling points for the man and why he wanted to tell this story was based on the notion that in the technologically advanced age as evolved as the world we live in in 2015, Trevorrow was akin to the idea of an image where a kid is bored and texting while standing in front of a giant window with a T-Rex behind it. It sold him and it gave an ironic birth to his storytelling that even he might not be too aware of.
Now, I tend to give directors too much credit sometimes when I'm on board with their works but lezbehonest... A story about a group of scientists who use technology to recreate dinosaurs and plan a new attraction for their dino-mite-theme-park as a means by creating something "bigger, scarier, more teeth," ("cooler" as BD Wong so gracefully puts it) and in the end, isn't it slightly ironic that these characters feel their tourist-audience is bored with dinosaurs and have a thirst for something new to keep them on their toes? In the end, isn't that WHY we not only demanded a new Jurassic Park movie but why we're also so split on it?
I've heard every kind of criticism from "best movie of the year" to "an abysmal mess;" a movie worth seeing multiple times in the theater and a movie that disrespects the memory of Spielberg and his original classic film. People can't decide what they want and they will ALWAYS nitpick because as all good moviegoers know, you "can't touch an original!" The entire Indominous Rex plot line is a ginormous representation of the industry and audiences wanting and "needing" more in this age where we're already so damn spoiled. Irrfan Khan, the actor playing the park's new director, says something among the lines of "they're dinosaurs, isn't that enough?" when in actuality, he's just a mouthpiece for the film's creators, possibly even for Spielberg, saying "we gave you something groundbreaking; how do you really want us to top it?" and Jurassic World is their answer, like it or not.
Even though we all know this would make for a MUCH more satisfactory world.
STAR LORD: RAPTOR TRAINER
This is a movie that's ridiculous, KNOWS it's ridiculous and wants you to enjoy the ridiculousness of it all. The film doesn't try to be something it's not; it CERTAINLY doesn't try and be Spielberg or recreate any of the magic he did 22 years ago.
What the movie DOES do is pay sublime homage to Jurassic Park while following its T-Rex shaped footprints in order to be its own dinosaur of a goofy movie. In the end, it really is its own thing. While the composers phenomenally tie in Williams' iconic score with a new, melodramatic theme of its own, it's more of a love letter post-it-note to the original Jurassic Park while being a thesis statement in its own original right and like I've said, puns all around, the final experiment, to some, will be dino-mite. Albeit JW is SO outrageous, I have no idea how they're gonna do any more movies (yes, they've signed on for at least two more) after this one because of how final things end up? I just personally don't see where they can really take the material from here, but hey whatever's gonna make more money, right?
Anyway, go see the flick. Or don't. If you're into mindless stupidity fun that features big dinosaurs then don't miss out due to ignorance or lack of entertainment. Just don't mistake the movie for what it actually is: A big, dumb, dinosaur movie.
BUT HEY. WE FINALLY HAVE DINOSAURS AGAIN
AND THEY MOVE IN HERDS..?
Yes folks, I guess life found a way. Again.
You may not like it but here's life.
Are you at all surprised?
You may not like it but here's life.
Are you at all surprised?
