'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' Review: The Latest 'Jurassic' Sequel Brings Down The Franchise’s Fences Once And For All

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Isabella Sermon, B.D. Wong, Rafe Spall, Toby Jones, Daniella Pineda, Jeff Goldblum, Justice Smith, James Cromwell, Ted Levine

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead!

There was a time when audiences thought they’d never see a Jurassic film grace the silver screen ever again. The franchise’s 14-year hiatus followed 2001’s dismal Jurassic Park III, and the first few years of that absence saw fans scouring the internet for any indication of a fourth film. Of course, there was that script – yes, the one involving dinosaur-human hybrids – that, thankfully, fossilised before it ever saw the light of a filmmaker’s laboratory. However, 2015’s monstrously-successful, nostalgia-powered juggernaut Jurassic World proved to be worth the long wait.

And now, here we are, already three years on with another sequel (to no surprise given its predecessor’s $1.6bn takings). Needless to say, it’s a great time to be alive for fans of the franchise – if, of course, you’re a fan of the more outlandishly-styled Jurassic World films. The good news is that if you loved Colin Trevorrow’s instalment, the chances are that you’ll appreciate what J.A. Bayona’s Fallen Kingdom at least tries to achieve. If, however, you’re among those who didn’t enjoy returning to the park, then it’s very unlikely you’ll have much interest or investment in the latest sequel.

Set three years after the fall of Jurassic World, dinosaurs are a hot topic. But even hotter is the volcano that’s about to wipe them out on Isla Nublar (on that note, no one seems to realise that there's still another island in existence). Claire Dearing, who now runs the Dinosaur Protection Group, persuades Owen Grady to join her on a mission – funded by the late John Hammond’s former business partner Benjamin Lockwood – to rescue as many species as possible. But when those saved are transported to Lockwood Manor in northern California, plans to sell them on the black market transpire. As Claire, Owen and Lockwood’s mysterious granddaughter Maisee attempt to thwart the nefarious plans, a new and deadly dinosaur-hybrid known as the Indoraptor is unwittingly unleashed into the mansion.

The "Indoor-Raptor"..?

TV's Storage Wars had never been so exciting

As you can now guess, Fallen Kingdom is a film of two halves, with the first half focusing on the evacuation of Isla Nublar, and the second taking us into the dark and gothic setting of Lockwood Manor. But then you probably already figured that out from the countless inexcusably-spoilerific trailers that have plagued the internet. That said, the second half still comes as something of a jarring shift in setting, tone and plotting. It’s not entirely a bad thing, though, as the film does attempt to serve up far more than its three predecessors ever did. You could even say that it's a hybrid of sorts itself.

Fortunately, Fallen Kingdom feels like a sequel to Jurassic World, but this means that it doesn’t feel much like a Jurassic Park film. That’s not to say there are no call-backs, Easter eggs, references, nods and nostalgic nuances here. In fact, the first hour or so is perhaps the closest we’ll get to Jurassic Park ever again – both figuratively and literally, as we watch the rather morbid demise of Isla Nublar. However, it’s these scenes that are the most captivating. But the destruction of the park isn’t just a sad goodbye - it’s a deep line in the sand for the franchise, because from here on in everything is about to change – or evolve.

Where the Nublar scenes offer nail-biting action sequences and some of the most epic set pieces ever seen in a Jurassic film, the second half delivers a more taut and claustrophobic indoor-thriller. And while the franchise is no stranger to such settings (dark kitchens, anyone?), there’s perhaps less to chew on here in terms of substance as yet another hybrid-villain takes the spotlight ((though plenty for said-villain to chew on). None of this means that the second half is at all bad, though - rather that the film is likely preparing us for uncharted territory, which, given a couple of unexpected plot twists, the untitled Jurassic World 3 will undoubtedly explore.

Rexy's still recovering from that epic fight in Jurassic World

Dr. Malcolm returns to warn us that chaos is no longer just a theory

Isabella Sermon shines as newcomer Maisee

As for the film’s line-up, Claire and Owen aren’t the only characters to return to the fold – B.D. Wong’s villainous Henry Wu is back in the lab doing very little once again, while Jeff Goldblum’s franchise-favourite Dr. Ian Malcolm makes a couple of welcome cameos. And then there are anti-hero dinosaurs Rexy and Blue, as well as the formidable Mosasaur. And while Blue dishes out plenty of bad-assery like she did in Jurassic World, the biggest show-stealer is Isabella Sermon as Maisee. In fact, if her talents aren’t called upon again for the sequel, then the fact that Fallen Kingdom makes such a bold stride with the revelation that she is, in fact, a human clone, will forever remain a mystery.

While Fallen Kingdom’s efforts to echo the horror elements of the original – at least during its third act - are most welcome, the Indoraptor feels perhaps a little too derivative and is hardly enough to make you shit your pants (so no need to hold onto your butt). Ultimately, it’s the first half which sees us return to the ill-fated Nublar that is the film’s strength, and which will also leave you wondering whether this instalment should have, in its entirety, focused only on the volcanic threat, and perhaps the Lockwood Manor story line enough to justify a film of its own, too.

Verdict: Fallen Kingdom is as thrilling a ride as you might expect, even if it does fail to capture the magic of the 1993 classic which its predecessor did incredibly well, and is at times a little over-ambitious and clumsily-executed. But it does get a few things right: besides several oil-painting-visuals and the heavy use of animatronics, the departure of the franchise’s format-fatigue and the two surprisingly-bold strides it makes into the unknown are strangely admirable. There might be stinkin’ whiffs of certain damned dirty apes by the time the credits rise (and be sure to stick around until after the credits, too), but Fallen Kingdom at least marks the dawn of a new era for the franchise.

Rating: 9/10