Summer Binge Watch — Jurassic Park Films

On Friday the summer movie season continues with "Jurassic World," the fourth installment in the "Jurassic Park" franchise. In order to get prepped for that, it's time to look back at what's come before.

1. Jurassic Park (1993)
About: Based on the novel by Michael Crichton, this was one of the big early summer blockbusters, and is one of director Steven Spielberg's best films. It's a film that's magical, memorable, and asks some bigger questions. The book is all about those bigger questions — namely what happens when we try to play God — and much of that central idea remains in the film. Of course, it also has some Spielberg touches. The film changes the ending, making it more upbeat. I still vividly remember seeing this film in theaters as a child. It has always been one of my favorites and it holds up well. I'm hopeful, based on the plot outline and trailers, that "Jurassic World" will remain true to the spirit and storytelling in this film. This film is a classic and a treasure.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense science fiction terror.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
About: Some forget that this sequel to "Jurassic Park" was also directed by Spielberg. This is a film that, I think, has been maligned more than it deserved over time. Was it as good as "Jurassic Park?" Certainly not. But it wasn't a disaster, either. Crichton, for the first time as a writer, made a sequel to one of his books. "The Lost World" is a follow up to the "Jurassic Park" of the book, not the movie. So the novel has significant differences. The name is the same. The idea of "Site B" is the same. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) is the main character. But due to significant changes Spielberg made to the original film — John Hammond dies, the island is firebombed, and the truth of dinosaurs is suppressed in the book — "The Lost World" as a film is quite different. The tone and pace matches the original, but the story isn't as compelling. There are some good moments here, and the cast boasts future Oscar winner Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, and Richard Schiff, among others. As a follow up, it brings back a lot of the familiar cinematic formula, but it feels like the story has less weight and heft.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi terror and violence.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

3. Jurassic Park III (2001)
About: This is an original story to keep the franchise going. It's the shortest of the three films, but in some ways it feels like the longest. "Jurassic Park" is a movie that features dinosaurs, but it's not a dinosaur action movie. In a lot of ways it's a think piece, a disaster movie, and a thriller. It's the result of a rich story, a beautifully written novel, and an attempt to ask and answer some bigger questions. Some of that ideology remains in "The Lost World" movie, but none of it remains in "Jurassic Park III." Instead, this is a cut-and-dried action movie with dinosaurs. It again features Dr. Grant (Sam Neill), a fixture in the original film, but this time in a watered down story about a group looking to rescue a boy who had the misfortune of crashing on the island hosting Site B. There are some big money sequences here, and the sweeping score and visuals at times call back to the original, but the story is lacking and somewhat uninteresting here. Spielberg handed off the directing reins to Joe Johnston, who does fine with the visuals but can't help the lack of a compelling narrative, or a compelling reason why this film exists.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sci-fi terror and violence.
Verdict: One star out of four.