Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

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Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is the fifth instalment of the 25 year old Jurassic Park franchise.

J A Bayona is at the helm with returning stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard leading a supporting cast including Jeff Goldblum, also returning as Ian Malcolm, with Toby Jones, James Cromwell and Rafe Spall along for the ride.

We all know what to expect from a Jurassic movie. Dinosaurs go on the rampage, kill lots of people, destroy buildings and humans attempt to restore order. If we all know what to expect then why do we keep coming back for more?

The answer’s simple; The films are usually thrilling. A charismatic cast combined with flawless CGI, exciting set-pieces mixed with a majestic score and ferocious dinosaurs rampaging through stunning scenery are, in the right hands, a recipe for success.

With the exception of the disappointing The Lost World: Jurassic Park or Jurassic Park II, these films are usually a cinematic treat. Is Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom any different? No. It’s another outrageoulsy fun ride and brings tension and suspense not seen since the original film all those years ago.

The volcano on the island inhabited by the dinosaurs begins to erupt and it’s up to our heroes to rescue the stranded creatures at the request of John Hammond’s former business partner, Benjamin Lockwood, who wants to provide them with a safe haven to do what dinosaurs do best. What could go wrong? Obviously a lot. Double crosses, treachery, false promises and greed are rife as we quickly learn that all is not as it seems.

A breathless opening sets the tone and the pace is fairly relentless throughout the slightly overlong two hours eight minutes runtime.

Bayona successfully creates some genuinely nerve wracking moments including a frenetic escape from the erupting volcano, and the introduction of a brand new dinosaur, the Indoraptor. Yep, Dr Wu has been up to his old tricks and this is a new hybrid that will give the kids, and maybe even some adults, nightmares.

There’s also some humour to be found amongst the chaos with a dinosaur French kiss and a face full of snot providing laughs and gasps in equal measure.

The cast do their jobs well, especially Pratt and Howard who are superb together, whilst Daniella Pineda brings the sass and Justice Smith the laughs to the table, but if you’re going to bring back the effortlessly cool Jeff Goldblum then at least give him something to do.

If you can see past these characters willing to sacrifice their lives to save creatures nature chose to destroy once and whom have been hell-bent on eating most humans they see, then Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is a blast, literally, and sets up the concluding part of this trilogy with style and energy.