Monday 13 July 2015

Review: Jurassic World (2015)

After reading more blog posts than I can count about Jurassic World, I was starting to feel like the only person in the world. Thankfully, I finally found the time to get out to the cinema and me, my fiance, and a surprisingly full cinema screen finally got to witness what we’d been waiting for for so long.  Similar experience but without the reviews, I was seeing everyone tweet about and Facebook about seeing this but hadn't seen it myself (felt like a fraudulent movie blogger when people kept asking me if I'd seen it and I hadn't!!).  Finally got to see it (in 3D) a few weekends ago...

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You’ve got to know the story here, but for the sake of continuity I’ll tell you anyway. Jurassic World takes place 22 years after Jurassic Park, where seemingly, no one has learnt their lesson and the Park is now bigger and better than ever. Behind the scenes, researchers and scientists have finished developing a new, genetically engineered dinosaur called the indonom..y...something or other. It’s bigger, scarier, and more dangerous than anything they’ve created before. What could possibly go wrong? Ha!!

The slow start introduces us to our main characters. We have Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) who runs the park, and most definitely does not have time to look after her two nephews Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins) who have come to visit, presumably whilst their parents sort out their divorce. Owen (Chris Pratt) seems to be the chief dinosaur handler, and the smartest person in the room. Er, park.

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Honestly, I got everything I could have wanted from Mercedes World. Sorry, Jurassic Converse. Wait, what? Okay, product placement is everywhere, I know, but most of the time it goes straight over my head. That’s the point, right? All these brands being pushed into my subconscious. Jurassic Pandora goes one step too far by ramming brands down our throats. From Chris Pratt making my knees weak, slowly drinking from a glass bottle of Coca-Cola to the most ridiculous close up shots of the brothers’ branded shoes, product placement is everywhere here. I may actually start a drinking game based around this.  How did I not even notice this?!  I am casting my mind back through the whole film in the hopes that i can imagine one product placement but nothing... I have to see this again now so I can keep my eyes peeled! Seriously? Maybe it was the caffeine but it really put me off the film itself!

Back to the point though, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Sure, the start was a little slow but once the pace was set, it just kept going. It was exciting, and I found myself hiding behind my box of popcorn during some of the jumpy moments. I’m not sure I agree with the 12A rating, but it’s replaced the standard 12 so there’s nothing else it could have been given!  Do you not think it would have been a bit gory to be anything less?!  There was quite a lot of blood! I meant it should be higher, not lower! :D

I have to admit, although I was looking forward to this, I tried not to have too many expectations. I enjoyed Jurassic Park 3 but it was no where near as good as the original so I didn't want to get my hopes up....BUT....BUT....this was amazing.  It was extremely close to being as good as the original (if it wasn't for Bryce Dallas-Howard's character) and I was fully engrossed from the very beginning.  I don't usually watch live action movies in 3D because I generally think they use it for cheap thrills but the quality of the 3D in this was brilliant, the feel of souring over the vast landscapes of the Jurassic World park and through various wooded landscapes chasing the tail of a lose Raptor.  There was nothing flying directly at the screen or cheap thrills to make you jump and I loved that!

My biggest niggle with this was Bryce Dallas-Howard, I have never been her biggest fan in anything I have seen her in but i'm 100% if it was a dislike of her characters or her directly. Either way, this was no different, workaholic Claire is arrogant and rude and a really unpleasant character that all of a sudden we are meant to believe 'gives a crap' about anyone after allowing the situation to happen in the first place for her own validation.  Also, her hair.  Am I the only one who noticed that she didn't have a hair out of the place for the first half of the movie and then all of a sudden the style changed to perfectly styled curls...how?! why?! what were hair and make up thinking?! - I think this may have bothered me a bit too much! I think I was too busy creating my product placement bingo game to notice this, ha!

Just for laughs, they had to throw in a hilarious scene where Claire was running full speed (in stillettos) while been chased by a T-rex, which miraculously never caught up with her......

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Ok so I spent most of this review ranting but I loved it, cant wait to see it again (and spot some product placement) and get another eyeful of Chris Pratt.....

I fully realise this is the most off topic review I may have ever written, so to conclude, this was pretty brilliant on the big screen, although I’m not sure if I’ll love it as much after multiple viewings.







6 comments:

  1. Nice review, ladies! I have to agree with the take on Claire. I wasn't crazy about her character either. Just another boring workaholic, I don't want kids, but now that I've met this hot guy I need kids trope.

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    1. Well said! Claire and Owen's first kiss made me laugh out loud as well, it literally came out of nowhere!
      - Allie

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  2. Great work! I'll never understand why filmmakers won't cast Bryce Dallas Howard in a role where she actually gets to do something other than being a stuffy, stuck-up twit. This one gets there for her in the end but it's too little too late. Nothing like a hot redhead, drenched in movie sweat and dirt, running in high heels. Lol. And, like you, Allie, Chris Pratt makes me weak in the knees as well. And I'm as straight as they come. Dude's got it! I'm right with you gals on this one. It's a blast! I loved the original, and this is easily second best of the series. The product placement is over the top to be sure, but I guess Spielberg and the boys needed to insure their investments.

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    1. Haha! Kevin yours might be my favourite comment ever! I can forgive the product placement, they need to get the moneys from somewhere, but it was funny how blatant it was :)
      - Allie

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  3. Yes, the story starts out a little slow but I like that. It reminded me of the slow build of the original Jurassic Park, giving us a chance to get a lay of the land and experience the park before things get out of hand. I didn't think it mastered the suspense the way the first one did but it was definitely a fun ride.
    How is Bryce Dallas Howard still working?

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    1. You're absolutely right! I really need to re-watch the original soon, it's literally been YEARS since I saw it!
      - Allie

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