Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Review

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Director: J.A Bayona
 Cast Headliners: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, others
Original Release Date: June 22nd, 2018


How many ways can you skin a cat, or rather, how many ways can you make a Jurassic Park / World / what have you film. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom comes out after 2015's Jurassic World brought back the franchise for a more modern era with its own attempts. There is a sense that this is a true trilogy, more than Spielberg's own ones were. However what's inside is a range of excitement from the fascinating to the silly. However there's definitely some strides forward for every stumble back.

Picking up after the collapse of the functioning park in the last film, a situation arises on Isla Nublar when a volcano is erupting that threatens to destroy all of the dinosaurs on the island along itself. Previous heroes Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) are recruited by friends of the older film's Hammond in Sir Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) and Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) to go to the island and rescue as many possible..including the last trained velociraptor Blue. They're joined by hip young recruits in technician Franklin Webb (Justice Smith) and Dr.Zia Rodriguez (Daniella Pineda) along head of security Ken Wheatley (Ted Levine).

To the film's credit, it does attempt to do some different things with the formula. Yes there's an island of these prehistoric giant lizards escaping containment as has been seen 4+ times before. But there are some exciting sequences involving escaping the lava. It's pure mania of natural disaster, running dinosaurs , and multiple ridiculous moments that all the heroes due. This film, even more than the last one, throws some of the “realism” out the window and goes for the extreme. There's cool visuals in the creatures and environments yet there's also some CGI special effects that are rough looking to the point of almost shame. For every cool creature, there's almost as much something cheesy. It's unknown how much this is due to J.A Bayona being in the director chair for this is a bit different to his more dramatic, smaller scale work before.

However, his horror film influence is felt by a strong point (when it appears). This movie brings back some of that literal , night-time rainy darkness that was missing from the last one. There's some true jump scares and creepy moments delivered of course through a soft PG-13 lense. The other deviation is that, in one of several things borrowed from Jurassic Park 2 The Lost World , a large part of this movie leaves the island behind. It has to be seen firsthand but be prepared for some surburbia and laboratories and a criminal human element that's almost nothing like what has been seen before. The action impresses although it does drag at times but when it's fresh it's fresh (get ready for yet another genetic variant dinosaur in the Indoraptor..). Michael Giacchino's score continues his June trend to both effective and melodramatic effects. There may even be some moments of emotion with these beasts, particularly when they suffer.

The scientific , dino elements are more of the same which is fine enough especially when it's fun. Where things are a bit more shaky is within the cast itself. Pratt's Owen and Howard's Claire have a nice rapport again although this time their relationship takes a bit of a step back to the shenanigans at play. It's more of the same.. whether Pratt with his Star-Lord-esque swashbuckling machismo or Howard with her courage and caring. Pratt, when he's not pulling off unbelievable jumps or rolling around for a laugh (you'll see) does have some slight deeper stuff with his connection to Blue the raptor... be ready for some baby flashbacks that may warm one's heart. The younger recruits in Smith's Franklin and Pineada's Rodriguez attempt comic relief but more often annoy. Cromwell gives an alright performance to share a franchise connection and sincerity but isn't around much. Spall's Mill's does what he needs to do but ends up coming off as cheesy in his own way once the context furthers. On that prior note, trailers showed the return of Dr.Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) from the old films. It's unfortunate that he does not have much more than minutes of screentime contrary to what one may think. He has some greatly deep and slightly odd lines that may or may not be ad-libs but these sentences may amount to more than what he has. The more gruff personnel like Levine's Wheatley, Dr.Wu (B.D Wong) , and an eccentric auctioneer Gunnar (Toby Jones..such a unique actor …) do little more than add momentary cheese and exposition to the plot. Some of this stuff even feels just like 2015 again to an extent. What young Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) , the Sir's granddaughter, brings to the film and beyond may also land to a mixed reaction. 

This movie definitely delivers some more same old dinosaur, jungle fun amidst its sea of lava and cheese. Somehow a human element that's both increased to better and worse off amounts occurs. It could have tapped into its themes more, and shown us less or more truthful things before release, but it just about delivers on what one would want. Here's hoping the next one has even more steps forward than back... and is further fresh without being too derivative. 7.7 out of 10

Incredibles 2 Review

Incredibles 2
Director: Brad Bird
 Cast Headliners: Craig T Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L Jackson,  Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Kenner, Jack-Jack, s 
Original Release Date: June 15th, 2018


Few Pixar, and even overall Disney animated films, are held to the same respect as The Incredibles.  That 2004 tale of superheroes and espionage stood apart from its CGI animated peers for its excellence as well as managing to balance humor, heart, and some of the most serious themes yet or since seen in “children’s” animation.  There’s been several many Pixar sequels since then, to varying success, but at last after 14 years Incredibles 2 is here. It’s a delight to say that it’s well worth the wait.
     The special feeling the original had is helped by the fact that the movie takes place more or less right after where the last thing picked up. An exciting opening sequence shows the teased showdown between the titular superhero family of strong Bob Parr / Mr.Incredible (Craig T Nelson), his malleable stretch-wielding wife Helen / Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), and kids invisible energy-blasting Violet(Sarah Vowell), hyperspeed Dash(Huck Milner, recast due to how much time has passed), and apparently bystanding baby Jack-Jack versus the evil mole-like supervillian Underminer(John Ratzenberger). Immediately the (even more improved to modern standards) slick visuals and action is present. There’s destruction and punching acrobatics, as the first, that would hold up against the best of the superhero genre today. 
    Of course, the situation doesn’t end there and ultimately through a pretty solid (if slightly inferior to the first and derivative of others) plot the family finds themselves both dealing with themselves and faces old and new.  This divides the movie into essentially two disparate plot lines.  The old cast is perfect at what they do (including the return of Lucius Best / Frozone (Samuel L Jackson) who appears in similar side-spots as last time around) but the new elements bring some benefit. 
On one hand, there’s the quest of an even more increased role for Elastigirl as she meets the superhero advocate business moguls of the Deavor siblings in Winston (Bob Odenkirk) and Evelyn (Catherine Keener) as they find a plot by the Screenslaver(Bill Wise) unfold.  The quality of the voice cast continues with these. Odenkirk’s Winston brings his trademark charisma into an animated realm with a bit of child-at-heart-superfan optimism Agent Coulson of the MCU would be proud of. She’s contrasted nicely with Keener’s Evelyn who is a laidback character of a bit of a new type to Pixar.  Of course the Screenslaver’s role has to be seen firsthand, but leads to some actually kind of chilling and scary sequences with his mind-control devices and serious radical ideologies (remember we’re still talking about a Disney film). 
Some cast fades to the side, mainly the new heroes who Elastigirl meets in portal-using Voyd (Sophia Bush), gravity crushing Krushauer(Phil LaMarr), eldery lava vomiting Reflux (Paul Eiding), an owl-man, a strong one etc who boil down to tropes and add to the worldbuilding that the first had but just act as mainly pieces within set-pieces. There’s not enough Underminer either but it seems there never was meant to be.  Government agent Rick Dicker brings the classic “government agent” angle in his new performer Jonathan Banks but too is a bit.
    Because this is a series, as many Pixar, about family and that succeeds in its funniness and drama. The other side of the film coin, ironic enough, is while Elastigirl goes on more of an adventure, Mr.Incredible has to face the large challenge of being a stay-at-home dad. This leads to some great laughs and the occasional charming motion as he deals with Dash’s math(unfortauntely some of his only memorable moments from him in the film ) and Violet’s boy problems etc. Most of all, he’s dealing with Jack-Jack.  Jack-Jack is an absolute standout in this film. Only seen before in a deleted scene / short film, the main thing here is his superheroic powers are active and known about. This leads to some of the best stuff, both at home and (to be seen firsthand, abroad) as he uses powers such as eye beams, fire, transformation, teleporting, and more. It’s a great combination that makes him both awesomely useful and humorous. Just wait till the family starts visiting old friend Edna Mode (Brad Bird) again.. She may have some wonderful new fashion and otherwise ideas.
The master touch of creator and director Brad Bird can be felt again. The different plots end up converging in an exciting way. Before, during, and after the action is snappy and fast-paced with ways that raise the spectacle more than ever.   This is helped by the brilliant soundtrack by Michael Giacchino again with all of its retro/ spy influence. With the jams, the retro-stylized aesthetic, and more it transports viewers into such a distinct, memorable and long-missed world.
    That’s the thing.. There’s really no complaints about the movie other than that it’s been mostly done before.  More of the same is what was wanted, and what works. This is while managing to raise itself to new visual and excitement spectacles with some slight boost to depth and nuance. Who knows where things will go from here, but this is what was wanted.. some of Pixar’s best as ever. 9 out of 10