“Jurassic World Rebirth” swings the franchise back to where it all started, both literally and thematically. Leaning hard into nostalgia, director Gareth Edwards peppers his film with sequences that mirror the most memorable moments from the original “Jurassic Park” so closely you can practically hear the 1993 film reel whirring in the background. But instead of feeling like a cheap rehash, these callbacks often land as thrilling homages that give longtime fans the satisfying jolt of seeing familiar sights updated with today’s high-tech CGI. If you love dinosaurs and all things in the series, this is a more than decent seventh installment.
The story picks up five years after the story line in “Jurassic World: Dominion.” Dinosaurs now barely cling to survival and live solely in isolated tropical zones that mimic their prehistoric habitats. At the behest of greedy drug company representative Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), an expedition is launched to collect DNA from the last three colossal creatures with the intent to manufacture a revolutionary medical breakthrough (and of course, make the company mega rich). Martin assembles a team of mercenaries (Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali) and a dino scientist (Jonathan Bailey) to help, but things take a turn when they rescue a family (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, Audrina Miranda) stranded at sea.
While the story and tone may be a slightly different shift from the other films, this one still checks many of the usual blockbuster boxes (and sometimes it does so lazily). I caught myself thinking, “Haven’t I seen this before?” several times, but I stayed engaged with the story. Edwards brings a confident hand to the chaos, balancing massive action set pieces with quieter, tense moments that recall Spielberg’s original. Themes of empathy, redemption, and the perils of unchecked scientific ambition are explored, along with some not-so-subtle commentary on human greed and unlikely heroism. The characters are thoughtfully written too, with several showing personal growth during their adventure. By casting accomplished actors, the performances are strong and elevate the material significantly.
The visual effects are by far the best thing about the film, and they are nothing short of jaw-dropping. The dinosaurs look incredibly lifelike, and it’s thrilling to watch them roar and stomp throughout the tropical island. CGI technology has come a long way, and this is one of the best looking films in the entire series.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” knows what it is: a big summer spectacle. On that front, it absolutely delivers. This entertaining thrill ride is pure popcorn entertainment with just enough heart to make you care.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 
Sounds good. Thank you.
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“The characters are thoughtfully written too,”
Name any of the characters you can remember. It’s really difficult, and I just saw this two hours ago, because they lacked any substance, had no development, had no motivations for doing what they did.
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I particularly appreciated the backstories for Zora and Duncan, and I liked the relationship between Manuel and his daughters. There was some substance there; it’s not all about remembering the names of each character. I take it you didn’t like the movie? What did you think?
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I challenge you to honestly, with any level of self reflection to defend the descriptions in your review as anything but paid PR.
“Themes of empathy, redemption, and the perils of unchecked scientific ambition are explored, “
“I particularly appreciated the backstories for Zora and Duncan”
Don’t get me wrong, you can like this movie as big, dumb and full of CGI, monster go stomp stomp run human whee, I won’t heckle you. But to promote the idea that the “characters are thoughtfully written” is a bridge too far. That in my book is a disservice. Are you aware of https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/922346 ? Can you argue successfully that you both stand by your comments and are not the cohort chastised by this kind of research?
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Holy cow, you REALLY hated this movie! I can assure you I am NOT a paid PR person, but I thought this movie did a lot of things right. It wasn’t as dumb as it could’ve been, and I stand behind my review and comments. I think about that now-classic line from Dr. Malcolm: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” That theme was carried into this film. I think you’re completely overthinking a fun summer blockbuster, and I hope you can find some movies that you’ll actually enjoy this year. 🙂
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Thanks for the thoughtful (and clearly passionate) response. I appreciate a good challenge, so let me try to respond in kind.
Let’s unpack a few things:
On Themes: When I mentioned “themes of empathy, redemption, and the perils of unchecked scientific ambition,” I wasn’t claiming the film handled them with the subtlety of a Bergman movie. But they’re undeniably present, even if clumsily. Zora’s arc is built around reconciling with her past decisions, particularly regarding her role in the genetic manipulation program. Duncan is clearly framed as someone trying to right a past loss even if the writing doesn’t dig deeply into that psychology.
Is it all effective? Not entirely. But I saw intent behind the choices, and for a franchise that often leans on spectacle, I found those attempts refreshing enough to acknowledge.
On Character Decisions: Duncan’s decisions are erratic, but I interpreted them as someone driven by survivor’s guilt. He is flawed, impulsive, and possibly suicidal in his own way. Could that have been fleshed out more? Absolutely. But I don’t think that means his actions were entirely devoid of motivation. Sometimes in popcorn films, character logic follows movie logic. It’s not always satisfying, but I try to evaluate whether it at least aligns with an emotional throughline, even if it’s not all on the page.
On Scientific Ambition: You’re right that no one meaningfully moderates their scientific ambition. But the film does show the consequences of it. I noted the theme was explored, not resolved. The franchise has never really been about responsible science so much as cautionary tales about reckless science. If you’re looking for actual growth or systemic change, you’ll be disappointed. But if you view the movies as cyclical tragedies, they arguably stay thematically consistent, just not optimistically so.
On Fan Wikis and Character Depth: Fair point that fan wikis haven’t filled in Zora or Duncan’s profiles. But I don’t think fan site metadata is the only barometer for character development. Their stories aren’t super rich, but I found them more substantive in than some earlier characters in the franchise.
I don’t think calling out a few modest thematic elements or complimenting parts of the film amounts to uncritical boosterism. I’m not calling this high art; I’m just saying I had a good time and saw some sparks of ambition amid the chaos.
I respect that you didn’t come just to troll and that you’re holding critics to a high standard. That’s fair. I just think there’s room for nuance between “this is brilliant” and “this is trash,” and that’s the lane I’m in.
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