REVIEW: Jurassic World Rebirth Is Filled With Old School Movie Magic

Newsweek

2 days ago

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Summer 2025 has its first hit courtesy of Gareth Edwards, who has filled his Jurassic World: Rebirth with dazzling movie magic that sinks into your heart and reminds you of why we go to the movies.
The film opens on a scene 17 years before the main narrative of Jurassic World: Rebirth, on an island home to a lab where experiments on massive prehistoric creatures occur.
When one goes awry, a chilling opening sequence ensues, which sets us on the path to Jurassic World: Rebirth, where cities are riddled with ginormous creatures and travel to equatorial regions is banned.
Among the chaos is Rupert Friend, playing Martin Krebs, who's assembling a group to take to the scene of the devastation in hopes of extracting DNA from the creatures roaming the island to fund his next medical breakthrough.
He recruits Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) and Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), who then brings Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) onto the expedition.
L to R: Jonathan Bailey as paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis and Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH, directed by Gareth Edwards.
L to R: Jonathan Bailey as paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis and Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH, directed by Gareth Edwards.
Universal Studios
Bailey is brilliant as the rule-following Dr. Henry Loomis, who is so precise and by the book that it translates to comedy. Despite his dutiful demeanour, Bailey infuses Loomis with sincerity and humor, making chewing a mint one of the most comedic things you've seen on screen this year.
The fire to his calm is Johansson, who charges alongside him as the bold and gutsy Zora Bennett. Harboring a tragedy from her past, Johansson smooths Zora's rough edges with a compulsion to keep everyone protected, even at the expense of her own safety.
But the star of the show is Mahershala Ali, who is magnetic in every scene.
Like Zora, Duncan has made his mistakes, and he's not looking to repeat history. More cautious than Zora, Ali carries Duncan's past earnestly, and Ali and Johansson have fantastic on-screen chemistry as partners in crime. You feel every nuance of their past without them ever needing to discuss it.
Orchestrating them all is director Gareth Edwards, who works overtime to make every facet of this film feed into his vision for this entry to the Jurassic universe.
One of the unsung highlights of Jurassic World: Rebirth will be the lighting crew, who made every shot – day or night – glisten.
It's a detail that'll get swept under the rug due to how effortless it feels, but it cannot be overstated how stunning the work they did is. It made Edwards' world vibrant and dynamic, allowing the small details from each actor to shine through.
There's an awe-inspiring moment in the final act where an outline shines through smoke. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it detail, but it deserves its flowers.
L to R: Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid and Audrina Miranda as Isabella Delgado in JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH, directed by Gareth Edwards.
L to R: Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid and Audrina Miranda as Isabella Delgado in JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH, directed by Gareth Edwards.
Universal Studios
READ: Jurassic World Rebirth – Everything We Know, Trailer, and Release Date
Be assured, Edwards doesn't make you wait until Act Three for thrills.
He infuses them from minute one, with every battle having you more on the edge of your seat than the last.
People go to see the Jurassic films for the creatures, and Edwards makes sure you get your money's worth. They're not lingering in the background. They are in-your-face, ready to attack, and could arrive at any moment.
Though, as much as Edwards highlights the dangers of these creatures, he also shows the beauty and romanticism.
In one tearjerking scene, the group stumble upon a gorgeous landscape where ginormous dinosaurs roam freely. They are peaceful, intertwining with one another, showing another side of their overwhelming stature.
It's particularly romantic for Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Henry Loomis, and we feel every inch of his awe as he takes in this unbelievable sight.
As per tradition with Jurassic projects, Steven Spielberg was at the helm as executive producer. Though how much involvement he has is unclear, Edwards makes sure you feel his warm movie magic legacy.
Jurassic World: Rebirth feels like an old adventure movie and a homage to those that came before. While it's impossible to emulate the three-time Oscar winner, Edwards honors what Spielberg laid the foundation for all those years ago.
It's fantastical, romantic, awe-inspiring, but most of all... fun.
Get out to the movies and enjoy it. It's not often we get big-budget productions imbued with this much care, attention to detail, and respect for their audience, so grab the opportunity while it's here.
When Does Jurassic World: Rebirth Release?
Jurassic World: Rebirth hits theaters on July 2, 2025.