Latest news with #JurassicWorld
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Heard Jurassic World Dominion Was Bad, But I Would Watch It Over Any Other Jurassic Sequel
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away, just about, the entire plot of Jurassic World Dominion. If you have not yet seen the 2022 Jurassic Park movie, act like Owen Grady holding up his hand to magically neutralize a dinosaur, and proceed with caution as you read on. With Jurassic World Rebirth hitting theaters soon, I figured it was about time that I do something I had been reluctant to do: catch up with the full franchise and watch Jurassic World Dominion. Considering the beastly reviews from critics and audiences, I was braving the worst, but, to my surprise, I thought it was far from it. To be clear, I would not call Colin Trevorrow's sequel a good movie. I think it suffers from a pitifully lazy script, sleepy acting, and throwing out the previous film's setup for a dinosaur-ridden dystopia in favor of, echoing Eric Eisenberg's Jurassic World Dominion review, two bland, disparate plotlines that have little to do with, ya know, dinosaurs. However, I do not at all regret watching it and would choose to watch it again over most sequels to Steven Spielberg's 1993 classic, which I realize may come as a shock to many Jurassic fans. Well, allow me to explain… In previous articles of mine, such as my reaction to the recent sci-fi thriller Companion, I have made it clear that I am a staunch technophobe who fears how dangerously technology's advancement could, or already has, affected our society. However, there is one fear of mine that I have been a bit less vocal about in my writing until now: bugs, especially ones of unusual size. So, you might be able to imagine how I felt when the genetically engineered locusts appeared on the screen. Now, I will agree with the widely shared opinion that a Jurassic Park movie focusing its plot on a non-reptilian prehistoric creature is a mistake, but said creatures did manage to get my adrenaline going faster than any of the dinosaurs that appear in Jurassic World Dominion. That being said… Whenever a dinosaur would appear on screen in Dominion, I found it nothing short of impressive. The special effects, boasting the classic blend of practical animatronics with some of the best CGI Hollywood has to offer, were so convincing, I am surprised there was not more praise about that aspect, at least. Aside from their visual effects, I felt that the action sequences involving dinosaurs are genuinely some of the best that the franchise has ever seen. I recall, in particular, being thoroughly riveted by a scene taking place in Malta, when Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) is chased on a motorcycle through the city by Atrociraptors. I had to stop and think to myself, Wow, I am actually having fun with this movie, and it did not stop there. Some have said the extended edition of Jurassic World Dominion is better than the theatrical version, but you can get both on a Blu-ray and 4K UHD set from Amazon for nearly half off the regular price!View Deal The one reason I had to be somewhat optimistic about finally watching Dominion was the one aspect that I had heard positive rumblings about: DeWanda Wise as Kayla Watts. I could not agree more with my colleague Sarah El-Mahmoud that the daredevil pilot is the best character from the Jurassic World trilogy for her bravery and quick wit, and for just being a badass. If there are any downsides to Kayla, I would say that she makes most of the other newer characters (including Mamoudou Athie's Ramsay Cole and even Pratt's Grady) look weaker than I already believed they were, and that she should have been introduced to the franchise earlier. With all due respect to Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, a part of me wishes that she were the focus of the upcoming 2025 movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, instead. Despite my harsh words about the newer Jurassic characters, I have to admit that I really enjoyed seeing them finally interact with Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). In fact, I don't think I was ever amused by the OG heroes' return until that moment, as the parameters of their reunion and the moments the trio shared never felt particularly natural. And don't get me started about the random callbacks to the first film, like Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott) somehow possessing the fake Barbasol canister and displaying it in his office. What?! Anyway, I can't say that 'natural' is a word I would use to describe Grant, Sattler, and Malcolm's meeting with Grady, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), and others in the final act either. The events that lead them to each other are far too convenient (like many other aspects of the plot), and much of their dialogue feels egregiously forced. Yet, there was something about seeing them all gathered together and relying on one another to survive against the prehistoric wildlife that left me wishing the movie had dedicated more time to bringing them together. Of course, any Jurassic Park fan knows that the real draw of this franchise is not the meat, but the meat-eaters, and the one who rules them all is the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Any return by that big behemoth in these movies, no matter how convoluted the reasoning may be, is warmly welcomed by me, and its appearance in Dominion was no exception, especially since it was not alone. I actually really dug how the T-Rex was treated as a hero, Godzilla style, in the film's final act, when it teams up with a Therizinosaurus to bring down the Giganotosaurus. Watching the T-Rex throw the Giganotosaurus onto the Therizinosaurus' claws, fatally impaling it, made for a more satisfying final battle than the Indominus Rex showdown in 2015's Jurassic World, if you ask me. I don't see a future in which I ever boot up my Peacock subscription to watch Jurassic World Dominion again, unless I get curious and decide to check out the extended edition, which I hear is an improvement. Yet, I can't say I feel that I wasted my morning watching it the other day, which is something I can't say about most of the follow-ups to the original '90s movie classic, and that calls for a modest roar of applause in my book.
Gizmodo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Universal Asked That Scenes Be Added Back Into ‘Jurassic World Rebirth'
There's a reason why the biggest, most famous filmmakers in the world all want 'final cut' of their movies. It's because they don't want anyone, least of all a studio executive, to have an impact on their vision. More often than not, when studios meddle in editing, it's to make films shorter. However, the exact opposite happened on the new Jurassic film, Jurassic World Rebirth. Rebirth started shooting in June 2024, finished in October 2024 and, right after Christmas, director Gareth Edwards was ready to show a cut to the studio. 'I was determined to do a film that was under two hours,' Edwards told io9. 'And so we showed this one hour 59 [minute] cut to the studio. And essentially their note was like, 'Great, could you put the five minutes that you cut out back in?' And so we put those five minutes back in, and it was essentially the movie.' Which isn't to say nothing hit the cutting room floor. Though there was a very tight turnaround, especially for a blockbuster of this size, Edwards said there are three deleted scenes that will probably be available with the home release. Two he was fine with cutting. One he was very torn about. 'I really wanted [it] to stay in the movie,' Edwards said. 'I really liked it. And that was a kill-your-baby sort of moment. I won't ruin it for people, but there's a section out the front of the gas station that used to be a little bit more like being hunted. The tension of something coming. And it was a note from [writer] David Koepp, which was essentially, the third act, if you give it a name, it would be 'Run like hell.' And so basically once they started running, it was like, don't make them stop. And it felt like it stopped again. And so we removed that idea, those beats, and it got a lot better. But I do really like what happened in the bit where they did stop. And that will be on the extras.' See each and every moment of Jurassic World Rebirth when it comes to theaters July 2. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Gizmodo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Gareth Edwards Is Glad You Liked ‘Rogue One,' Just Don't Ask Him to Make Another ‘Star Wars'
Gareth Edwards, who directed Godzilla (2014), The Creator, and the brand-new Jurassic World Rebirth, is always going to be asked about his time in the galaxy far, far away. That's just the nature of Star Wars and, more specifically, Star Wars fans, most of whom look very fondly upon 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story—especially in the wake of Andor's two-season run on Disney+. Edwards is thrilled for all the goodwill, but that doesn't mean he's hoping for a return to that world. 'I'm very happy to move on and do my thing,' Edwards told Business Insider. Part of that urge on the director's part could be down to Rogue One's behind-the-scenes issues, which famously saw Tony Gilroy called in to help with reshoots. Gilroy, of course, went on to expand the film's backstory by creating the highly acclaimed Disney+ series Andor. But not only is Edwards happy to move on, he's also happy that Rogue One remains a popular favorite among Star Wars' notoriously prickly fan base. 'I'm very grateful that people say nice things,' he said of Rogue One's reputation. He also prefers to take the long view with all of his projects. 'What you have to keep in your pocket as you go through making other films is that it's not about how people feel the day it gets released, it's how people feel about it 10, 20 years from now,' he said. 'As the movie comes out, you go, 'I'm going to pretend I'm living 10 years from now, and it doesn't matter what people say in the moment.' It's the kid who comes up to you 20 years from now and goes, 'Oh my god, I loved that movie!' I think that's the reward.' Just don't ask him to make another Star Wars movie—his 'thing' is dinosaurs for now. Jurassic World Rebirth is out July 2. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Pink Villa
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Sitaare Zameen Par performs better than new releases F1 and Maa on second Friday; Three films aggregate Rs 15.75 crore
The Aamir Khan-led Sitaare Zameen Par was the top pick for the cinema-going audience today, as the RS Prasanna directorial has collected in the range of Rs 6.25 crore on the second Friday, taking total collections to Rs 93.75 crore. The film has performed better than the two new releases – F1 and Maa – on its second Friday, which signifies a long run in the weeks to come. The second Friday hold has confirmed a hit status for the Aamir Khan film, as it is headed for a finish in the north of Rs 150 crore in India. The Brad Pitt starrer F1 was the second-best performing film of the week, as the sport thriller has clocked Rs 5.00 crore on Friday. The film has overperformed vis-à-vis expectations, and is headed to emerge a solid success story in India, as a big jump is definitely on cards for the Brad Pitt starrer. 2025 has been good for Hollywood films, and F1 has just added itself to the list of success stories from the West. The third best performer of the day was the Kajol led horror thriller, which has also done well on the opening day, with first day business in the range of Rs 4.00 crore to Rs 4.50 crore. The film suffered in advance bookings due to a fractured release, but did well on the day with strong walk-ins to make up for the relatively slow movement in advance bookings. The Ajay Devgn and Jio Studios produced film has also laid the platform to show big jumps over the weekend, and place itself in a spot to emerge a success story. All in all, it was a good day for the exhibitors with 3 films aggregating Rs 15.75 crore on a working Friday, which is a great result. With Jurassic World, and Superman slated to release in the coming 2 weeks, the victory run is expected to continue at the box-office. Check out The Box Office Collections of Feature Films on June 27! Sitaare Zameen Par: Rs 6.25 crore F1: Rs 5.00 crore Maa: Rs 4.50 crore
Nylon
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Nylon
Interview with Hendrick Ou, one of the brains behind Jurassic World: The Exhibition in Singapore
Behind every successful exhibition like the recently opened Jurassic World: The Exhibition in Singapore, is a dedicated team of individuals who are driven by the passion to craft immersive experiences and bring them to life. Image courtesy of NEON. While most of us would have found it daunting to give life to a beloved franchise like Jurassic World, NEON's Senior Project Manager, Hendrick Ou, tapped on his expertise to focus on ensuring anyone who walked through the exhibition's doors be filled with awe, curiosity, and nostalgia. Speaking with NYLON Singapore, Hendrick said, 'This allowed me to continuously bring fresh insights and experiences to make events like this Jurassic exhibition even better.' Together with his team, they considered the franchise's appeal across generations and how guests of different ages interact with spaces. 'Kids love movement and surprises, while adults may appreciate richer layers of storytelling and immersive tech,' he added, 'The goal was to ensure everyone could enjoy the exhibition in their own way, whether it's marvelling at an animatronic or reading the science behind the species.' Image courtesy of NEON. Even though Jurassic World: The Exhibition is an international exhibition that has made its rounds globally, its arrival in Singapore was a unique one as Hendrick and his team were able to localise it for the Singapore audience. 'Unlike our travelling sets, which rely on artificial foliage and controlled lighting to recreate the Jurassic World, the Cloud Forest provided a truly immersive, and authentic environment, where the presence of natural sunlight shifting throughout the day added an organic layer to the experience,' shared Hendrick. As such, the exhibition did away with a fixed linear storyline that was the core of the global exhibitions and instead took a 'different and celebratory approach' that saw the strategic placement of iconic dinosaurs throughout the Cloud Forest; allowing for guests to encounter them and creating unexpected, magical moments that felt organic. While this may have sounded simple on paper, the integration between the dinosaurs and the Cloud Forest was not without its challenges. Image courtesy of NEON. Hendrick explained that beyond the physical and logistical aspects, there was the creative challenge on how to integrate the IP meaningfully into the Cloud Forest. 'It required extensive collaboration between creative, technical, and horticultural teams to plan installations that respected and complemented the natural environment. It was about finding that sweet spot where creativity could coexist with nature.' This also meant choosing the right mix of dinosaurs since each dinosaur comes with its own set of logistical needs — considerations on how big is it, how much it moves, where it can be positioned safely, how it interacts with the existing environment; like the slope of height clearance in the Cloud Forest. 'We started with a long list and gradually narrowed it down based on impact, recognisability, and how well they fit within the physical terrain of the Cloud Forest,' said Hendrick, 'There were certainly some that didn't make the cut but that's all part of the creative process.' Image courtesy of NEON. Despite the challenges that were physically and mentally demanding, bringing Jurassic World: The Exhibition to life was a fulfilling experience for Hendrick, who thought of the challenges as a reminder on why the work he does is 'so rewarding' as he was a part of a team who were building something memorable for thousands to enjoy. 'Seeing the first batch of visitors interact with the exhibits, hearing the kids gasp or shout out the names of the dinosaurs — all the long nights and challenges we braved just melted away,' he said. 'There's a real sense of purpose and rewarding moments in seeing how your work touches people, and it reminds me how my role at NEON isn't just about creating an exhibition… We are creating lasting memories.' Image courtesy of NEON. One of this lasting memories, it seems, is Hendrick's favourite T-Rex animatronic from the exhibition. 'It's a real showstopper,' he explained, 'No matter how many times I see it, there's always this moment of awe and pride when it comes to life. From the scale to the movement to the timing of the lighting and sound, it's so well-choreographed that it almost feels alive!' At the end of the day, Hendrick hopes that visitors will leave the exhibition feeling a sense of wonder; bringing joy, sparking curiosity and creating memories with family or friends. 'That's what this career in NEON is all about. From creating experiences that connect people to igniting passions and inspiring imaginations as it is not just about dinosaurs, it is about the shaping precious moments for the people who experience them.'
