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Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spoiler Space: Jurassic World Rebirth once again makes dinosaurs everyone's problem
Spoiler Space offers thoughts on, and a place to discuss, the plot points we can't disclose in our official review. Fair warning: This article features plot details of Jurassic World Rebirth. DNA has been the semi-magical, deeply exploited resource at the heart of the Jurassic Park franchise since the original film sucked it out of some amber-encased mosquitoes. From its humble beginnings, where the dinosaurs were engineered only slightly by filling in sequencing gaps with the genetic codes from frogs and other innocuous dino relatives, a terminal case of sequelitis has led to mutant monster dinosaurs created to up a P.T. Barnum-style ante, and weaponized dinosaurs to speak to our military-industrial reality. But at the end of Jurassic World Rebirth, its hardened mercenary main character Zora (Scarlett Johansson) makes a decision that seems benign, even benevolent, on its surface, but has obviously silly implications for the franchise's future. The series of fetch quests undertaken by Zora and her cohorts (including the blank-slate paleontologist played by Jonathan Bailey) is funded by Big Pharma company ParkerGenix, whose representative (Rupert Friend) has them running the age-old Dennis Nedry scheme: smuggling dino bits off an island for cash. By taking blood samples from the biggest dinosaurs of land, air, and sea (Titanosaurus, Quetzalcoatlus, and Mosasaurus, respectively), ParkerGenix can isolate the secret to these beasts' healthy, disease-free, sedan-sized hearts. The resulting drug could ostensibly wipe out human heart disease and make the company 'trillions' of dollars. But Bailey's science guy has a do-gooder streak, or at least is the only person in this party who's heard of universal healthcare. Every once in a while, he'll take Zora aside and give her a well-intentioned but absolutely ridiculous pep talk: Why should a horrible pharmaceutical company be in charge of this incredible power? Why not make this DNA open source, available to any troll with an internet connection? It's not like they just watched someone get torn apart by a hulking genetic freak whose God-affronting existence was conjured up by actual InGen scientists. The usually cash-driven Zora, powerless in the face of this well-reasoned argument and the total lack of chemistry she shares with her nerdy companion, relents. This is especially easy for her since Friend's character was not only hyper-capitalist slime, but also an attempted murderer who was recently killed right in front of everyone by the aforementioned Frankendino. As the surviving members of the team depart the island (which is not the island from any of the other films, but a worse, more sick and twisted island), she decides to give that DNA to everyone, to just toss it out into the digital ether and see what the world's irresponsible tinkerers—or, considering cinema's current love affair with AI, ChatGPT—can make from the source code for three of the biggest creatures to ever shake the earth. Big Pharma might then not control the fate (and price) of whatever medicine can be derived from this data, the only trade-off being that whatever illusion of control was still present in this franchise will evaporate into cyberspace. This is clearly the direction a potential sequel will go. Hubris isn't limited to folks in lab coats with advanced degrees. It, like this dinosaur biogoop, belongs to us all. The previous Jurassic World films showed how tough it is for boring 'real' dinosaurs to survive in current environmental conditions. This entry gives the franchise a loophole. When Jurassic World Rebirth gets its inevitable follow-up, don't be surprised by the number of DIY dino disasters stumbling around its increasingly unhinged world. More from A.V. Club What's on TV this week—It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Too Much, Dexter: Resurrection Spoiler Space: Jurassic World Rebirth once again makes dinosaurs everyone's problem Watch Jack Black and heavy metal royalty cover "Mr. Crowley" for final Ozzy Osbourne performance
Geek Tyrant
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Wes Anderson Directs Himself (Literally) in New Montblanc Short Shot by Darius Khondji — GeekTyrant
The The Phoenician Scheme director Wes Anderson isn't slowing down. The director has dropped another visually delightful project and this time a short film made in collaboration with Montblanc, and yes, Anderson actually steps in front of the camera to direct himself . The short is titled 'Let's Write', and it marks the latest chapter in Anderson's creative partnership with the luxury brand. The film also stars Rupert Friend, Michael Cera, Waris Ahluwalia, and Esther McGregor, with Roman Coppola co-directing. The setting? The Montblanc Observatory High-Mountain Library. According to Montblanc, 'We are proud to present 'Let's Write,' the next chapter in our ongoing collaboration with visionary filmmaker Wes Anderson. 'The new campaign, with a short film by Wes Anderson, returns to the Montblanc Observatory High-Mountain Library in a literal, metaphorical, and poetic journey—one that celebrates writing, creativity, and Montblanc's unique spirit of storytelling.' Anderson is clearly having fun with this one, especially with the meta-layer of playing his own fictionalized director self. The short is now available to watch online, and for anyone still living in the aesthetic world of The Phoenician Scheme , there's also a generous 20-minute behind-the-scenes video on that film to pair with your Montblanc viewing.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Jurassic World Rebirth' movie review: Join Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey on a dino-stuffed thrill ride
The fourth film in the Jurassic World universe opens in 2010 on an island in the Atlantic Ocean, Ile Saint-Hubert, where dinosaur mutations are being developed to feed the public's demand for newer species. A six-limbed T-Rex mutant, Distortus rex, as mean-tempered as its name suggests, gets free and unleashes mayhem, causing the facility to be shut down. What causes the breach is a candy wrapper frying the electrics — littering is never a good habit. Years later, the dinosaurs are unable to adapt to the changed climate, surviving only near the equator where the air and temperature are what they were used to those many million years ago. Dinosaurs are not a novelty anymore and a dying Apatosaurus causing traffic to back up in the city is a major irritant and not a cause for joy or wonder. A sauropod on Silk Board Junction, on the other hand, would have been fun. Just saying. Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), who works with a shadowy pharmaceutical company, is one of those irritated by the fallen Apatosaurus. Krebs meets with Zora (Scarlett Johansson), a scarily competent covert operative, and tells her he has a job for her. The job involves getting blood samples from three of the biggest dinosaurs — on land, in water, and air — to create a drug that will save the world and line his company's pockets till kingdom come. Offering Zora an obscene sum of money, the expedition is quickly kitted out. There is the palaeontologist offering technical expertise and a cool specimen-collection gun, Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey); the captain of the boat, Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), and his crew, which includes Bobby (Ed Skrein), Leclerc (Bechir Sylvain) and Nina (Philippine Velge). Jurassic World Rebirth (English) Director: Gareth Edwards Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein Run-time: 133 minutes Storyline: A team of operatives land on an island to collect blood samples from dinosaurs to save the world and naturally everything that can go wrong does As the team heads out to the island to collect the first specimen from a Mosasaurus (yes!), a family, comprising Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his daughters Teresa (Luna Blaise) and Isabella (Audrina Miranda), and Teresa's stoner boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono), is heading to Cape Town from Barbados. They are shipwrecked after the Mosasaurus turns their boat upside down. Zora's team rescues them, but instead of heading for safety, they chase the Mosasaurus for the sample. The thrills follow fast and furious with mean dinosaurs flashing their wicked teeth. The Mosasaurus is a bit of a show-off, going round and round snapping its gargantuan jaws. Gareth Edwards, who has helmed two of the most exciting sci-fi films in recent times — Rogue Oneand The Creator — has made a film that has enough of the original Steven Spielberg DNA to keep things moving spiffily along. There are moments of silly fun, especially with Xavier. The T-Rex rolling in its sleep like a cute Labrador puppy is most adorable. The thrills, while derivative, much the all-important sample tube rolling to the edge of the cliff, deliver the requisite adrenaline rush. The cast is competent and fully invested in their characters. Johansson's Zora is tough as nails, Ali is sturdy and kind, Friend is necessarily slimy, while Bailey brings in the shock and awe at these creatures that ruled the earth so many years ago. Bailey incidentally played the clarinet on the score. Jurassic World Rebirth sounds and looks wonderful, and though it does not offer anything brilliantly new, it is the kind of summer fast food that is filling and tasty and utterly forgettable. Jurassic World Rebirth is currently running in theatres
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Jurassic World Rebirth' Eyeing Dino-Sized Opening Weekend Box Office
Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in "Jurassic World Rebirth." Scarlett Johansson's Jurassic World Rebirth is looking to stomp out the competition at the extended 4th of July weekend box office. The seventh film in the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise that began with Steven Spielberg's dinosaur classic in 1993, Jurassic World is a reboot film with an all-new cast and setting from the previous three chapters. In the film, Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey star as a pair of mercenaries and a paleontologist, respectively, who are hired by a pharmaceutical executive (Rupert Friend) to travel to a forbidden zone by the equator to find three distinctly different species of dinosaurs and extract their DNA. The DNA is the last component need for a medical breakthrough that will rid the world of heart disease. Danger, however, is lurking around every bit of the environment. Jurassic World Rebirth opened on Wednesday in 4,308 North American theaters. After the film earned an estimated $30.5 million on its opening day, Deadline is projecting that the film will earn $133.5 million through Sunday, which includes an estimated $80 million in the Friday to Sunday frame. The Estimated Tally For 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Matches Opening Weekend Projections The estimate comes in ahead of Deadline's Tuesday projection of a $120 million to $130 million opening for the film. Worldwide, Deadline projected on Tuesday that Jurassic World Rebirth would also earn $130 internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $260 million through Sunday. The projected opening by The Hollywood Reporter was nearly identical to Deadline's forecast. Jurassic World Rebirth had a $180 million production budget before prints and advertising costs, per The Numbers. However, THR reported on Thursday that the film's budget was $225 before P&A. Jurassic World Rebirth's domestic opening day of $30.5 million trounces last weekend's No. 1 film, Brad Pitt's F1: The Movie, which earned $4.7 million on Wednesday. Pitt's Formula 1 race car drama earned $57 million from 3,661 North American theaters in its opening Friday to Sunday frame. Note: This box office report will be updated throughout the extended 4th of July weekend with the most current numbers as they become available. The final numbers for this weekend's box office will be released on Monday.
Geek Girl Authority
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Movie Review: JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH
I've been a bit mean to the most recent Jurassic World films. Who are we kidding? I've been harsh. Who would have thought Ian Malcom's iconic quote, 'Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should,' could so easily describe both films? Well, Jurassic World Rebirth , the series' hotly anticipated reboot, hits theaters this week. Will this be the 'dino-tastic' fireworks we all need this Fourth of July weekend? Or should you just 'hold on to your butts'? Read on. Jurassic World Rebirth Jurassic World Rebirth follows a pharmaceutical executive (Rupert Friend) with a wild idea. In this world, dinosaurs are now entirely passé. They cause traffic jams. For a while, they could be found on any street corner. Yet, he can't help but think they might now be an untapped resource. Could dinosaurs even be used to cure heart trouble? Well, he teams up with a cunning security expert (Scarlett Johansson) and a wide-eyed paleontologist (Jonathan Bailey) to try and figure it out. Mahershala Ali, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono and Audrina Miranda costar in the movie. Gareth Edwards directs Jurassic World: Rebirth from a script by David Koepp. Friends, I'm going to be blunt. We're all grown-ups here. We're old enough to handle the truth. RELATED: Movie Review: The Phoenician Scheme When has the seventh film in any franchise been earth-shatteringly good? It's a Herculean undertaking to be sure. Jurassic World Rebirth … kids, this is a tricky one. You're going to encounter a lot of 'Negative Nellie's' among critics and franchise fans alike. I can't say that they're entirely wrong. At the same time, though, this is a film that I believe is hurt by being in the Jurassic Park franchise. Get ready for a hot take. RELATED: Movie Review: Materialists More Schlocky Drive-In Jurassic World Rebirth is what happens when you take a little Jurassic Park , add a sprinkle of King Kong , a dash of Mysterious Island and a pinch of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms . Behind the camera, director Gareth Edwards feels like a kid in a very pricey candy store, and the result is a fascinating one. Edwards' direction bursts with glee as he creates a work that is more schlocky drive-in film than a Jurassic Park movie. And I don't think Edwards really minds. This is what he wants to do. The young director wears his cinephile nerdom on his sleeve, loading the film with references to everything from the O.G. Jurassic Park to Star Wars and even, seemingly, King Kong and Ray Harryhausen films. He's making the B-monster movie to end all B-monster movies. A schlocky creature feature with a studio-sized budget. RELATED: 28 Years Later Spoiler Review Timeless Moments of Jurassic World Rebirth feel somehow timeless. This is a film where, if you were to swap out the computer graphics with hand puppets, miniatures and matte paintings, you'd end up with almost the same movie. This story could be told with minimal tweaks in 1935, 1955 and even 1975. I'm just not sure it feels right in 2025. This is largely due to some quirky script choices. At two hours and 15 minutes, it does feel a bit too long. At the same time, Jurassic World Rebirth struggles if you're looking for 'dramatic stakes.' Koepp's script, instead, chooses to wreak havoc on a group of 'red shirts' built into the storytelling. I should stop right there. You know, spoilers. This becomes all the more entertaining thanks to the ever-present hint of an almost cartoonish violence hanging over this world. A member of the main cast falls off a cliff that's far too high and bounces back in a way only Wile E. Coyote could appreciate. At the same time, there's a heavy reliance on 'hands of the screenwriter' storytelling. 'How did that happen?' You ask? The screenwriter thought it was a good idea. Sometimes, that's all the development you're getting. RELATED: Movie Review: M3GAN 2.0 Met on Its Own Terms Honestly, the film that results from Edwards' giddy, stylistic crafting would do better not having to live in Jurassic Park 's gigantic shoes. Having so much to live up to automatically sets the movie up for failure. While there's been plenty of critical debate about the most recent film's quality, for those who remember the 1990s, the original film casts a nostalgic glow that's hard to live up to. Any movie is going to struggle. This sounds a bit frustrating, and from one way of thinking, it is. However, it all plays into the silliness at play here. Jurassic World Rebirth , I suppose, is an example of a film that truly needs to be met on its own terms. This has its own ideas and much like the talking velociraptor in Jurassic World 3 , it's in the mood to mix things up, and I was very much here for that. Check out Jurassic World Rebirth if you're looking for a good time, just keep those expectations in check. Jurassic World Rebirth opens in theaters around the country on July 2, 2025. Movie Review: F1® THE MOVIE
