Review #1,391: 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' (2018)

Everybody's favourite mathematician, Dr. Ian Malcolm, warned misguided entrepreneur John Hammond 25 years ago of the perils of playing god and re-awakening dinosaurs from their extinct slumber. Of course, he was right, and the result was a personal childhood favourite. What he didn't foresee were the increasingly numbing sequels that would follow in the wake of Steven Spielberg's 1993 classic, which serve as a reminder not only of Spielberg's magical touch (let's pretend he wasn't responsible for The Lost World), but that general audiences will happily hand over their money to watch the same thing again and again. Jurassic World was unbelievably stupid, but its slightly schlocky attitude managed to scrape it a pass. Somehow, it became the third highest-grossing film of all time, so a sequel, or a trilogy (why not?), was quickly set in motion. Despite attracting a fantastic director in J.A. Bayona, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is the dullest entry since Jurassic Park III and manages, once again, to somehow make dinosaurs boring.

In the wake of a devastating volcanic eruption on Isla Nublar, Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm is back to warn the U.S. Senate that rescuing the soon-to-be-lava-toast dinosaurs could have devastating repercussions for humanity, and once again states his belief that such unnatural tampering should have never been attempted in the first place. Protesters have gathered across the country in an attempt to convince the government that these creatures deserve another chance, and just when you think the film will serve as an allegory of our own mistreatment of the planet, the action zips across to Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), who has set up a fundraiser to rescue the animals. The efforts of Claire and her cronies Zia (Daniella Pineda) and Franklin (Justice Smith) have failed to raise enough cash, but things look up when Claire is invited to the estate of Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell), John Hammond's former partner. Lockwood and his slickly-dressed aide Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) reveal a plan to rescue as many dinosaurs as they can and transport them to another island facility, where they will live in isolation and peace.

As soon as you set eyes on the mercenary team led by Ted Levin's Ken Wheatley, you'll have figured out exactly where the story is going and what everyone's motives are. Mills' combination of slicked-back hair and friendly demeanour is a dead giveaway, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom continues Hollywood's recent obsession with the amoral corporate bad guy. Wheatley's is Pete Postlethwaite's character from The Lost World, only without the gravitas and sense of backstory. Of course, their plan is to steal the dinosaurs and sell them on the black market, backed by Toby Jones' millionaire auctioneer Gunnar Eversol. They've also been working on their own little project, the Indoraptor, the genetically-modified brainchild of mad scientist Dr. Wu (BD Wong). Thank God then, that amidst all of this mess emerges the lovable face of Chris Pratt, dressed in manly clothes and building a manly house. Pratt's Owen Grady and Claire ended Jurassic World as a happy couple, but they have since drifted apart, presumably because Owen only plays by his own manly rules. They are reunited because Claire wants him on Isla Nublar, and we remember what little chemistry they share. But Pratt is charismatic and hugely likeable, a true movie star should he ever find a decent role outside of Guardians of the Galaxy.

What makes Jurassic World: Fallen Kimgdom so unforgivably dull is the sheer lack of care taken with the set-pieces. One thrilling struggle under water - shot with one impressively long take - aside, Bayona and writers Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow don't seem particularly interested in exploring fresh ways to pit man against dinosaur. The opening scene, shot in near darkness, sees an unfortunate soul stalked and gobbled up by one of the predators, but the piece is crafted with such lazy editing and unimaginative build-up that it barely raises the heartbeat. For a director who conjured such wonderful atmospheres in The Orphanage and A Monster Calls, Fallen Kingdom is glaringly hollow, and the whole thing reeks of movie-making by committee. The dinosaurs relocation from jungle to Mills' underground laboratory - a labyrinth of corridors, control rooms and difficult-to-close dumbwaiters - is the only thing that really passes for invention, and it's a relief not have to watch the characters hunted in the jungle once again. The ending leaves the future of Hammond's dinosaurs as something to be explored in the next film, but there is little doubt that this franchise will strut on for many years to come. My investment in it, however, has all but vanished entirely.


Directed by: J.A. Bayona
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, Jeff Goldblum
Country: USA

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie

Review #1,367: 'Spider-Man 3' (2007)

When Marvel Studios were finally allowed some control over their most bankable character Spider-Man with just enough time to fit him into Captain America: Civil War, even the most die-hard superhero obsessives had grown tired of the adventures of Peter Parker and his red-suited alter-ego. When Tom Holland's definitive incarnation eventually graced the screen in a glorious extended cameo, it suddenly all made sense. Sony, who still held onto the rights but agreed to share with Marvel and allow him into their universe, simply didn't know what to do with him. They were on a roll with Sam Raimi's horror-inflected vision, which placed character above action and made Parker an underdog you could really root for. But the studio wanted more, and forced Raimi to shoe-horn in a fan-favourite villain at the expense of what was so great about this series. The worst part is that they did it again just seven years later with their Andrew Garfield-led reboot.

The villain the studio demanded was Venom, the razor-toothed, lizard-tongued alien symbiote who attaches itself to Spider-Man and improves his powers, while turning him into a dancing, floppy-haired douchebag at the same time. But Venom isn't the only Spidey foe appearing, for we also have a new Green Goblin, played by a returning James Franco, and Flint Marko, aka the Sandman, played by an incredibly bored-looking Thomas Haden Church. The evolution of Franco's Harry Obsorn has been set up from the very start, so his emergence as his father's successor to don the goblin mask and wreak havoc for our friendly neighbourhood web-spinner should feel natural and well-timed, until he is hit on the head and develops amnesia. With so much already going on, it feels like both an unnecessary step back in the story and sheer lazy writing. We are also given Marko's backstory, and it turns out the lug-headed escaped con was the man really responsible for Uncle Ben's death, which paves the way for more of Tobey Maguire's constipation face during his quiet time with Aunt May (Rosemary Harris).

There's simply too much going on, and when the film allows the pace to slow enough to spend some quality time with its central character, it turns out that Peter has turned into such an insufferable narcissist that we can't wait to get away from him. But, if you've seen the film, you'll know that's not the worst of it. The black alien goo arrives from space without explanation, and just so happens to land nearest to Peter Parker. The posters teased the darker side of Spider-Man, but what we got was spontaneous dancing, winking at girls in the street, and not listening to Mary Jane's (Kirsten Dunst) acting career troubles. I remember hiding behind my hands back in 2007 during the now-infamous dance sequence, and it hasn't improved with age. I've never uttered the words "I just want it to stop" out loud during a movie before, not until I saw Spider-Man 3 for the second time anyway. But it doesn't stop, not for what feels like another two hours, squeezing in Eddie Brock's (Topher Grace) transformation from slimy, unethical photographer into the vengeful Venom, and forging alliances that come out of nothing. As the wasted Kirsten Dunst screams as she hangs from an alien web at the climax, you'll be thinking that everybody involved is so much better than this, and they were, just three years earlier.


Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, James Cromwell
Country: USA

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie

Review #1,263: 'Pete's Dragon' (2016)

As Disney wade through their back catalogue of animated classics to introduce to modern audiences, the wealth of pure quality at their disposal borders on the embarrassing. By the end of 2016, favourites such as Maleficent (a spin on Sleeping Beauty), Cinderella and The Jungle Book had already been and gone, to varying degrees of success. Next on the agenda, much to many people's surprise, was Pete's Dragon, a live-action remake of a pretty crappy mixture of animation and live-action from 1977, a film many won't have even heard of, and the few who have actually seen it will have long forgotten. The choice for the director's chair was also curious: The job fell to indie director David Lowery, who up to this point was known only for his little-seen outlaw movie Ain't Them Bodies Saints. It seemed as though Disney were taking a "may as well get it over with" attitude towards re-imagining one of their more obscure works, but 2016's Pete's Dragon is actually the best and loveliest of their recent crop.

It's the 70's, a five year-old Pete is heading on a road trip with his parents in search of adventure. The plan is turned on its head (much like their vehicle) when a deer runs out into the road, causing them to crash and killing Pete's parents in the process. Within moments of fleeing the wreckage and making it in the woods, Pete finds himself confronted by a giant dragon. Five years later, and Pete (now played by Oakes Fegley) has forged a bond with the dragon, who he names Elliot, and has turned feral in the forest. Their home is shrinking every day, thanks to a lumberjack crew ran by Jack (Wes Bentley) and his brother Gavin (Karl Urban), so it isn't long until their discovered. Luckily for them, Pete is seen by good-hearted park ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), whose father (played by Robert Redford), tells stories of the day he encountered a huge green dragon in his youth. As Pete longs to go home while also warming to his new surrogate family, Elliot misses his friend, and finds himself hunted by prize-seeker Gavin. 

This is a tried-and-tested Disney formula, so expect few surprises here. What is most surprising, and utterly charming, is the way Lowery goes about his business. There is plenty of genuine heart and care taken with developing its characters. Even the 'villain' of the piece shows genuine concern for Pete's well-being when he is discovered ragged and howling, and Jack isn't the cold habitat-slayer you would expect. Although there is an impressive CGI dragon complete with tail-chasing and a cute wet nose, the story stays remarkably low-key, comparable in many ways to Steven Spielberg's E.T. before the government goons enter the story. If there's a major criticism to be, it is that Gavin's sudden ambition to slay the dragon comes out of nowhere, and seems included simply to create a foe for Elliot while Pete is off in society. For a film that handles the human drama so well, it simply isn't needed, although it sets up a climax exciting enough to slightly make up for it. If you haven't seen the original, then save yourself the trouble, as 2016's Pete's Dragon is a rare example of a remake that leaves the original well in its wake. 

Directed by: David Lowery

Starring: Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oona Laurence, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban

Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #939: 'Jurassic World' (2015)

Following the calamity of Joe Johnston's Jurassic Park III in 2001, the beloved Jurassic Park franchise was in danger of throwing away its massive potential. After 14 years of rewrites, recasts and director-swapping, the long-awaited fourth instalment arrives with anticipation and high-expectations, and the park is finally open to the public. Now sitting happily as the third highest grossing film of all time, it would seem that the world is still fascinated by dinosaurs, but Jurassic World knows its audience won't be content with the beasties that came before, and has gone for bigger and scarier. By creating its own dinosaur, the formidable (and ridiculously-named) Indominus rex, it certainly achieves this, and also serves as a commentary on corporate and consumer greed.

20 years after Dr. Alan Grant gazed upon the sights of Isla Nublar for the first time, Jurassic World is the planet's biggest theme park. Brothers Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) head to the park to stay with their aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is the operations manager. With audience demand on the increase, Claire has overlooked the development of the next big attraction, the lab-created Indominus Rex, which possesses high intelligence along with a collection of attack and defence abilities wound into its DNA from other animals. Navy veteran and velociraptor handler Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) thinks its a bad idea, and upon his inspection of the indominus pen, he notices claw marks on the walls and the creature nowhere to be found.

Jurassic World still very much follows the formula of what came before - characters arrive, think they're safe, and are soon fleeing and screaming from a variety of giant lizards - but at least director Colin Trevorrow has moved the story on. While throwing in a few new elements, it covers a lot of themes covered in the first movie, with a corporate bigwig (Vincent D'Onofrio) hoping to play God for his own - albeit less innocent - means, and ignoring the warnings of an expert with a better understanding of nature, while children who may just be wiser than their elders find themselves in mortal peril. Yet there is a certain charm to the film's nostalgic elements, and the set-pieces - which range from the exhilarating to the ridiculous - finally feel deserving of John Williams' iconic score.

You could pull the film to pieces if you're looking for plot-holes (how would a dinosaur bred in captivity, regardless of its intelligence, know to rip a tracking device out of itself?), but the indominus, despite its McGuffin status, is a suitably nasty antagonist, casually committing genocide as it carves its bloody path towards the tourist centre. Anyone who loved Jurassic Park for its science may be disappointed, as all sense of reality goes out of the window - this is a movie where velociraptors team up with humans to fight a greater threat. But as a film of pure spectacle, it's massively entertaining. It's well aware that it is pandering to a young audience brought up on quick-fixes and everything at their fingertip, and makes a point of this by showing hordes of snot-nosed kids running around the park lacking any sense of wonder. Will humanity ever learn? Unless the plan is to set its recently-announced sequel in a world where man and dinosaur live together in harmony, I guess not.


Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, BD Wong
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #280: '50/50' (2011)

Young radio writer Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is happily living his life when he is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer. Frustrated and gob-smacked, Adam tries to carry on with his life living with a disease that has a 50/50 chance of killing him. He lives with his selfish, self-centred girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is more fond of partying than looking after Adam's interests. Always there for him is his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), who is always on hand to provide medical marijuana, and his trainee psychologist Katherine (Anna Kendrick), while Adam's mother Diane (Anjelica Huston) has difficulty accepting it.

Seth Rogen and his writing team have already blended comedy-drama with disease in the brilliant and vastly underrated Funny People (2009), which brought out an award-worthy performance by Adam Sandler. Yet where Sandler's characters' disease was a prop that would propel his character in re-evaluating his life and choices, in 50/50 it is the focal point. We follow Adam though every stage of his illness, from the emotional torment and confusion after his diagnosis, through to his chemo, to the final operation that may ultimately kill him. Screenwriter Will Reiser, who wrote the film based on his own experiences, beautifully juxtaposes the sad and profoundly moving along with the funny. It is more heavy on the drama than the comedy, but the film is still hilarious, mainly thanks to the supporting actors.

Levitt is an extremely likeable and hugely talented actor, and after years in independent cinema (starring in the likes of the wonderful Mysterious Skin (2004) and Brick (2005)), seems to be finally getting his deserved big break after the recent (500) Days of Summer (2009) and Inception (2010). Here he uses his every-man charisma to create a wholly believable nice-guy character. Ultimately though, the film belongs to Seth Rogen. He is surprisingly touching as the reliable best friend who can only communicate his affection with cock jokes and trying to get Adam laid. He also hates Rachael, and when he finds out that she is not putting out for Adam, he has possibly the best line of the whole film - "if I was your girlfriend, I'd be sucking your cock right now!".

Anna Kendrick also does herself no harm, expertly playing cute and sweet, and one half of a potential romance that I was really rooting for. The fact that Adam may die before they have a chance adds to underlying sadness. With Levitt and Kendrick as the two players, 50/50's rom-com moments achieve far more in small doses than the majority of other rom-com's can only dream of reaching. Huston displays why she is still an acting powerhouse, with her concerned yet hard-as-nails mother stealing the few scenes she has.

It is a film full of great performances, but special mention must also go to director Jonathan Levine, who keeps  any technical flourishes to a bare minimum, allowing the actors to play out the fantastic script in front of a mainly hand-held camera. A wise decision, as the subject matter and the brilliance of the dialogue doesn't require flashy moments of quirkiness. He does, however, deliver an amusing and weirdly moving scene where Adam, stoned from his cancer-buddies 'special' macaroons, wanders down a hospital corridor in slow-motion, giggling at everything he sees, which includes people in various stages of their cancer and a dead body.

One of the best comedies of the decade, and one of the finest films of the year. 50/50 can sit alongside those other modern greats from Rogen and his gang - Superbad, Knocked Up (both 2007) and Funny People. Powerful, uplifting, hilarious, sad and extremely moving - it is not often that a film can achieve so much in such a subtle way.


Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Philip Baker Hall, Matt Frewer
Country: USA

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie