After “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” there really wasn’t much talk of a third film, nor did it leave room inside the story to warrant one.  Any film beyond the second would have to be completely separated from the first two, as that story was finished.  Steven Spielberg stepped aside for the third installment, handing the reigns to Joe Johnston of “The Rocketeer” fame.  The film garnered much hype from longtime fans and saw the return Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant.  Unfortunately with its weak plot, sub-par acting, and a blatant focus on children, this movie broke the stable foundation the first two had built.

People were ecstatic to hear of a third movie.  I remember for the first time seeing the preview in the movie theater when I went to see “Pearl Harbor” (which, coincidentally, is also a terrible movie) with my family.  My heart skipped a beat and my family -knowing how much I loved the first two- all leaned over to see the look of excitement on my face.  It was definitely exciting to see Sam Neill’s face under his signature hat once more.  I went to see it on release night with my cousin, who is also a big fan of the series, and after it was over I really didn’t know what to think -nor did the rest of the world I’m sure.  Let’s not beat around the bush, the story was pretty lame and Tea Leoni’s performance was…just…annoying.  The whole movie was centered on kids, and not just the one in the movie.  Every situation in the movie felt like it had an Aesop’s “and the moral of the story is…” explanation.  The whole experience just didn’t fit with the series and was a major letdown.  To pick it apart, I would say I was really pissed that my beloved T-Rex didn’t even get two minutes of screen time and it made him look like a little bitch, which I’m not okay with.  They put emphasis on the Spinosaurus, one of the dinosaurs that InGen produced and was kept secret.  He is the main antagonist in the film, practically taking over the island and always appearing at the right times.  In perhaps the coolest scene in the movie, the Spinosaurus and the T-Rex go head-to-head in all of their CGI glory.  As stated before, the T-Rex gets the short end of the stick and gets his neck snapped at the end of the battle, much to my dismay.

FINAL OPINION:

Overall, the experience was fun, albeit over-the-top and at most times ridiculous, i.e. hearing a satellite phone ringing in the belly of a Spinosaurus standing approximately fifty yards away.  Was it humorous?  Yes.  Fitting?  No.  It’s always fun to see the spectacles that are ILM’s dinosaurs (although they were less impressive this time around) and Stan Winston’s animatronic masterpieces, but those along with Sam Neill were not enough to save this film.  Since the release of this film I have been pining for another go; bring Spielberg back to direct and give the fans a proper ending to an incredible franchise.

(5 / 10)

Average

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