With billions in box office returns, along with critical praise and condemnation alike,
the Jurassic Park franchise has left a giant, three-pronged footprint in the film zeitgeist
forever. The debate over which is the best of the series will rage on, but let's dive
into our own ranking, from worst to best.
"Hold onto your butts."
In 1993, director Steven Spielberg expertly brought to life author Michael Crichton's
bestselling novel Jurassic Park. The film is an exhilarating two hours of prehistoric
beasts relentlessly clashing with mankind's massive ego. An integral part of our first
trip into the park was actor Sam Neill. The man who plays Dr. Alan Grant brought a crucial
element to the screen — his childlike wonder surrounding the majesty of dinosaurs helped
balance out the suspense. But when the time came for a Jurassic sequel, Neill was nowhere
to be found.
Neill's absence from The Lost World is because of one simple reason: Michael Crichton didn't
include his character in the book. Have no fear, though, because studio bigwigs swooped
in and delivered a third addition in the Jurassic franchise. Excitement about Neill's return
to the role of Dr. Grant had fans chattering with excitement about all the possibilities.
Unfortunately for some, when Jurassic Park III was finally released in 2001, it seemed
like a bad dream.
"Alan."
"Uhh!"
"Alan."
While it was a roaring success in terms of the studio's financial gain, for the most
part, many fans see it as the worst film in the franchise.
Some critics feel that Jurassic Park III reeks of greedy corporate exploitation, or as The
Wall Street Journal somewhat diplomatically wrote:
"[Jurassic Park III] exemplifies Hollywood's standard practice of stomping a brilliant
concept beyond recognition — for the best of reasons: tie-ins with toy makers, theme-park
owners and fast-food merchandisers."
This third Jurrasic film features A-list actors William H. Macy and Téa Leoni sharing the
screen with Sam Neill. Sadly, the script didn't leave these screen veterans a whole lot to
work with. Film critic Michael Sagrow of The Baltimore Sun noted the "silliness" of what
he described as, quote, "deliberately stupid characters."
He went on to say...
"Despite the eruptions of cheesy jollity and the occasional funny line or bit of business,
[...] the picture descends into the smash, gnash and groan school of filmmaking."
Were there fans of this third installment? Of course, there were plenty. But the fact
of the matter is that this film killed the franchise for over a decade. It would take
fourteen years for Universal Studios to take a chance on anything Jurassic, which is likely
due to the fact that Jurassic Park III's worldwide box office gross was relatively dismal compared
to both the original film and its follow-up, The Lost World. Even then, much of the franchise
was placed on the shoulders of a lean, mean Chris Pratt and a new genetic amalgamation
of terror.
Coming in at number four on our list is Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. This is where the ranking
argument gets a bit heated. Fallen Kingdom displays a stripping of suspenseful elements
and a return to camp. Aside from a beautiful and heartbreaking image of a Brachiosaurus
being consumed by plumes of volcanic ash, many critics felt that the film didn't really
add anything new or memorable to the franchise.
Rex Reed of the Observer wrote...
"[Fallen Kingdom] has more dinosaurs, more screams, and more general chaos, but doesn’t
make a single move to explore a fresh idea or add a new slant on a tired old formula.
As brainless summer-escapism movies go, this one can’t go fast enough."
That being said, the film is still a smorgasbord of both our favorite dinosaurs, and some new
ones. The satisfaction we feel watching that little hard-headed creature tossing all those
rich folks — who capitalized on a cataclysmic disaster — around the auction room is glorious.
It's another fantastic visual representation of the core concept which flows through all
Jurassic films: the hubris of mankind. Not only do we get that delicious framework, but
the introduction of an entirely new intelligent predator who really shakes things up.
Fallen Kingdom introduces the Indoraptor: a genetically engineered super-dinosaur programmed
with a targeting system in the form of a laser pointer. But the formidable monster meets
its match in a somewhat unsatisfying way. The intelligence and might of the Indoraptor
would likely shake off blows from Blue, a smaller raptor, with ease, given the size
difference and the monster's supposed awareness — but the film needs to have Blue to function
as our new anti-hero.
Despite the silly and predictable elements in this film, it's an undeniably enjoyable
experience — and it sets up a massive landscape for writers to explore in the next film, thanks
to Jeff Goldblum's ominous speech at the end.
"We've entered a new era. Welcome to Jurassic World."
The bottom line is that Fallen Kingdom was less of a nail-biting thriller, like the original
film, and more of a celebratory romp of what we've come to know as the filmic representation
of the Mesozoic Era. For some critics, like Allen Almachar of The Macguffin, however,
that makes it hard to even justify the existence of the film beyond box office interests.
Almachar wrote in his review...
"It is a cash grab in the worst possible way, stuffed with callbacks, cameos, and thinly
veiled fan service. It is a spectacular disappointment. This is the kind of movie that challenges
our love of movies, and I don't mean that in a good way."
Following up one of the most legendary and loved films to ever grace the screen is a
tall order. Four years passed before audiences were able to take in more Jurassic Park. Steven
Spielberg and screenwriter David Koepp adapted Michael Crichton's book, The Lost World, to
develop a follow-up to the original film. However, they did take a lot of liberties.
It was a box office success, albeit one that did not surpass the previous film's numbers.
Despite the film's bottom line, it's a part of the series that faced some critical flogging.
The Lost World only had two of the original cast members return in important roles, with
Richard Attenborough only appearing in the first few scenes as John Hammond. The role
of Ian Malcolm is reprised by Jeff Goldblum, and his cool demeanor is arguably the best
part of the whole film. With our old favorite came new additions in Julianne Moore and a
baby-faced Vince Vaughn, fresh off his Swingers success. The cast is enjoyable, but this sequel
sees the franchise steer away from the suspense of the first film and venture into campier
territory.
Case in point, the infamous gymnastics scene. After being trapped by dinosaurs in an abandoned
building, Goldblum's daughter spins through the air and kicks a raptor hard enough to
send it flying through a boarded up window.
"The school cut you from the team?"
As fantastic a filmmaker as Spielberg is, he has a knack for slipping whimsical aspects
into his films that can take things just a step too far. We've all witnessed this habit
a time or two in his other films. There is an argument to be made, however, that the
legendary director's penchant for over-the-top whimsy is what allows for future elements
in his Jurassic franchise to develop even further. And if you really think about it,
that's kind of essential, because you can only tell so many stories about people inexplicably
going to a dinosaur-filled island where everything goes terribly wrong.
Despite negative reviews when the film was first released, The Lost World has actually
become more enjoyable as time has passed. Emmet Asher-Perrin of Tor suggests that it
may not have gotten a fair shake when it first hit screens.
The critic asserted in a 2018 retrospective look...
"If The Lost World was not automatically pitted against Jurassic Park by virtue of being its
sequel, people probably would have gotten a kick out of it."
At the time we all may not have been ready for a T-Rex stampeding through the streets
of San Diego, but now that we've been to Asgard and back it's not quite so unbearably kitsch.
Now it's just fun. Without this controversial direction, the Jurassic World films we know
today would undoubtedly be a much different experience.
After the disappointment of Jurassic Park III, everyone believed the franchise to be
extinct. The Jurassic films faded into the realms of nostalgia; treated with respect,
but seen as a cinematic pastime. Fourteen years went by and then along came the trailer
for Jurassic World. "The park is open" it boasted. Even going back and rewatching the
trailer several years later will stir a childlike excitement for many fans. It comes complete
with the doors of the park opening, shots of dinosaur eggs in a new lab, and a gigantic
aquatic beast that we've never seen before.
Even though Jurassic World was more than occasionally silly, it breathed life back into the franchise.
The situations that filmmakers put the characters into has a suspenseful feel that actually
makes you nervous about what might happen next. It creates an inkling of the anxiety
we felt on our first journey through the park many years ago. The original story of Jurassic
Park can be seen in the framework but this one feels fresh. Jurassic World honors the
original while pulling in elements from the rest of the series to help you not take it
too seriously and to just have a good time.
We want to be thrilled."
"Don't we all."
The entirely new cast is led by Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt. Adding to the stellar
cast is over a decade of C.G.I. technology advancements. All the dinosaurs look incredibly
crisp and realistic. The new dino-villain, Indominus Rex, only exists in the world of
imagination, but we're pretty sure that's exactly what the ultimate predator would look
like. The world presented in this movie feels plausible and has us invested in where we
are going. Not to mention an old familiar lesson is apparent in the story: monetizing
dinosaurs is a very bad idea.
Such high praise makes it seem as though Jurassic World should be placed in the #1 slot on our
list. The film extracts the goods from its amber casing and gives it life. It's a great
cinematic achievement, but there is still something commercial about it — as though
it is almost too polished. The world of dinosaurs is primal and ruthless. The dread that comes
along with the unbiased savagery of the food chain is displayed more in full by Jurassic
World's predecessor.
There are only a handful of cinematic moments in history as iconic as the first moments
we see an open field of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. The classic John Williams score paired
with Alan Grant and Ellie Sadler's stunned awe is a nearly unmatched onscreen moment.
Even all these years later, the special effects are impressively enduring.
If you were born on this side of the millennium, you are likely unaware of the effect Jurassic
Park has had on pop-culture. The film perfectly executes an endless amount of tropes and tricks
that have been used by countless films since. Most memorably being the close-up on the water
trembling in its cup as the monstrous T-rex approaches. Not to mention the understated
reaction from Bob Peck's game warden, Robert Muldoon, when he realizes he has been outsmarted
by raptors. His respect for the creatures outweighs the awareness of his demise as he
mutters his last words…
"Clever girl."
Another classic moment is one of the raptor's displaying menacing intent by rhythmically
tapping his talon against tile while hunting down children in a kitchen.
Revisiting this classic and reliving how amazing it is makes you more judgmental about what
other installments bring to the table. There is a balance that Steven Spielberg achieved
in Jurassic Park: amazement placed right alongside terrifying suspense. While you are scared
for the characters, you just can't look away.
Jurassic Park even has Samuel L. Jackson — and what film hasn't been made better with the
addition of Samuel L. Jackson?
"I'm nice like that."
Jackson is pretty reserved here as one of the computer programmers responsible for the
park's inner workings. However, his charismatic presence is undeniable.
Then there's Jeff Goldblum — in all his unbuttoned glory — as Ian Malcolm. His philosophical
ramblings foreshadowing the demise of the park are cause for alarm. However, the charm
with which he delivers the lines causes you to not take the warnings too seriously. Which
is a beautiful effect given how the story plays out.
The original Jurassic Park hits all the marks for both adults and children. Adults get the
suspense they need from watching Dr. Grant scramble across the park with two kids while
evading vicious predators. Kids get all the majesty of dinosaurs mixed with a borderline
nightmarish warning about bio-ethics.
Regardless, the Jurassic Park & World films are all extremely fun experiences. The ranking
among most of the movies is rarely one that people agree on but one thing is for certain:
everyone agrees on this one. The first Jurassic Park movie is the undeniable king of the franchise.
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