‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ Review: Gareth Edwards Reignites The Jurassic Spectacle On The Big Screen
Photo from Universal Pictures
From Joe Peltzer
Jurassic World: Rebirth is a welcome, if slightly worn, return to the series, a film that wears its franchise lineage proudly, blending familiar beats from the original trilogy with a surprising emphasis on the chaos and tone of Jurassic Park III. While the seventh entry in the series could easily feel like it's running low on fuel, it finds new life through sheer spectacle, a strong cast, and a second half packed with thrilling set pieces and genuinely terrifying moments that remind you why we keep coming back for more.
Scarlett Johansson leads the latest entry as mercenary Zora Bennett, set five years after the events of Jurassic World: Dominion, leading a covert team into the remnants of the original Jurassic Park’s research facility, now a crumbling, overgrown island location teeming with mutated danger. Tasked with recovering invaluable genetic material that could revolutionize modern medicine and accompanied by scientist Jonathan Bailey (Dr. Henry Loomis), fellow mercenary Mahershala Ali (Duncan Kincaid), and businessman Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), the mission quickly spirals beyond their control after a family rescue detour leads to mounting dangers in their journey to complete the mission and, at the end of the day, survive.
There’s something to be said for a franchise that keeps pulling in massive audiences and box office wins, even when critics haven’t always been kind, something I suspect will continue with this outing. And while franchise fatigue and a sluggish beginning third of the film might test your patience, Jurassic World: Rebirth ultimately delivers an exhilarating ride. Anchored by a delightfully nerdy and confident turn from Bailey, a steady performance from Johannson, and a vibrant presence from Ali, Rebirth feels like a much-needed palate cleanser after the missteps of the previous two entries.
Bailey proves he’s got what it takes to be a leading man, even in a blockbuster like this, bringing a mix of intelligence, dry humor, and quiet intrigue that makes his character feel like a modern evolution of Alan Grant. He effortlessly anchors the film, giving it a steady emotional center. Johannson, meanwhile, brings sharp physicality and presence to her role, overcoming some clunky early dialogue in scenes attempting to mine too much depth from her character’s backstory with Ali. Once past that, she clicks into place as the perfect on-screen partner for Bailey, balancing grit with charm in a dynamic that helps carry the film through.
There’s truly nothing like seeing dinosaurs on the big screen, a cinematic thrill that Steven Spielberg established for us with the original Jurassic Park. No matter how the stories evolve (or devolve) from film to film, the awe and adrenaline of the simplest dinosaurs remain the franchise’s most reliable draw. With Rebirth, director Gareth Edwards taps back into the fear and suspense of the original trilogy, keeping the setup refreshingly straightforward: danger on an island. The river raft scene, a notable exclusion when the first Michael Crichton novel was adapted for the big screen, finds new life in an absolutely riveting scene that cements itself as one of the best of the series. The new top beast, the Distorus Rex, is a standout creation, an unnerving hybrid that evokes the menace of a Xenomorph crossed with a Rancor (as it was inspired), and it’s used to maximum effect in a series of tense, visually stunning sequences. I’d also die for Dolores, the adorable little youngster Dino that befriends Audrina Miranda’s Isabella. Classic favorites return too, from the T-Rex to a bladder-emptying moment featuring velociraptors. Rebirth is overflowing with dinosaur mayhem in all the right ways.
Is it the best movie? No. Do I care? Also no. Jurassic World: Rebirth may stumble with its undercooked human drama, but that hardly matters when Edwards so clearly understands why we keep showing up. It strips things back to the franchise’s core DNA and delivers exactly what it promises in thrilling, larger-than-life spectacle. When Alexandre Desplat’s score hits with echoes of John Williams’ iconic theme, especially as Bailey’s Loomis gazes in quiet wonder at a Titanosaurus roaming the valley, it’s chill inducing. Rebirth reignites my excitement for the series, serving up a pure summer blockbuster that is sure to please audiences of all ages. Let Edwards cook with the inevitable sequel; he simply gets it.
Rating: 3.5/5
Jurassic World: Rebirth is now playing in theaters.
