Jurassic World Rebirth is predictably derivative but entertaining

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Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Godzilla, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) directs this new installment in the Jurassic Park franchise. Written by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man), the story involves de-extinct dinosaurs living on a remote island once used by InGen as a research facility. Pharmaceutical company ParkerGenix sends covert operator Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) and paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) on a secret mission to retrieve biomaterials from the three largest prehistoric creatures living on the island. (134 min.)

Glen: Judging by the theater full of excited kids, this is the best film ever made! Of course, it helps if you’re too young to have seen all the films that came before it. I, on the other hand, have watched all eight of the films in the franchise, including the 10-minute short, Battle at Big Rock (2019). As a seasoned Jurassic Parker, I found this newest installation to be predictably derivative. Got to have imperiled children, right? Cue the Delgado family making a transatlantic journey in a sailboat that gets capsized by a Mosasaurus, which—hey!—is one of the three creatures Bennett and her team must track and get blood samples from. Need an evil company man who puts profits ahead of people. Meet ParkerGenix stooge Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend). Gotta have a bigger and badder dino, right? May I present Distortus rex, a mutant Tyrannosaurus rex with six limbs? Will dinos stalk humans in confined spaces? Of course! Will there be a scene of music-swelling wonderment in the presence of gigantic but gentle herbivores? Duh! If you think the eighth film in the franchise will reinvent the wheel, think again. That said, this is a classic summer blockbuster.

Anna: Thank God that Distortus Rex got to keep his little tiny T-Rex arms and also grow big ol’ steroid bro arms through his mutations—it truly creates something much less dinosaur and much more monster in appearance. These films can’t help themselves from getting increasingly ridiculous, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t still fun. I was a kid when the first came out, and a dino-loving kid at that. It holds a special place in my heart. Even the second and third films will always have a spot on my DVD shelf. Then the franchise took a big break, and when it returned, I couldn’t help but feel the sequels had lost the plot. With Jurassic World in 2015, there was some excitement for brand reinvigoration, and it was decent. Since then, the plotlines have spiraled in ridiculous ways, but hey—am I going to see every one of these films in the theater? You bet. It may not be the comfort food for me that the original is, but Jurassic World: Rebirth is the epitome of a summer blockbuster, and there’s no better way to see those than on the big screen in air conditioning.

Glen: Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid, the boat captain who brings the team into dangerous waters, is always terrific, imbuing Duncan with warmth. He and Zora have a long history together. ScarJo came across as a credible covert operator, and Audrina Miranda as Isabella, the youngest of the Delgado family, was appropriately scared to death. Look, none of the sequels have topped the original, but for sheer spectacle, they’re usually worth watching.

Anna: They have the formula and characters down, and the brand has enough money behind it to pack the screen with stars. Spectacle is a key word here, and this experience doesn’t fall short. I’d rather pay matinee prices for this overblown type of film, but it’s worth an afternoon in the theater. If you’ve liked what they’ve given you before, put this on your list to see this summer.

Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

This article appears in Jul 10-20, 2025.