‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ review: Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali star in toothless addition to franchise

Dir: Gareth Edwards. US. 2025. 133mins

Viewers have by no means needed to fear in regards to the dinosaurs carrying their weight in the Jurassic Park franchise — as an alternative, these movies usually stay or die on the energy of their human characters, who are supposed to present a rooting curiosity amid the thrills and carnage. Sadly, Jurassic World Rebirth suffers mightily in that regard, burdened by a bland assortment of mercenaries, scientists and capitalists operating for his or her lives. However this sequel’s actual sin is the actual fact the often fearsome beasts should not suitably terrifying, leading to some mildly efficient motion sequences however nothing that implies the sequence is within the throes of a artistic renewal.

 Makes an attempt at homage solely underline what’s in any other case threadbare 

Rebirth follows on the heels of a wildly profitable trilogy — 2015’s Jurassic World ($1.7bn worldwide), 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ($1.3bn) and 2022’s Jurassic World: Dominion ($1bn) — all of which starred Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard as bickering lovebirds. The brand new movie, which is directed by UK filmmaker Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) options Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, so there’s loads of industrial firepower for this seventh instalment in a franchise that started with 1993’s Jurassic Park. Certainly, box-office monitoring signifies Rebirth ought to be one other large hit, with critics’ complaints swiftly ignored by the plenty.

Johansson performs Zora, a grasp of covert operations, who’s recruited by slimy pharmaceutical liaison Martin (Rupert Buddy) for a extremely secretive, extraordinarily unlawful operation. 5 years after the occasions of Jurassic World: Dominion, and with public curiosity in dinosaurs waning, the animals now reside solely alongside Earth’s equator, the place they will survive because of the upper temperatures and richer oxygen. People are now not permitted in these areas for their very own security.

However Martin can pay Zora — in addition to her right-hand man, professional boat captain Duncan (Ali) — thousands and thousands to infiltrate the world with a view to retrieve the blood of three mammoth dinosaurs that would present key substances to life-saving medication. Joined by nerdy palaeontologist Henry (Bailey), the crew embarks on this harmful expedition, discovering one of many islands incorporates mutant dinosaurs created in a lab that was quickly overrun by the monstrous creatures.

In his movies Monsters and Godzilla, Edwards has demonstrated a capability to render otherworldly beasts in hanging, virtually poetic vogue. So he would appear match to conjure up the surprise and horror of towering dinosaurs, particularly as he’s joined by screenwriter David Koepp, who wrote or co-wrote the primary two Jurassic Park footage. And but, Rebirth feels puny in its ambitions, struggling to execute its doubtlessly novel narrative concepts.

The movie consciously echoes the 1993 authentic, which was directed by Steven Spielberg (who serves right here as an govt producer), with composer Alexandre Desplat mimicking John Williams’ hovering Jurassic Park themes. However the makes an attempt at homage solely underline what’s in any other case threadbare about Edwards’ method. The people’ inevitable run-ins with the hungry critters produce few memorable moments — whether or not by land, sea or air — which is made worse by the actual fact the characters should not notably attention-grabbing.

Regardless of her assured efficiency because the deadly, acrobatic Black Widow within the Marvel movies, Johansson not often will get to shine as Rebirth’s would-be motion hero. In between scare sequences, Zora is permitted a number of moments to indicate a softer aspect, however Koepp’s underwhelming script retains her one-dimensional. A vital early scene between Zora and Duncan — outdated pals who spend a quiet interlude mourning the family members they’ve misplaced — means to ascertain their bond however has little emotional affect. The identical goes for the introduction of an on a regular basis household, led by protecting father Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), that Zora might want to safeguard alongside the best way.

Actually, as a result of all of the characters do persistently silly issues, which put them conveniently in hurt’s manner, one is likely to be forgiven for cheering on the beasts making an attempt to devour them. A minimum of the creatures exude somewhat moxie, with Edwards’ design crew dreaming up a number of really nightmarish mutant dinosaurs that evoke recollections of Alien. Rebirth is the form of movie that makes it straightforward to guess which supporting characters will likely be eaten first, as a result of they don’t have any character – however even the primary gamers come throughout as completely disposable dinosaur fodder.