‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Review: Everything You Want, but Somehow Still Not Enough

It’s only been three years since the last Jurassic World movie stomped into theaters, but it feels like a lifetime. The franchise has now left behind Chris Pratt and Colin Trevorrow in favor of Scarlett Johansson and Gareth Edwards, but is it enough to lift Jurassic World Rebirth over its predecessors? Most agree that all three of Pratt’s Jurassic World movies don’t nail the same heights as anything to come from director Steven Spielberg, but there’s some entertainment popcorn fare in there — at least in the first two installments.

It’s safe to say expectations are high for Jurassic World Rebirth, but not unattainably high. Opinions vary on director Gareth Edwards, but with one of the best living actors in Mahershala Ali alongside beloved Marvel veteran Scarlett Johansson, you’ve got enough to fill seats with moderate curiosity. Jurassic World Rebirth even returned veteran scribe David Koepp — who worked on the first two Jurassic Park movies — to write the script. However, is this combination enough to stand with the franchise titans, does it sink to the bottom of dinosaur-filled seas, or somewhere in between?

What Is ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ About?

Jurassic World Rebirth follows Zora Bennett (Johansson), a mercenary tasked with leading a dangerous mission somewhere close to the equator where the last remaining dinosaurs live and thrive. Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) recruits her and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) for his mysterious quest. Before venturing out into the wilderness, the trio decides they need a veteran explorer to help on their journey, which is where Duncan Kincaid (Ali) comes in.

As announced in previous trailers, the site the group visits was the research facility for the original Jurassic Park. It’s where scientists worked on combining DNA and genetics to create more heinous monsters than the average person can imagine. This leaves Zora and Duncan, mostly, to look after the group as they face off against arguably the most dangerous threats the Jurassic franchise has ever brought to life on the big screen.

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Has No Shortage of Great Dinosaur Scenes

Jurassic World Rebirth succeeds in delivering some best-in-class action sequences, which is the one thing that’s vital for any Jurassic movie to get right. The crew encounters land, water, and even sky-based creatures, which allows for different types of showdowns. Director Gareth Edwards does a magnificent job of making each of these encounters feel unique from the last, but also like a step-up — the danger always evolves, which strikes fear into both the audience and the characters.

Edwards also does well showing the scale of the dinosaurs compared not only to the surrounding humans, but other aspects of the environment. This comes as no surprise, however — between his work on Godzilla, Rogue One, and even The Creator, the venerable director has proven to know how to work on a larger scope. Even more unorthodox creatures are compared to things like F-16s to give the audience an idea of just what the team is up against.

While there are plenty of action scenes to get riled up about, it’s hard not to be disappointed in the scenes that come between. Trailers essentially spoil the majority of the story, which isn’t particularly compelling — especially when juxtaposed to Spielberg’s Jurassic Park movies. It’s hard not to let the mind wander when the crew moves from one location to another; many of the jokes meant to pass the time don’t land, and there are a few characters who aren’t developed enough for the audience to care about spending any time with them.

The Jurassic Franchise Belongs to Mahershala Ali Now

Scarlett Johansson’s career has been relatively quiet following her final Marvel appearance in Black Widow , and Jurassic World Rebirth marks her return to a blockbuster role for the first time in four years. Unfortunately, David Koepp’s script doesn’t effectively utilize her talent, almost going as far as dismissing it — often concluding scenes with out-of-nowhere jokes that don’t fit into the conversation. During her more serious moments, Johansson shines as Zora, but these are few and far between until the final act.

Whether it’s a script perfectly set up to shine a light on Duncan or the raw talent of Mahershala Ali — who has won two Oscars from both his nominations — it’s hard to dispute that he’s the biggest star of the film. For the entire runtime, Ali’s Duncan effortlessly strikes the perfect balance of comedy, leadership, and compassion, something that other characters struggle to maintain during single scenes. If Jurassic World Rebirth performs well enough to fetch a sequel, we can only hope that Ali will be part of it.

The other characters are wildly hit or miss. It’s clear who you’re supposed to be rooting for and against, and there aren’t enough twists to make you regret either decision at all. Jonathan Bailey does a fine job as Dr. Henry Loomis, bringing an energy that is easy to relate to. But there are a few characters the story focuses on entirely too much, so much so that it left me wondering more than once how much longer it was going to be before we checked in on Zora, Duncan, and Dr. Loomis.

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Is a Mixed Bag of a Good Time

Jurassic World Rebirth was produced on a reported budget of around $180 million, meaning it will need close to $400 million to break even. However, considering there hasn’t been a Jurassic World movie that grossed less than $1 billion, it would be extremely shocking to see it finish its run as anything less than a major financial hit.

Ultimately, Jurassic World Rebirth isn’t good enough to elevate the franchise in any meaningful way, but it isn’t bad enough to concerningly weigh it down. Most who buy a ticket to Jurassic World Rebirth are expecting to have a good time with some fun, dinosaur-smashing action, and there’s plenty of that to please; it’s worth the price of admission for those interested in some fun popcorn fare.

Jurassic World Rebirth is now playing in theaters everywhere. Follow Agents of Fandom on socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.