From making promises to dinosaurs to the big guys having combat buddies … Jurassic World Dominion is a necessary conclusion to the current trilogy. I don’t mean that in a good way.
Jurassic World Dominion Synopsis
It is four years after the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and humanity is nowhere near a solution for the dinosaurs now running amok across the world. Amidst this pandemonium, the company Biosyn establishes a sanctuary in the Dolomites and promises medical breakthroughs through genetic research. Is this the dawn of a new tomorrow for Earth or is Biosyn doomed to suffer the fate of InGen? Or is Biosyn harbouring darker desires and secrets, beginning with how the questionable Dr. Henry Wu is among its ranks?
Snappy Review
I’m sure you’d be familiar with the following experience if you’ve ever visited a Disney or Universal theme park.
It’s a happy day at a happy place! You’re all hyped up and giddy from adrenalin. You’re even wearing some silly, superbly overpriced hat that you normally wouldn’t be seen dead in, as you prance from ride to ride.
After several rounds with the kiddie coasters, you decide to try the star attraction. You know, the one with the nightmarish queue that’s inspired by a famous movie franchise? And then you queue and queue, and you don’t mind the wait because there are all these references from the movies in the queuing area to keep you distracted. That’s how waiting areas for such rides are designed, btw, to ensure you don’t grouch too much.
Finally, it’s your turn! FINALLY! And you cheer and scream like a hysterical kindergartener. Two minutes later, you’re at the exit. And you look at your watch and you go, WTH? That was three hours?! Three hours just flew by like THAT?!?!
…
I’m blabbing, of course, but I’m doing so because the above is the best way I can describe Jurassic World Dominion with. A 2.5-hour wait for something breakthrough to happen, but in the end, and very much like what happened with Fallen Kingdom, a case of starting and ending at the same point.
A wait you certainly wouldn’t opt/die for, but can’t complain too loudly because the show keeps throwing references and Easter Eggs at you so enthusiastically. It’s almost like a themed ride’s themed shop advert.
To be clear, I’m not saying Dominion is downright awful; at least, I don’t think it deserves the the 1-star review by The Guardian. But as the much-hyper “conclusion” to the current World trilogy, this is seriously no finale. While it has its moments, this is no more than a go at dumping mains old and new together, and setting up the premise for the next trilogy. Yup, you bet there’d be another one. Commerce already found a way.
In fact, the ever-reliable Jeff Goldblum gave that away. I strongly feel the sardonic Dr. Malcolm wasn’t just mocking the actions of the others during the finale, he was dissing how franchise developments. From the survival horror grip of the first movie, the story is now, partly, about making promises to savage dinosaurs. And carrying miniature beastie buddies about. And using Quetzalcoatluses as attack jets.
What’s down the road?!? Dino sidekicks? Sidekicks controlled by watches?
I shudder to imagine. But for the moment, it’s a conclusion. Let’s stay happy for a while.
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