JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH

Thirty-two years ago, life found a way and Jurassic Park became one of the most iconic films of all time. To this day it remains the blueprint for how to deliver a perfect summer blockbuster and spawned the creation of several sequels in the process. The seventh film of the franchise arrives in the shape of Jurassic World Rebirth but can it get the franchise back on track after the dismal effort that was Jurassic World: Dominion?

Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) leads a team of skilled operatives to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park. Their mission is to secure genetic material from dinosaurs whose DNA can provide life-saving benefits to mankind. As the top-secret expedition becomes more and more risky, they soon make a sinister, shocking discovery that's been hidden from the world for decades.

The more recent Jurassic films can be accused of taking the focus off the dinosaurs and becoming far too convoluted for their own good. In fact, some committed the cardinal sin of making the dinosaurs boring. Rebirth does a good job in repairing the damage done by Dominion from the off, though it's still quite hard to believe the world would get bored of dinosaurs so quickly. After a terrifying opening, where the slobbish nature of Dennis Nedry lives on in regards to the downfall of the facility in utterly ridiculous fashion, we are introduced to our characters in play for this adventure. David Koepp returns to write for the first time in the franchise since The Lost World and it comes with mixed results, as only a few characters get any real background and the plot is as basic as it gets. The latter actually works for the film because it goes back to basics, sets out the agenda early on and doesn't have too much excess baggage, which is what has weighed down the previous two films.

What that means is they actually put the dinosaurs front and centre of the film again and they are indeed glorious. Brought to life through some wonderful visual effects and use of animatronics, the sense of awe and wonder is brought back to the franchise in moments reminiscent of the first film in particular. A prime example of this comes during the moment the team come across a group of Titanosaurus - the reaction from the characters, Jonathan Bailey's Dr Loomis in particular evoking emotion along with a beautiful piece to accompany it from Alexandre Desplat's score, which itself makes its mark on the franchise. It's a moment to take it all in and make note of just how small we are in this world.

There's some utterly thrilling sequences throughout the film as it moves along at such a pace once the team head towards the island. The best of them include water with a pulsating escape from a group of Spinosaurus and a Mosasaurus first up, introducing them to the threats they'll face on their mission. Then comes the infamous river sequence finally adapted from the first novel, nerve-shredding as a family try to evade a sleeping T-Rex to make their way to safety. Originally, Steven Spielberg wanted to include it in the first film but couldn't due to logistical and budgetary reasons, but it's worth the wait here as Gareth Edwards delivers one of the best sequences from the entire franchise, the director showcasing some Spielbergian flair to crank up the tension. Littered throughout are more entertaining encounters on land and in the air, but look out for the iconic Velociraptor in a great little moment that shows why some of these dinosaurs were left on this island after being deemed too dangerous for Jurassic Park.

Coming to the performances, as always in a Jurassic film, there's a few that are disposable making it obvious who isn't going to make it out alive however, for the most part the cast do a great job in making this a worthwhile adventure. Leading the charge is Scarlett Johansson as Zora Bennett, commanding the screen with an authoritive presence. Johansson has admittedly always wanted to star in a Jurassic film and you can sense the joy she experienced bringing her character to life. Jonathan Bailey makes for a fun addition to the franchise as Dr Henry Loomis, a paleontologist who has always dreamed of seeing a dinosaur in its natural habitat. His performance during the Titanosaurus scene captures the emotion of the moment incredibly well. It is the dinosaurs who are the real stars of the show and they do not disappoint, the D-Rex getting a moment to make you really sit back and take in stock just why it was left on this island.

Jurassic World Rebirth washes away the bad taste left by Dominion, with Gareth Edwards well and truly at home in directing a film from this franchise. Thrills and spills aplenty, whether it kickstarts a new trilogy remains to be seen however, one thing's for sure; Gareth Edwards should be welcomed back to make more of these in a heartbeat.

Verdict: ★★★★

4K Release - Bonus Features

Jurassic World Rebirth is now available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD, and includes a range of bonus features that offer fascinating insight into how this new era of the franchise was brought to life.

Hatching a New Era

From the excitement of everyone involved in bringing another Jurassic film to life, to scouting such idyllic locations like Thailand, this is a thorough look at what it takes to make one of these films work. Broken into segments for various sequences in the film, this hour-long making-of documentary is a treat for any Jurassic fan. Off the Deep End highlights the mammoth task of shooting on open water and delivering high-octane action sequences on the water for the first time in the franchise. Don't Look Down examines the Quetzalcoatlus sequence — from training to execution—which went on to become one of the film's most thrilling moments. It's Rex in the Rapids for me, that is the real treat here, showing how the iconic scene from Michael Crichton Jurassic Park novel was finally brought to life on the big screen. Scrapped from the first film, you can sense the pressure of getting it right, and they certainly did with a moment that ranks amongst the best in the franchise.

Munched: Becoming Dino Food

Short and sweet, this neat little addition might be my favourite of the bonus features. It focuses on the members of the cast who meet their demise at the hands of a dinosaur and emphasises just how much people want to be killed by a dinosaur in a Jurassic film. If you're going to go out, it might as well be memorable, right?

Everything else...

There's plenty of other bonus features to be found on the home release, ranging from a short gag reel to an easter egg hunt, highlighting what Gareth Edwards and his crew wanted to pay tribute to in the film. They play their part in making this home release well worth checking out.

JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH IS NOW AVAILABLE TO OWN ON 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY™ AND DVD