Think back to 1992, when Jurassic Park first hit the screens and how awe-inspiring it was. Dinosaurs that were not stop motion but seemed real, interacting with humans and Steven Spielberg using all the muster he had from Jaws to produce an exciting, nail-biting adventure. The next two had their moments, but it was a case of ‘we’ve been there before.’ Then came the reboot Jurassic World, and while it never hit the heights of the original, it had plenty of new and inventive moments to boost the level of nerve-jangling. Then we had the two sequels that, once again, failed to deliver. Now we have a reboot of the reboot in Jurassic World: Rebirth, and the issues with this film, while it has plenty of moments, are that familiarity breeds contempt.

The world has become bored with dinosaurs, and they have headed to the equator to live their lives, while it is against the law to visit these places. A big corporation decides to send a team to extract the DNA from live dinosaurs to produce groundbreaking medicines. However, the group of mercenaries, a dinosaur expert, and the company’s chief venture onto the island, where they have been experimenting with mutations.

Rogue One director Gareth Edwards is no stranger to giant creatures, having helmed the low-budget Monsters back in 2010. He has managed to incorporate elements of Spielberg’s touch in building tension. Taking the story back to the isnads, where trees and forests replace the human-built structures of the modern world, is a wise decision. It gives flashes of the original film. The first half is mainly set on the ocean, so we get a Jaws sense, as the ship with the group silently heads to capture the DNA, and at the same time, a family on a sailing trip find themselves in danger from the perils of the deep.

Edwards and the screenwriter, David Koepp, take their time to allow the characters to develop. Security expert and all-around action girl Zora, the captain of the boat that is taking the motley crew, including Duncan, dinosaur expert Dr Henry Loomis, and CEO Martin Krebs, along with some disposable crew members, and we also get Reuben and his family on their yacht. Then the action begins, and the ocean sequence is top-notch, with the family members and the DNA hunters merging in a fight against incredible odds.

Once they reach the island, it’s a mix of familiar survival and extracting the DNA, leading to moments of cliff-hanging adventure. It’s at this point that the film enters the territory of “we’ve been here before”. The dinosaurs no longer have the wow factor, and having watched hundreds of effect-heavy movies, these monsters are no longer as special. The set pieces, while well-executed, don’t have the same impact, and no matter how hard Edwards and Koepp try to inject new blood, it doesn’t always work.

The cast is strong, with Scarlett Johansson leading the pack as Zora, while Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali plays it laid-back as the captain, and Wicked star Jonathan Bailey does a fine job as the doctor. Yet the monsters are the stars, and they are perfectly acceptable, but never mind-blowing. Even the mutated dinosaurs are not half as impressive as watching that field of brontosaurus in the Spielberg classic.

Jurassic World: Rebirth is a valiant attempt to breathe fresh life into a series that was struggling, and it is enjoyable while watching, but once you leave, it will probably be hard to distinguish it from the other Jurassic films. Perhaps it’s time to let this franchise rest and become extinct.

3 out of 5

Director: Gareth Edwards

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Ruffo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Ed Skrein, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain

Written by David Koepp and (based on the characters created) Michael Crichton

Running Time: 134 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 2nd July 2025