Jurassic Park Film Review

Twenty years has past since we first saw the T Rex and Velociraptor on the big screen. Now they return to the big screen this time with “Jurassic Park” in 3D. One of the questions that lingered in my mind though was “Will Jurassic Park still be as entertaining as it was 20 years ago?” Well I ask you does a T Rex love lamb chops?

The Steven Spielberg classic that originally hit movie theaters on June 11^th, 1993 returned to movie theaters for a 20^th anniversary event on April 5^th, 2013. The movie follows characters Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Ellie Sattler, and Dr. Ian Malcolm, as they are the guest critics of John Hammond’s dinosaur filled theme park, Jurassic Park. The grand children of Hammond, Tim and Lex Murphy also join Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm as they tour the park and find themselves in danger of the dinosaurs. All ends well though as, SPOILER ALERT, the T Rex saves the group from extinction.

The 3D aspect of the movie was one of the main things that appealed the most. I’m not typically one to run out and spend at least $9-$10 a ticket for a 3D movie but “Jurassic Park” was the expectation to that rule, especially knowing that I had an opportunity to see a T Rex coming right at my face. Unfortunately, the 3D aspect didn’t make the movie any better but it didn’t make the movie any worse either. There were no additional scenes added just the 3D effects. The fact that it was in 3D didn’t take away the fact that the story and action still captured my attention all the way through the movie. Certain parts of the movie like first time Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm see all the dinosaurs in the park or when the T Rex is chasing Dr. Malcolm in the jeep benefited from the 3D effects as it made the scene pop a little bit more. Other scenes like the T Rex attacking the card not so much.

One thing is the ability to catch the animatronic nature of the dinosaurs more so now than when someone first watched the film in 1993. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still DINO-rrific seeing a T-Rex chase Jeff Goldblum in the back of a truck, but the realistic nature of it didn’t latch on this time around.

One aspect of the movie that has still held up over time is the soundtrack by John Williams. The beginning and ending theme of Jurassic Park still can send a chill up your spine and put a smile on your face. Williams did a fantastic job composing the theme that helped give you the feeling of good will and hope. I did find myself humming along quite a few times during the movie.

Overall, this is a great film and is especially an experience that another generation of moviegoers should take advantage of after 20 years of the movie being away from the big screen. It is one thing to experience a movie on TV or DVD but it’s another to experience the re-release of a classic movie in the theaters. Even though the 3D aspect didn’t make the movie any better it’s certainly worth seeing in 2D. I give “Jurassic Park” a 4.5 out of 5 stars for its ability to still entertain, 20 years later.