Jurassic Park: A Review

Few pictures reach the legendary status of Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park.

First opening to audiences in 1993, I can hardly imagine the giddiness the movie-goers had seeing dinosaurs captured in such detail and magnificence for the first time on the big screen in such a way. We all know the scene and shot as well. Just as our big three are introduced to the park's true nature, so is the audience. Paired with the swirling score of the masterful John Williams, it can only be described as pure cinema.

It just may be the single most breathtaking sequence ever put to film.

Like any other sane human, I have no problems with this film. Spielberg's direction is masterful, Koepp's script is smart and efficient, even if it does omit much of the more philosophical and scientific questions, as well as the gore and violence found in Crichton's original novel.

I believe that this is to its benefit though. Jurassic Park is a film that can be enjoyed by all ages. It is filled with both Spielberg's ability to create a summer family blockbuster, as well as a wonderfully crafted science fiction thriller. I know I watched it and Jaws at a young age, hell, they're two of my all time favorite movies.

Then of course, there are our big three; Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum, who play all of their characters wonderfully. Whoever thought up this cast list, give them a fucking award because HOLY SHIT do they deserve it.

Neil effortlessly encapsulates the grumpy, aging paleontologist. Who goes from scaring the piss out of a weirdly wandering child at a dig site, to becoming the brief foster father to Hammond's two grandchildren for much of the film.

Dern plays the dashing strong female lead of the film, and a truly iconic exchange comes from this between her and the other Attenborough's John Hammond. Her performance may be one of the most memorable in the flick.

And of course, Goldblum plays the oddly flirtatious mathematician with a love for chaos theory, who spends most of his time at the park declaring the inevitable destruction of the place and flirting with Dern's Dr. Sattler.

What's also great about this picture is the special effects. The intermixing of practical and CGI is decades ahead of its time, and holds true today. From the sickly Triceratops, to the various Velociraptor props, it looks, well, real. If the special effects were even ever so slightly worse, it would harm the picture. If anything, the praise and acclaim of this entire picture is owed entirely to the team behind the special effects.

Then of course, there is the iconic score of John Williams. As all of his scores for cinema, this one is instantly recognizable and loved. In my opinion, besides the scores for Schindler's List and Star Wars, the score for Jurassic Park is his best work.

Hands down.

The sweeping orchestra that introduces us to the island, the somber beats that play as the leave the island, the ripping strings of chase and fear when the velociraptors attack, all of it improves the film ten fold. I mean, the helicopter shot looks good, but not good on it's own. William' score makes it feel good.

And that's the thing about this movie.

As grand of an achievement in film making and imagery Jurassic Park is, and no matter how many times I watch it, I still get that same giggly excitement every time the Brontosaurus first steps on screen. It's able to reach in and find that inner child in all of us. I just can't find the words to explain how much I love this movie. Spielberg knew it, and we know it too. The story does have a meaningful message behind it, but don't dig too deep. That's not the purpose of it. It's simply a piece of pure entertainment and excitement that is unfortunately being sullied by five sequels, two of which I find to be only passable pictures.

But that rant is for another time.

Dinosaurs are neat.

4.5/5

P.S. That kid totally could've just climbed through the fence.