Movie Review - Jurassic World: Dominion

Director: Colin Trevorrow
Genre: Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 146 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, Isabella Sermon, Campbell Scott, BD Wong, Omar Sy, Justice Smith
 
Description: Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures in a new Era.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 23: AN ADVENTURE MOVIE

Review: The image we have of dinosaurs today was largely shaped by Steven Spielberg’s now classic film and masterpiece “Jurassic Park”. Science is now a lot further along in its knowledge of these creatures.

In the third film in the Jurassic World trilogy and sixth in the Jurassic Park franchise, humans have learned to live with the escaped dinosaurs. Biosyn, a multinational company with good intentions, has started a reserve in the Italian Dolomites and is taking care of the global dinosaur population. However, they are particularly interested in Maisie Lockwood, a girl who is a clone of her own mother, a deceased scientist from the time that Jurassic Park was build.

Maisie lives in the forest in the U.S. with Owen and Claire, who have each found their own way of dealing with the dinosaurs. When Biosyn also appear to be responsible for the extinction of global agricultural crops and threatens to disrupt the food chain, it’s time for action. None other than Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Ian Malcolm and Dr. Ellie Sattler all turn up to fight Biosyn and find out the truth.

There’s a lot going on in this film. Even with over two and a half hours on the clock, it seems to be cramming to give so much plot and so many characters space. It is therefore striking how nicely everything falls into place. The storylines of the old and new group largely run separately, but do interlock constantly. Even new characters, such as the tough Kayla Watts, are given ample space and a full role.

You would almost forget that this movie is mainly about the dinosaurs, but director Colin Trevorrow constantly uses them when they help the story along, or simply guarantee spectacular action. Trevorrow also throws in some food for thought, but doesn’t rub it in.

It is clear that the makers have an enormous love for 1993’s “Jurassic Park”. It is expressed in shots that are borrowed one-on-one from Spielberg’s masterpiece. You could see it as cheap copying or paying an homage to a film that pioneered the use of computer effects and old school animatronics. Trevorrow didn’t shy away from these either.

“Jurassic World: Dominion” is getting mixed reviews. But I look at it this way: I knew going in, that it was never going to top “Jurassic Park” and no movie in this franchise ever did, will or tried to. The plot might be a little bit so-so, and there is a lot of fan-service and nostalgia in “Jurassic World: Dominion. I loved seeing the old and new gang, together and apart. The film was highly entertaining, we got to see a bunch of dinosaurs, some we already knew and some for the first time. The action is fast paced and it didn’t bore me for one second. Is it a great movie: no, but it’s still good, enjoyable and fun. And as a “Jurassic Park” fan, I loved all the hints to the original and the fan-service. So, I won’t talk crap, because I liked the film and it entertained me.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Lupin (Season 1)

Season: 1

Genre: Crime/ Drama
Number of episodes: 5
Year: 2021
Starring: Omar Sy, Vincent Londez, Ludivine Sagnier, Hervé Pierre, Etan Simon

Description: Inspired by the adventures of Arséne Lupin, gentleman thief Assane Diop (Omar Sy) sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family.  

Review: Assane Diop was still a teenager when his father was accused of stealing an extremely expensive necklace. His father then took his own life. Years later, when Assane is now a father himself, the collar reappears. He decides to steal the collar, because that is what he is very good at these days, thanks to a previously obtained book from his father. He just has to do it in the Louvre.
The series is really fantastically put together, making it exciting at every moment. It starts already in the first episode where he plans a heist in the Louvre to get his hands on the piece of jewelry his father was accused of stealing. Down to the last detail, he knows how to plan it. it is somewhat reminiscent of the series “Sherlock”, where we see in detail how he solves cases and what he sees that others do not.
In the series we also see how he came to his action and how he actually became the new Lupin. There are therefore plenty of flashbacks between the present and the youth of Assane Diop.
Big compliments to Omar Sy. We have of course known for a long time that he is a solid and capable actor. Who does not remember his excellent role of Driss in “Intouchables”? He plays the role of Assane Diop really well. He provides a dimensional characters, that feels more like just a character.
If you start, you just sit through at and finish it in one sitting. A really great series at the beginngin of 2021.

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 18: Inferno

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Ben Foster, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy

Description: When Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), and together they must race across Europe against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.

Review: In 2017, author Dan Brown will release his new book “Origin”. This will be the fifth book where Robert Langdon tries to solve puzzles and mysteries. It was actually time for “The Lost Symbol” to be turned into a film, but director Ron Howard preferred to work on “Inferno”.
Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, with a nasty head wound. He doesn’t know how he got there or what happened to him. Langdon doesn’t have a lot of time to think about that. While Langdon is constantly hallucinating, he has to flee the hospital and doctor Sienna helps him. Eventually Langdon finds out more about what happened to him and together with Sienna he has to stop a catastrophe from happening.
Dan Brown took Dante’s Inferno as his theme for this story. The story and execution are very entertaining, but everything that happens goes a little bit too easy. Langdon sees a riddle or clue and within seconds he gives us the answer to it. And logics is also something they didn’t use a lot for “Inferno”. When you set that aside, you’re going to enjoy “Inferno”.
Tom Hanks is still really good as Robert Langdon. If it wasn’t for him, “Inferno” wouldn’t be as interesting. The chase scenes in the film exciting, but the plot is sometimes predictable. The plot twist in “Inferno” was a little strange. I didn’t really like that part.
I’m a big fan of Dan Brown’s books. So far “The Da Vinci Code” is still the best book to movie adaptation and sadly “Inferno” is my least favorite. Still not a bad movie, but it’s not that refreshing or surprising.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 78: Jurassic World

Director: Colin Treverrow

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Runtime: 124 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Irrfan Khan, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, BD Wong, Judy Greer, Jimmy Fallon

Description: Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.

Review: It’s pretty hard to come with a new sequel, 22 years after the original masterpiece “Jurassic Park” by Steven Spielberg. The movie didn’t only have a perfect balance between tension, action, humor, with memorable characters and good actors. It also introduced the audience to impressive, realistic looking dinosaurs. The plot and the location of the original sort of reused for “Jurassic World”. It’s an enjoyable film filled with action, humor and great references to the original.

The movie opens with a hatching dino egg and the movie title. Next we meet two young boys, Zach and Gray, who are on their way to the park, where there aunt Claire works as an operations manager.

Director Colin Trevorrow is clearly a fan of the original and uses many subtle and less subtle references. Off course the base of the film is similar to “Jurassic Park: people create dinosaurs, dollar signs in their eyes, and learn a lesson that wild animals can’t be tamed. The theme music from the original is also present, which still gives you goosebumps. And the shots from the helicopter, with green mountains and waterfalls, is also nothing new. There is also a funny dialogue where a Jurassic World employee, Lowery, tells us he is a fan of the park. He even wears a Jurassic Park T-shirt. He thinks the new park is fake, because the original park had real dinosaurs, instead of mutated hybrids. It’s a good thing that the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously on this point, and Jake Johnson is the perfect actor to set that tone.

With that mutated dinosaur he refers to the first genetically modified hybrid. Because dinosaurs are becoming ‘normal’ and not ‘wow’ enough. People want to see scary animals, with more teeth. We meet the Mososaurus, the first sea creature in the series, that is the star of a Sea World like show. But the movie is about the Indominus Rex, a mix of a T-Rex and… the rest is classified. There is also a big role for the velociraptors. In “Jurassic World” the raptors are trained by ex-marine Owen Grady, a role played by Chris Pratt. This whole concept sounds ridiculous, but surprisingly works.

The movie also has humor. The previous Jake Johnson, as Lowery, is the comic relief. But also Chris Pratt’s character is funny. He also has enough chemistry with Bryce Dallas Howard, to keep it all interesting. Pratt doesn’t claim all the attention, but has so much charisma and is one of the biggest stars of the moment. He can easily carry a movie. Dallas Howard’s character starts out a bit stereotypical, but makes a good switch from cold businesswoman to full-on action heroine.

When you go see this movie, you shouldn’t expect to be wowed as much as “Jurassic Park”. It’s simply impossible to get that same feeling you got from the original. But even though “Jurassic World” looks like a ‘been there, done that” movie, it never bothers you. It’s a great dedication to the original, highly enjoyable and entertaining and it has some nice twists. “Jurassic World” is definitely a movie worth watching, if you’re a fan or not.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 81: Intouchables

Director: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Audrey Fleurot, Anne Le Ny

Description: After Phillipe (François Cluzet) becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, young Driss (Omar Sy) is hired to be his caretaker.

Review: How do you objectively judge one of the biggest French cinema hits ever? Just forget everything that was said before and experience the movie called “Intouchables”. It doesn’t only make you laugh out loud at times, but at the same time you feel the mental pain of someone with a physical handicap and someone with a troubled social background.

The film is based on the true story of a French millionaire, who became quadriplegic after an accident. He hires an underprivileged young man, because he’s the only one who sees him as a person.

What we get to see next is a heart ripping and honest story of two completely different men, with a reconcilable characters. They dare to step over boundaries and trust each other. Driss opens up to Phillipes world of art, classical music and ethics and Phillipe is convinced by Driss and his love for Earth Wind & Fire. Both actors, François Cluzet and Omar Sy, steal your heart and show us a phenomenal performance.

“Intouchables” shows us that all the prejudices you might have about underprivileged people should end up in a bin. This movie touched me in every way possible. The French know how to make movies, but this one is extraordinary. This is a film everyone should have seen at least once in their life.

Rating: 5/ 5