Why I have been thinking about Total Recall (1990).

This is one example of the attention to detail in Total Recall. Here we see the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos (Image courtesy of scifi.stackexchange.com)

I have been thinking about Total Recall (1990)-- starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by the great Paul Verhoeven--  a lot recently and its place among the greats of sci-fi. When some critics and regular movie goers mention the great sci-fi films the typical films are mentioned such as Star Wars,  Blade Runner, Alien, Aliens, 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Matrix. After recently watching Total Recall  a couple of times  I now hold the opinion that it should be spoken of when one considers the other great sci-fi films. Technically and philosophically it may not be as profound as Blade Runner or 2001… or as groundbreaking in terms of action like The Matrix but it certainly represents the bridge or the link between the great sci-fi films such as Blade Runner and the more modern ones such as The Matrix. Jonathan Rosenbaum, from the Chicago Reader, rightly states that the film found its own niche in the dystopian concept that was developed for Blade Runner. This made Total Recall less derivative and superficial than the immediate successors to Blade Runner. Just like Blade Runner,  Total Recall was based on a novel by Philip K. Dick. If one were to use the strict criteria for greatness then Total Recall won’t fit the bill for a lot of people but appearances might be deceiving because the film moves forward at a high pace and barely stops for breath. A lot of its unique qualities can be missed and it would be easy for some people to dismiss it and call it just a very good action film. All of its more important contributions to sci-fi, however, are quite clear in the moments when it takes a breather from all the gunfire. As I will briefly highlight there is a reason why this film was an important stepping stone in sci-fi and this is due not just to the special effects and make up but to the thematic elements that had a significant impact on the sci-fi films that succeeded it.

Firstly, Total Recall is great because it makes one of the first serious attempts to question the nature of reality. The scene when the doctor appears at Quaid’s (Arnold) room door at the Hilton hotel in  Mars to try and convince him that he is living out his fantasy strapped to a chair in the company called Recall is very influential. He offers Quaid a red pill to swallow as it is a  symbol of his desire to return to reality. A red pill? What does that remind you of? Of course, that moment in The Matrix when Morpheus gives Neo  a choice between the red pill and the blue pill. If Neo takes the blue pill he stays in the matrix but if he takes the red pill it will make it easier for Morpheus to track him and release his body and mind from the fantasy that is the matrix. If only he took the blue pill. In Total Recall it is a more meaningless gesture or a symbol. It was probably just a pill to put him into a deep sleep in order for the agency to start over with Quaid by having him forget the recent events.

There are also a lot of questions to be asked regarding the role played by Hauser the man who the agency brainwashed into thinking that he was Douglas Quaid. Was it an elaborate ruse? Who is the true individual, Hauser or Quaid? As Kuato said ‘You are what you do.’ When Mars is freed from bondage Quaid has a terrible thought that he is dreaming. Melina sets him straight by saying ‘Kiss me before you wake up.’  Sort of reminds me of the ending for Inception (2010). With all that went on before you do have to wonder if Quaid really was dreaming all along or just acting out his ego trip, strapped to a chair in Recall. This film does find a way to make you question the reality of the situation and that is a major achievement. The scene with Quaid, his fake wife Lori and the doctor in a hotel on Mars is a scene that truly gets you thinking when you watch it for the first time.  In fact it all starts when Quaid decides to go to Recall and experience Mars as a dream and ego trip and becomes the basis for his reality to be questioned. This film really does play with the idea that things are not what they seem. It just  goes to show how effective the villain, Cohagen, was in keeping Quaid in a sort of mental bondage. Quaid’s life was thrown into so much turmoil that when he does get a taste of freedom he has to wonder if he is dreaming or not.  We know Quaid isn’t dreaming because the perspective and motivation of the other characters in the film is quite clear. Quaid couldn’t imagine all of that. The film does make you think just like Blade Runner did when you questioned whether or not Deckard was a replicant. Total Recall goes one step further by making this an explicit element in the film. It’s not as subtle as Blade Runner but more practical as this element drives the story onwards. Probably because it’s not as subtle this film does not appear as profound but its explicit nature does make it profound. ‘Open your mind to me.’

Secondly, the colonization of Mars is another great element in Total Recall. In films like Blade Runner we are made aware of the colonies established by America on other planets but we never actually see how they operate. The replicants that escaped from the planetary colonies to earth paint a tale of massive exploitation and degradation akin to slave labour. Obviously that was not the focus of Blade Runner and it was enough that they mentioned that there were planetary colonies. These planetary colonies were valuable as a result of the wealth of raw materials available for extraction. This is the case when most colonies are formed. They are established as a means to extract whatever resources are available for the benefit of the colonizers. Little attention is paid to developing colonies internally as they only serve a particular purpose that involves raw material extraction. In Total Recall the fundamentals established in Blade Runner also apply but in this case we actually witness how a planetary colony operates. In this case the planet that is colonized is Mars and the raw material that is extracted and forms the basis for rudimentary development of the colony is Turbinium. We know the  extraction of turbinium is important for the Mars colonization project although it’s not clear what  for  exactly. It’s just a fictional element that will make colonization justifiable in the film. The great reactor built by aliens is also made of turbinium. So I am guessing that it’s a very strong metal and probably laid the foundation for the construction of infrastructure on Mars.

The extreme degradation suffered by the working class groups that mine the precious metal is evident when Quaid, Melina and the traitor Benny are trying to escape from Cohagen’s armed forces. While fleeing through the underground caves they stumble upon the graves of the first or early settlers on Mars. These settlers worked themselves to death for peanuts while Cohagen made all the profits on the back of their labour power.  The operational capacity of the Mars colony is structured around the extraction of the Turbinium metal ore.  Domes are established in order to keep out the elements that can cause significant harm to humans. This is made evident in the film when several individuals exposed to the environment experience literal eye popping moments. A lot of activities on the Mars colony take place underground which makes people further removed from the atmosphere.  The atmosphere is red and this provides a significant visual context for the film and affects how we perceive the colony.  We all know Lori hates the dry, ugly planet of Mars.

There is also the  creation of a class of mutants in the Mars colony. The mutants, being a product of the Mars colony, are some of its core settlers and comprise a large portion of the resistance movement that challenges Cohagen’s rule.  The addition of this mutant element is significant and makes the colonization effort seem more believable in the film. These mutants are grotesque for the most part (apart from the 3 breasted woman) and it is made clear that the creation of this class of mutants was as a result of the cheap domes that allowed some of the harmful elements in the atmosphere to filter through. The primary positive that comes with the creation of this mutant class is the group of psychics. The psychics are all mutants including the leader Kuato, ‘open your mind to me’.  Kuato is a very powerful psychic.

The colonization effort on Mars is run by the villainous Cohagen who maintains a tight grip on the operations of the Martian colony especially the flow of turbinium and air. He is challenged by the rebels that are largely made up of mutants and who want to see Mars freed from his tyranny.  Quaid becomes important because he has a secret stored away about the alien reactor found in the pyramid mine. It’s not clear if the pyramid mine is located in the great mountain of Mars, Olympus Mons.  It is clear that as Hauser Quaid was probably sympathetic to the rebel cause  because of his love for Melina, a member of the resistance who is not a mutant (It would have been very interesting and risky but probably more rewarding if Melina was a mutant).  Hauser’s sympathy for the resistance was probably the main reason  why the decision was taken to turn him into Quaid.  This part of the film is not really clear and is a topic for another discussion. While riding on a train on his “first” visit to Mars, however, Quaid speaks to a man who said that he used to work in the pyramid mine before they closed it down. He said they closed it down after they found that ‘alien shit’ inside.  It has now become a rumour but in reality access has been sealed off. The reactor was designed and constructed by aliens to melt the core of Mars which Is made up largely of ice. When this core melts then it will generate the necessary oxygen and other elements that will make it possible for the creation of an atmosphere that would make life hospitable on Mars. An atmosphere just like the one on earth.  With an atmosphere Cohagen would lose control because he can no longer control the flow of air. Air is a precious commodity on Mars; just like turbinium.

This alien reactor adds to the mystery of Mars. Why did they build it? Why didn’t the aliens turn it on? Did they build it just for us? Why did they leave the planet to go elsewhere? It is made clear that the structure is around  a  million years old. So maybe the aliens did use it but the core of ice built up again after they left. This mystery of the aliens is a very influential concept. In Interstellar (2014) some mysterious beings created a wormhole for human space explorers. This wormhole creates  a shortcut through space so that human explorers can  travel to other galaxies. Regular space travel to other galaxies is significantly much slower and somewhat implausible in our present context  when you consider that the closest galaxy is trillions of miles away.  The concept about great beings leaving behind these great structures for the benefit of humans was developed significantly in Total Recall.  Long before films like Interstellar.

When Quaid does turn on the reactor he frees Mars. This is significant when you consider that by freeing Mars the entire structure and mode of operations for Mars will be expanded. The flow of humans to Mars will expand the scope for development and the planet would slowly  lose the label that it is primarily a colony. Colonies thrive, and so eventually lose their tag, once the internal structures are developed along with the local market in order to make it a place of more permanent settlement. It loses the colonial makeup when its resources are utilized fully for its own development and not simply for the benefit of the colonizers that just want to extract raw materials with minimal investment in the local economic base.  The colonial economy is replaced by one where development of the economy is a priority in order to make it a place where people will want to settle on a more permanent basis. When people do decide to permanently settle somewhere then certain material conditions such as infrastructure, economic opportunities etc, have to be met. Colonies normally meet the basic requirements for some form of rudimentary settlement. This rudimentary settlement is geared towards the extraction of the colony’s resources and not its full scale development. Full scale development is normally the priority  in more settled and developed civilizations ‘No one on earth cares about what goes on up here.’ Cohagen never intended to develop Mars beyond the areas that required basic development in order for the turbinium to be extracted. The shackles of the colonial economy are removed  when all areas are developed in order to facilitate the growth of a citizenry or a group of people committed to settling in the area on a more permanent basis. In order for this to be achieved the resources (capital and labour) at the disposal of the colony have to be utilized in order to increase the production and circulation of commodities and to develop the local markets. A developed local market is one where capital investment and per capita incomes are high (people being sufficiently rewarded for the utilization of their labour). In other words a lot of people in the market have money that they are willing to spend on a wide range of products and services. There is also the development of a cultural base that encourages a sense of kinship among the citizenry. In the case of Mars this kinship is created by the cultural exchange between mutants and the human settlers. This encourages cooperation and the creation of a culture unique to Mars. Cohagen clearly does not care much for the plight of the working class groups which includes the mutants. It’s not clear how Mars develops once an atmosphere is created. It would certainly encourage a lot of investment and an increase in the population.

Another  reason why the Mars colony in Total Recall is a significant feature in sci-fi filmdom is that it puts our own solar system at the forefront. Our solar system should be used more as a source of imaginative undertakings for filmmakers. Only Mars and Saturn are really highlighted.  Too often in sci-fi films people travel to other galaxies to get some action or the beings from other galaxies come to us. In 2001… a trip is made to Jupiter and this makes for some interesting discoveries but these discoveries don’t have much to do with what we know about Jupiter. In Total Recall a significant effort is made to pay attention to the details of the planet that was known from the telescopic and satellite images at the time. In the film we see images of the valleys,  the mountains and the moons that actually exist. Obviously some liberty was taken in order to create the structure of the fictional colony. One can actually have a great sci-fi film without traveling to another galaxy. I am sure the alien element in Total Recall was added to keep up with the trend showcasing beings from other galaxies but the good thing is that the aliens are not present. It is up to the human settlers on Mars to make a difference. The principles of freedom vs. tyranny are fought on a more realistic basis regardless of the great alien artifact.

The attention to detail in Total Recall makes it the best sci-fi film about Mars. This film deserves its place among the greats of sci-fi for this reason alone. Other films about Mars that succeeded it like Red Planet and Mission to Mars were duds.  What made Total Recall such a success was that it didn’t approach Mars as this mysterious planet but one that was already colonized. The mysteries are there but with the planet already  colonized it  laid the basis for this colony to be freed from bondage. Not a mystery about a dead planet but how this mystery will benefit those already settled in the area and not a group of explorers that will be stunned by the magnificence of the mysteries at the core of the dead planet. There is a sense of urgency in Total Recall to free Mars from Cohagen’s iron fisted grip in order to repay the settlers that lived, died and fought for a better tomorrow. In the end it is rewarding when the reactor is turned on and an atmosphere is created. While the people benefit from the free air created when the reactor melts the ice at Mar’s core the planet is no longer considered a dead one. This is why Mars as a character is so well developed in this film. Before Quaid turns on the  reactor  the atmosphere of Mars was toxic and weak and the frozen core suggested that it can never be more than just a colony. When the reactor is finally turned on the dead planet is now reborn. No wonder Quaid thinks it’s just like a dream.

Well I will stop here but there might be a part 2 because I have been thinking about why this film is great. So far I have demonstrated that Total Recall is a very influential film that bridged the gap between the existential and meditative films like Blade Runner and 2001… and the more technically advanced ones like The Matrix, Inception, Interstellar etc. It existed primarily in the dystopic tradition developed by  Blade Runner but it created its own niche as a film about a quest for the freedom of a dead, colonized planet. It’s almost like a dream.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation ***½/5: A good action film and an improvement on Ghost Protocol, due to its more intricate story line, but still derivative and superficial in many areas.

(phtoto courtesy of comingsoon.net)

I watched Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (MIRN) a couple weeks ago but did not bother to comment for two reasons. The first reason is that I was not impressed with the previous entry in the series Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The second reason is that I watched Rogue Nation while I was a bit sleepy. I was in and out of sleep while watching this film in the cinema despite the loud explosions, crashes, fights and the reactions of various members of the audience. My sleepiness had nothing to do with the film because I was tired going into the film. Anyways the film is now a commercial and critical success and so my views won’t count for much (as if they ever did). I did watch enough of this film to know that it was an improvement on Ghost Protocol because it was more intricate and does raise some questions about the IMF organization.

The film is about a mysterious terrorist group called the Syndicate that seek to disrupt the world order and create a new one with targeted terrorist attacks. The IMF has been absorbed into the operations of the CIA and is now defunct with its members scattered throughout the bureaucracy or left to their own devices. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is now on the run but does use his resources to try to track down the syndicate and its leader and he is aided, somewhat by a beautiful woman, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), whose intentions are never quite clear particularly as it is revealed that she is a British spy working undercover with the syndicate.

Positives

The primary positive of this film is that it is an improvement on Ghost Protocol. This is because the film is more intricate particularly when you’re dealing with so many mysterious figures. There are a lot of questions concerning the actual existence of the Syndicate. Normally when you do encounter them you end up dead or trapped. It adds a air of mystery particularly with the introduction of Ilsa whose motives aren’t always that clear.

I like that the very nature of the IMF is questioned in this film. I am still not convinced by the specialty of the organization itself but it does lay the groundwork for the impossible missions led by Ethan Hunt. This is why I was interested when the nature of the organization was questioned. Why was it not a branch of the CIA in the first place and why is it reliant on such a small crew of individuals? Obviously a large part of this film is about the IMF proving its credibility or salvaging its reputation. In order to do this it must expose the Syndicate and nab its leader. Easier said than done.

The action sequences kept me awake at times while I was nodding off and so they were pretty good. The sequences were still a bit generic and there were no genuine thrills for me. Nothing spectacular. That moment when Tom Cruise was hanging outside of an airplane as it is taking off was the closest the film came to generating a genuine thrill for me. It was a let down because it was designed to be a poster image. What follows after he hangs outside the door was pretty ordinary but they clearly wanted to start with a bang.

Rebecca Ferguson is a  beauty and brings a genuine allure or star quality as the leading female performer in the film.

Negatives

The superficiality of the IMF unit was exposed in this film and this begs the question as to why it is given this grand title yet is so easily disbanded. Is it an organization or just a group of individuals? The film does raise some issues regarding the trail of destruction left by the IMF but does not address how it is structured or its operational capacity. It seems like a flimsy organization and the redemption at the end should not have been enough to redeem it especially as it is so dependent on Ethan Hunt.  

There are a lot of intricacies in this film that are inconsequential such as the role played by Ilsa. While her intentions are not clear there is no reason why this is so. She just acts sometimes with no explanation in order to create an unnecessary air of mystery.  This is because we don’t get much of an insight into her character, especially her motivations.  There are other instances that are designed to give the syndicate this mysterious air although when everything is eventually explained it did not grab me. It seems like just enough for the film and so everything is easily resolved. It’s business as usual. The syndicate does provide a certain challenge but Ethan always seems in control and everything is neatly wrapped up for the next film in the series. Let’s see if this concept of the rogue nation makes enough money to merit a sequel. This series just relies on the next impossible mission.  There is not much of a connecting thread linking the many films in the series except impossible missions.  If that’s the case then I am justified in saying that this film is superficial. The story is pretty flimsy.  The filmmakers just have to do enough to make a mission seem impossible. Once the mission is completed then the film has nothing else to carry it through. The series will run out of gas pretty soon unless they can introduce some new characters and make them more permanent. A next generation of IMF stars.

The action sequences were very generic despite the fancy gadgets. I was not too impressed with the action sequences but they were good enough.

Inside Out (2015) ****½ /5: Although i have some issues with the presentation this film really got me thinking. Well done Pixar

It’s pretty clear that Inside Out is one of the year’s best films. Although I have some minor issues this film really got me thinking. So all I can say is Well Done Pixar. I have not watched a Pixar film since Up (2009). I wasn’t interested in the films that came after.  Up is still my favourite Pixar film. I consider Up a genuine classic film.  Inside Out, however, is as strong, if not stronger, than most of the other work Pixar has done. One reason it’s up there with Up is the genuine emotional resonance. There are moments of genuine joy and sadness.  I laughed unexpectedly and I was surprised that I was moved in some key moments. At first I thought Inside Out was going to be another animated film with eccentric characters and that I would be going through the motions. While I was watching it, however, the film took some brave decisions that made an  eccentric character and one that is seemingly marginalized very important. These revelations just added to my joyous surprise.

This film Is primarily about the emotions, Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Anger that govern the reactions of a 11 year old girl, Riley,  as she goes through the emotional turmoil that comes with moving from her hometown in Minnesota to San Francisco.

Positives

The primary positive is that this film is a return to form for Pixar. After Up they took a bit of a nosedive. That wasn’t surprising because Up is a great film. It’s hard to follow up immediately from such a great film as Up. They seem to have now followed Up with Inside Out. The key to following Up for Inside Out are the genuine emotional moments.  The genuine sad moments are easily blended with moments of genuine humour. No I could not keep a straight face in some moments. Very funny film in parts although slapstick is overdone in parts in order to cater primarily to children. It is a children’s film after all.  Up was strong for the very same reasons when you consider the genuine moments of sadness and humour in that film.

I liked the concept of the film which involves entering the mind of this young girl from an emotional point of view. Eventually the film explores the different aspects of her mind.  This allows for some very interesting discoveries particularly Bing Bong. Bing Bong was a real treat of a character and what happens to him in this film really moved me.  At first he appeared as  just another eccentric character but he ends up becoming one of the most important. He wasn’t just tagging along. It makes you realize why it’s difficult to get rid of those elements that make up the core of your being. You might dismiss them but they still remain important. Then there is the character of Sadness that is marginalized for much of this film by the other emotions, especially Joy, because of her sad nature but it is eventually realized that she is one of the most important. Can’t be happy all the time unless you consume hardcore drugs on the regular.  I like how the new is created from the old. Obviously that comes when everyone realizes that they have to work together to build bridges.

The film is well animated. I liked the moments of bright colours that contrast with those with a dreary look such as those moments in the dump or when some aspects of Riley’s personality crumbles. In terms of animation and its variety Inside Out is a better film than Up. In terms of variety that moment when they go into the abstract room is hilarious and reminds you how animation can be inventive without being distracting or superficial.

This film will get you thinking about your own emotions.

Negatives

The primary negative I had with this film was the absence of a dominant intellectual sort of character.  A mr. fix it or someone that keeps the emotions in check.  Imagine seeing a Brain sort of character in the mix in his own station of course yet passes through to interact with the various emotions to check on how Riley is feeling. Without such a character Riley does not seem to be able to challenge or question what’s going on with herself.  Riley does not seem to think as it is all emotions. A character like Mr. Fix it or the processor would have been a good fit. There are many functional pieces in the film especially those people that make sure everything moves smoothly in Riley’s mind through elements such as the train of thought or her imagination or the disposal of useless memory. The issue is there need to be a character responsible for directing that and as Riley’s emotional state falls apart he or she would be at a loss. It can’t be just the emotions because Riley is not just an emotional individual but a thinking one and it would have been good to see her channel some of her thought processes as she tries to make sense of what she’s feeling. Without a dominant intellectual character it seems like she’s just a puppet on a string for these various emotions. Trust me an intellectual character was needed to keep Joy in check.  Joy acts like she’s on drugs sometimes during the film and she’s supposed to be the leader.

Shouldn't all the emotions be female. Why are there male characters featured as Riley's emotions? The mother was represented by an all female emotional core so why not Riley?

Jurassic World (2015) ***½/5: Good film but too many ghosts from the past

US$1.2 billion later and I am finally doing a review of Jurassic World. So I’ll just keep it short. This film is a genuine crowd pleaser and all credit must go to Stephen Spielberg who began the series with Jurassic Park (1993). The foundations laid by that film are ever present in this up to date version. Jurassic World is a very good film when you compare it to the sequels. It is not as good because there are not enough original moments. What we have here are ghosts from the past or timely reminders of where it all began. Jurassic World does find a way to create it’s own niche and makes the series stay relevant after 2 decades. The success of Jurassic World is in contrast to the previous 2 sequels to Jurassic Park that more or less dwelt on decay and decline.

The film stars Chris Pratt as Owen Morgan and Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Darling who have to grapple with a new form of dinosaur on the  loose in Jurassic World which is a very popular theme park for obvious  reasons.

Positives

The primary positive for me is that this film is a genuine crowd pleaser. I wached it in a packed house and the crowd cheered several times and there were many gasps, and moments of anxiety. From that perspective the film has done its job. Obviously you can see beyond the CGI but it does seem seamless. The best action moments involved the dinosaurs themselves and it was the cause for some really big moments on screen. When the T-Rex was unleashed it was a great moment. The T-Rex being the main antagonist in the original Jurassic Park is brought back in all his glory.  The crowd responded accordingly. The popularity of the T-Rex still outshines the new form of dinosaur created by the scientists at Jurassic world. The genetically altered creature is well explained and makes for some interesting turns in the film's thin plot. The mystery of this new form of dinosaur carries this film a long way.

I also liked how this film brought back ghosts of the past or, if you prefer, reminders from the past. The most important lesson  that should have been learned from Jurassic Park is how tricky it is to manipulate nature to suit the needs of humans. In this case the visitors are treated to interacting with the great reptiles that have been extinct for some millions of years while the owner and managers of the park watch the profit rate. Claire, the manager of the park, clearly crunches numbers only as for her it’s just a business. Owen seems to be more in tune with dinosaurs as thinking and feeling animals instead of seeing profit margins. The  genetically altered dinosaur was created to add another wow factor in order to increase the profit rate. It makes sense why they would want to do it from that perspective and Owen’s perspective makes sense when you consider that it is dangerous to do so. It’s the typical street smarts perspective of Owen vs. the primarily theoretical and principled Claire. How they come together is interesting to some degree.

I also liked how this film tried to emerge out of the shadow of Jurassic Park and its two spin offs.  The main difference between Jurassic  World and the original Jurassic Park is that in the latter the park never got off the ground.  The original Jurassic Park never went beyond the pilot stage whereas  in Jurassic World the theme park is fully functioning and is attractive to investors and  consumers.  The two spin offs of Jurassic Park were not as successful because they dealt primarily with the left overs from the events of Jurassic Park. In those two sequels it was always about going back to the ruins of the defunct park. The dinosaurs took over the defunct park  and were running wild so it was primarily about how those that returned tried to salvage something from the park.  The sequels couldn’t add much when the primary issue was about the  decay and decline of the original Jurassic park. Jurassic World  is like a rebranding exercise. There are still reminders of Jurassic Park but it is clear that it is long gone. Jurassic world as a theme park is more successful because there are not much recorded fatal incidents involving the consumers.  There are some references to members of staff who did die on the job, however, which is no surprise. Jurassic World does stand on its own although some elements from Jurassic Park do resurface. The credit should go to the significant impact of the original Jurassic Park directed by the legendary Spielberg.

There was some attempt at character development particularly the relationship between the two brothers whose family is about to break up as a result of an impending divorce.

As a dinosaur lover it’s good to see that these ancient giants are still fascinating to contemporary audiences. A reminder of the earth’s great natural history.

Things do fall apart.

Negatives

The primary negative of this film is that it appears as a mere rebranding exercise for the original Jurassic Park. This becomes obvious with so many ghosts from the past. The story line and the characters have many similarities with the original Jurassic Park.  Looking forward to the film where the dinosaurs actually go beyond Costa Rican shores. Looking forward to a Jurassic World film where the dinosaurs actually permeate the jungles throughout the world. So far all these films about  Jurassic Park and now Jurassic World are limited in scope. Limited to theme parks. The only difference here is that Jurassic World  is a fully functioning park with annual and quarterly turnovers like Six Flags. The update in tracking technology has certainly helped.

This rebranding exercise makes it into a film that’s just like a theme park ride. You are thrilled once you’re in the ride but you can’t take it with you. There are clearly a lot of moments that are designed to thrill although if you watch enough movies you know all the tricks with films such as this. No they will not kill the star characters. That is pretty obvious. They will be threatened but we all know that nothing major will happen to them.

It’s still a good film I didn’t regret watching it at least.