JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

[JimoAi]

Spoiler

points I do enjoy: the OG 3, mosasaurus despite her very little screen time, villians being dislikable and killed off, Barry returning

Points I dislike: atrociraptors and giga design, many species given just a few seconds of screen time, Owen and Claire being intolerable at parenting by being too overprotective, giant locust being from the cretaceous despite the carboniferous being well known for giant insects.

[close]

Overall, I prefer this over Jurassic world but I prefer fallen kingdom. Gonna have my head for this but the Jurassic world movie makes JP3 feel like a magnum opus

[HD-man]

[bone crusher]

When a film flops critically, is it more of the Director's fault or writer's? Din't they already have an early press screening last year, I thought any negative impressions would've been fixed by now.

Considering that Trevorrow is both the director and co-writer on this movie, I'm comfortable assigning him all the fault. I've seen three of his non-JW films, and they all suffer from poor writing and character development. And his directing isn't good enough to salvage the bad writing.

Also, there's only so much you can do to "fix" a film that has already been shot and edited. Reshoots are expensive, and actors may no longer be available to do them. Creating new CGI scenes (or heavily editing existing ones) is also expensive and takes a lot of time. The studio will pay for changes if they think it will draw in more viewers, but at this point they're banking on the franchise name and the promise of fighting dinosaurs to get butts in seats. They don't actually care what critics think when it comes to movies like JW. They just care that lots of people will pay to see it.   

I guess Trevorrow sure knows how to put butts in the seats then. But even then you'd at least expect a rather satisfying experience with tons of dino actions through and through, but according to many viewers it didn't even deliver that? I have yet to see it but everything I've read definitely is not encouraging at all.

[Primeval12]

I ended up loving it. It was my favorite from the World series but not my favorite of the whole series. Definitely ignore the critics, it was good!

[Faelrin]

Just wanted to give a heads up that I added more thoughts to my post from last night/early morning if anyone here wants to take a look.

[Duna]

I've just come from the cinema understanding perfectly the negative opinions and with the wish that this franchise ends forever so no one could use the word "Jurassic" ever more. It was much much worse than Jurassic World (that at least had a plot) and even Fallen Kingdom, that had the novelty of being quite dark and sometimes absurd. Dominion is just only the last.

To sum up, "Dominion is a movie about locusts interrupted with totally random dinosaur scenes, with Jurassic Park 1993 winks thrown in exactly every 15 minutes and with the absurdity of all the saga gathered together in one film".

Spoiler

Had it been only about mutant locusts it would have more interesting, just as Pirahna 3D. I smiled a bit just because they used some very "Spanish" expressions in the dubbing and they are imposible not to laugh when you hear them. Quite interesting was hearing the people next to me saying "What the hell is that?" when the pyroraptor and therizinosaurus appeared, and just seeing the Therizinosaurus eating some plants/berries to show it was an herbivore, OMG, that scene alone was worth all the money. That surprised me more than anything in the movie, I said, WHOA, COOL! ... the rest was predictable from the first minute. The random scene with the pyroraptor was just like the other random scenes with the same amount of absurdity, but at least was interesting to see a feathered dinosaur. I was sure that we would never see a feathered dinosaur in Jurassic saga.
The CGI was incredibly bad in a lot of scenes, I can't understand that this can be done in 2022 just after that incredible Prehistoric Planet (and I'm not talking about accuracy, but just make the dinosaurs walk, for god's sake). In many scenes the dinosaurs "floated" and didn't even touch the floor while running!. You can expect that in mediocre dino documentaries like Dinosaur fight Club and similar, but not in this kind of movies. Jurassic World CGI on the other hand was much much better. The best animatronics were the bipedal giant crocodile and the velociraptors. The dilophosaurus puppet in Jurassic Park looked much better than the ones in Dominion. They were more rigid and cartoony and didn't even dare to focus the eyes on the prey.
I almost got a headache with the so much ROARING, every dinosaur roared in ALL scenes and in just the same way (really?) . At least I enjoyed the atrociraptors, they looked super cool with those colours.
From all the absurd scenes, the ones that bothered me more were that there were more dinosaurs roaming the world than Iberian lynxes (really?) and that the protagonists were just too many, that the action scenes looked ridiculous with the bipedal crocodile giving them time to run, gather and line up in every place before attacking them.
And the end is the summum of the (REALLYS?)    with the Fallen Kingdom ending therizinosaurus and the I-CANT-DO-ANYTHING-BY-MYSELF Rexy in the same Jurassic World scene. Please, kill the poor thing so it isn't used any more in any more films.
We have seen almost everything already, including the Jurassic Park original film winks thrown here and there, the plot doesn't work at all. At least the inclusion of the three characters from the first movie make it a bit more enjoyable, Jeff Goldblum the most, and I also liked the new actresses-actors.

[close]

I think the 9-11 year old children that were behind me probably enjoyed it a lot because they clapped at the end. I also clapped too because it had finished. Another Jurassic movie I won't even dare to watch again at home (same with Fallen Kingdom).

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Spoiler free post, I give it a solid 3/5. There really isn't much else they could have done within the context of what has been established.

[Carnoking]

I've been avoiding this thread for a while now in order to stay away from any potential spoilers and was spared the (perhaps justifiable) negative responses from several members coming as a result of new information from the film. I also went out of my way to avoid reviews of the film before I had seen it, as I think such things can greatly alter your response to something whether you mean for them to or not.

The reason I say all of this is because I just saw the film and was a bit taken aback by how poorly received it has been critically. Don't get it twisted, I think this was a complete middle of the road and -—it pains me to say—-forgettable outing that didn't even feel like it took full advantage of one of its most enticing facets (that being the dinosaurs free and proliferating across the planet).

That being said, to say this film is worse than Fallen Kingdom or "the worst in the franchise" seems harsh to me. I was very disappointed in FK (save for Bayona's directorial flare) and there was a lot in Dominion that I felt was a solid course correction. The characters weren't nearly as insufferable for one thing, and the story felt a lot less disjointed (if a bit rushed and over-stuffed). Things weren't just "happening" to our characters, they weren't just reacting to new developments, they were on a mission from start to finish and I appreciated that.

Were there things I wish had been done differently/better? Absolutely. But I went in with rock bottom expectations and actually had a pretty decent time. I'll be watching it at least once more to decide whether or not I "liked" it but I know for sure I didn't hate it.

I will say this

Spoiler

They actually did it. They actually made a dinosaur breathe freaking fire in one of these things

[close]

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

I just got back from seeing it. The movie was fun to watch, and I enjoyed most of it-- but I don't take it as seriously as I do the original two films.

The beginning might have been my least favorite part, where it was meant to look like an internet video trying to be a newscast. It was too obvious filling the audience in and it felt a little forced. I would consider it to be the weakest opening scene in the franchise. The ending felt a little abrupt as well. Being the final film, I felt as though there should have been more of an epilogue. A personal gripe of mine is that they chose sinoceratops for the final shot of the franchise, which is one of my least favorite dinosaurs. I think a brachiosaurus would have worked better to see things come around full-circle.

The pacing wasn't great and much of the dialogue was forgettable. The original film had scenes that were all about intelligent and thought-provoking dialogue, with more isolated action that escalated as the film progressed. Action scenes were more spaced out had more room to breathe. Dominion was an all-out dino action fest and lacked much of the depth of the original. There was also a greater suspension of disbelief necessary to enjoy the movie. The technology shown was quite far-fetched in my opinion. The original films had advanced technology for the time, but were still grounded in reality, except of course for the dinosaurs. Several raptors being hit by cars and getting up unscathed, and Owen not being affected by falling into that freezing water. Many of the antagonists in the first part of the film, and everyone else in the underground market felt like cartoon characters, but I think Dodgson was handled well. He was a bit awkward at times but felt much more like a real person than Hoskins or Mills did in the previous installments.

There was still plenty I liked, though. The original trio was much better-written than the new trilogy characters, and it was quite satisfying to see them meet. My favorite scene was the first dilophosaurus scene. It was just as I imagined, introducing them with their signature hooting calls before showing them in the flesh. Owen coming to Claire's rescue made it end a little too abruptly, but the buildup worked very well. Also fitting that Dodgson was killed by the dilophosaurus, shortly after dropping the Barbasol can, no less. The dimetrodon scene was a highlight, too. I also liked that the tyrannosaurus and giganotosaurus' first scene together was more of a light scuffle compared to the dinosaur fights we've seen so far. They felt more like real animals competing over food.

Unfortunately, Dominion fails at delivering the feeling of the original Jurassic Park. It was a fun popcorn movie with plenty of dinosaurs, but we get even farther from the quality of the originals with every sequel. The plot felt a bit disjointed and the sequence of events lacked the same kind of structure that we had in previous films. There was some decent tension and buildup, better than Fallen Kingdom at least, but no awe and wonder. I would rank the films in order of release except for maybe switching Dominion and Fallen Kingdom. I'll be seeing it again as I visit the local drive-ins and I'm sure I'll have a better feel for it after a seeing it again. Speaking of, I'm also disappointed the drive-in scene got cut. I always like to see films with drive-ins at the drive-in.

[Brocc21]

My only take away from this two and a half hour film was that a dog once humped Jeff Goldblum's leg so hard he got a callous on his shin.

[KeU]

My only take away from this two and a half hour film was that a dog once humped Jeff Goldblum's leg so hard he got a callous on his shin.

That's the best line in the movie. True story.

I am pretty disappointed in the movie.

But hey, couple of good points.
Jeff Goldblum was fantastic and in his element.
And the Giga was not portrayed as some chaotic evil villain.
Just an animal.
Again, plot was simple as hell.
Zero character development or motivation for DeWanda's or Mamoudou's characters.
And Campbell's portrayal of Dodgson was vanilla.
Final showdown did not make sense at all. No reason really for those animals to be fighting.
And of course, no reason plot wise for Rexy to even be in the movie.

[Faelrin]

@Brocc21 Oh man. I almost forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder about that part, lol.

[Brocc21]

@Brocc21 Oh man. I almost forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder about that part, lol.

It feels immature to say but it was the only part in the movie I audibly laughed. It was just so unexpected, much funnier than any of the other quippy Marvel dialog. The only other memorable jokes would be the lystrosaurus biting the generic bad guy and the Theri swatting away a deer.

[GojiraGuy1954]

I saw the movie.

Spoiler

Honestly, I don't get the hate.

Sure; Jurassic World Dominion isn't a particularly smart movie, or a thought-provoking one, and it certainly has problems, but it isn't horrible garbage like Fallen Kingdom was.

The pacing feels much better than in the last, the old and new cast are great, the plot was good and not a TLW rehash, etc.

What I liked a lot more than I expected in the movie was the Dinosaur scenes- ironic, I know, as the Dinosaurs are meant to be the selling point.

The only dinosaur design I hate from Jurassic World Dominion is that godawful hideous Pyroraptor. Yes, not even the Giga was all that bad.

Therizinosaurus absolutely stole the show for me, I loved how they portrayed it as an aggressive herbivore with a short fuse- after all, this thing lived with Tarbosaurus. Zebra, Elephants and Hippos are vicious and all they have to contend with are Lions and the occasional gang of Hyenas.

While I would like this to be the last one, I know Universal is making bank from this and will produce more until the sun explodes. Though it's not all bad; they clearly have a universe that is interesting to explore here now. Before, it was all InGen, with the occasional tampering by BioSyn, which drove the plot forward. But now, there are many people who can take advantage of genetic technology. We've already kind of seen this with dinosaurs (and non-dinosaurs) being cloned in underground black market spaces to be used in gladiator battles, as pets and as food. Why not go further? Have species specifically designed to be domesticated, or a company that produces dinosaurs to use for lab testing, as after the events of JW:FK they still don't have any rights? There are potential for interesting themes and great stories here, and now with the expanded scope, further sequels might not have to rehash the same plot points over and over again.

[close]

While I do admit i'd rather see more non-jurassic dinosaur media in the future, i'm much more hopeful about the future of the franchise than I was back in 2018 when Fallen Kingdom came out.

[Faelrin]

Hmm new intereview popped up:

https://collider.com/jurassic-world-dominion-director-colin-trevorrow-on/

Some thoughts:

Good on Trevorrow for advocating for Prehistoric Planet. So apparently there was going to be a scene with Lystrosaurus fighting Oviraptor, but it got cut. Explains why it was the only Prologue animal missing from the film. And as far as easter eggs that was discussed, I did notice the JPIII raptor prop in Grant's tent in the beginning. Not sure if it could be spotted in the trailer too though.

[BlueKrono]

@Takama

Spoiler

If you're referring to the scene in the cave with the sail in the water, that was definitely one of the Dimetrodons, revealed in full a minute later but definitely intended to hint at the Spinosaurus.

[close]

H @HD-man You're probably right. Sorry I'm not as familiar with my dicynodonts. My familiarity with dinosaurs comes primarily from toys, and it put me in mind of the green Placerias.

[Brocc21]

After discussing the film on Reddit I've grown to appreciate the forum even more. At least here we can disagree with each other. Almost any criticism of the film seems to be met with "You're expecting too much of this film. It's a movie with lots of action and dinosaurs, what's not to like?" or "You're just criticizing it for the sake of being a contrarian/ you're just an ***hole."

I really wish I could've enjoyed the film more, and there was certainly a lot to like. But I felt very underwhelmed. I just need to accept that these movies are no longer made for me. And as a Jp super fan, that's a hard pill to swallow.

[HD-man]

@Brocc21

After discussing the film on Reddit I've grown to appreciate the forum even more. At least here we can disagree with each other.

Mostly, but, for reasons discussed earlier ( http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=6700.msg293643#msg293643 ), not completely.

Almost any criticism of the film seems to be met with "You're expecting too much of this film. It's a movie with lots of action and dinosaurs, what's not to like?" or "You're just criticizing it for the sake of being a contrarian/ you're just an ***hole."

Don't forget about those who claim that "if they say it was a bad movie must not be real fans of the Jurassic franchise" ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/245524892946028/posts/1224990378332803/ ). That's why I left this comment on Alteori's JWD review:

I've said this elsewhere, but it bears repeating here: It's always refreshing to hear a hardcore fan be brutally honest about their franchise without being a jerk. As a life-long JP fan who's been disappointed by all the sequels (except CC, which I love), I wish more JP/JW fans were like you.

[Bread]

The only dinosaur design from Jurassic World Dominion is that godawful hideous Pyroraptor. Yes, not even the Giga was all that bad.

This. Although I do not favor the Giganotosaurus design as well, the Pyroraptor is hideous! I don't understand the continuous hate on the Giga when it really should be at that Pyroraptor.

[GojiraGuy1954]

The only dinosaur design from Jurassic World Dominion is that godawful hideous Pyroraptor. Yes, not even the Giga was all that bad.

This. Although I do not favor the Giganotosaurus design as well, the Pyroraptor is hideous! I don't understand the continuous hate on the Giga when it really should be at that Pyroraptor.

Lol that typo makes it seem like I was saying the Pyroraptor is the only one in the movie