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After 65 million years of extinction, dinosaurs finally returned to rule the big screen. When Michael Crichton first wrote his inventive sci-fi novel, he probably had no idea it would be the catalyst for the enormous franchise that the world knows today. Nearly thirty years ago, Steven Spielberg brought both the novel and dinosaurs to life by helming the film adaptation with Crichton. The film became an instant classic and still manages to influence and inspire audiences everywhere.
The latest film, Dominion, marks the completion of two trilogies in the franchises. While many of the films have been financially successful, the quality of each individual film has varied since the original. Ranging from the creation of new dinosaurs to the return of familiar faces, the Jurassic Park franchise has invited audiences to experience many adventures across many generations, many of which are still exhilarating to this day.
6 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
The sequel to Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom sees protagonists Owen Grady and Claire Dearing return to Isla Nubar to seemingly rescue the remaining dinosaurs from the imminent volcanic eruption. Things change, however, when it's discovered that the crew rescuing the dinosaurs have ulterior motives in mind.
Fallen Kingdom has its occasional haunting moments, but it's a far cry from everything that made the original classic great. What could've been an interesting take on the world becomes an unfortunate mess involving clones and one-dimensional villains. Ultimately, Fallen Kingdom can't help but feel as though it was made only to get to the next movie, where dinosaurs are living amongst human civilization. It might be an interesting destination; unfortunately, the road to get there isn't.
5 Jurassic World Dominion
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The final and most recent entry in the Jurassic World franchise, Dominion follows both long-time protagonists Owen and Claire alongside the classic trio of Alan, Ellie, and Ian as they work to uncover a sinister plot devised by Biosyn Genetics CEO Lewis Dodgson.
Dominion is a bit more fun and action-packed than Fallen Kingdom, but it still falls prey to many of the faults plaguing the Jurassic World trilogy. There might be tons of dinosaurs for the characters to run away from, and many that haven't yet been seen before in the franchise, however, what's weird is how little they have to do with the story at hand. Nevertheless, seeing the main characters from the original return is definitely a treat. Ultimately, though, Dominion is more of an action sci-fi movie with dinosaurs added in rather than a true Jurassic Park movie.
4 Jurassic Park 3
In the third film of the original Jurassic Park trilogy, Alan Grant gets roped into giving an aerial tour of Isla Sorna to married couple Paul and Amanda Kirby. The tour turns out, however, to be a ruse in order to get Alan to help them search for their missing son on the island.
Shying away from the more corporate forces of the first two films, Jurassic Park 3 is more of a classic action-adventure film. Its darker tone makes it visually and emotionally distinct from any of the other films in the franchise, and its set pieces are exciting enough to hold anyone's interest through the end. It can't help but pale in comparison to the other films in the franchise, in particular the original. Despite its exciting action, Jurassic Park 3 doesn't really have much to offer other than cool dinosaurs and intense moments.
3 Jurassic World
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The park is finally open! As the soft reboot of the Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic World sees a refurbished version of the park open to the public. Operations manager Claire creates the Indominous Rex, a cross between several dangerous dinosaurs that results in a terrifying monster. As per franchise expectations, the Indominous Rex escapes, and Claire must work with Velociraptor expert Owen Grady to save the day.
To anyone who wondered what it would be like to actually visit the actual Jurassic Park, Jurassic World gives audiences a glimpse into what that reality would be like. The most enjoyable aspect of Jurassic World is being able to see the park fully functional, as well as many of the action set pieces. The film's plot, however, is flimsy at best. It's hard to believe that park attendees would grow tired of existing dinosaurs so quickly, and one has to wonder why anyone thought combining so so many dangerous dinosaurs into one creature would be a good idea. Owen and Claire are nice but not nearly as well-developed as the original characters. Jurassic World can be fun, if audiences are willing to forgive its faults.
2 The Lost World: Jurassic Park
The second film and the only one aside from the original to be directed by Steven Spielberg, The Lost World follows Ian Malcolm, who is sent with a team by park owner John Hammond to study the remaining dinosaurs on Isla Sorna. Things go awry, however, when an InGen team plans on taking some of the dinosaurs back to the mainland.
As the only other Jurassic Park film to be based on Michael Crichton's books, The Lost World has a little bit more to stand on than its successors. Visual effects were improved upon the already impressive original. Many of the action set pieces are also highly breathtaking and memorable. Most notable is the film's climax, which sees the T-Rex run rampant in San Diego. While it's interesting to learn more about Ian's home life, the story and characters of The Lost World can't help but feel underdeveloped in comparison to the original. That being said, it's definitely a fun ride.
1 Jurassic Park
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The sequels might have their moments, but nothing can beat the original. Paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, along with mathematician Ian Malcolm and lawyer Donald Genarro, are invited to preview a new theme park created by the wealthy businessman John Hammond. The theme park, of course, turns out to be an island housing living dinosaurs. Everything seems to be going as planned, until unforeseen complications cause the park's security measures to break down, resulting in the dinosaurs breaking loose and the characters fighting for their lives.
While other filmmakers have tried, none have lived up to the level of creativity and skill of Spielberg himself. Jurassic Park wonderfully builds its tension, allowing a slow build-up to the reveal of the dinosaurs. The film also gives the audience a chance to fall in love with the park before everything turns into chaos. The entire film is a masterclass in expert filmmaking. An undeniable classic, it's hard to imagine that Jurassic Park will ever go extinct.