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A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days on my Nintendo Switch, I can be found at concerts or playing basketball.
In 1993, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg dazzled audiences with his sci-fi action adventure classic Jurassic Park. Filled with equal doses of joyful wonder and immersive terror, Jurassic Park was the highest grossing film ever at the time of its release. Along with winning 3 Academy Awards, fans were treated to 4 more sequels over the past few decades. Unfortunately, neither sequel has lived up to the iconic power the original had. Still, there has definitely been some noteworthy cinematic memories over the years. With Jurassic World: Dominion stomping into theaters on June 10, 2022, let’s take a look back at 5 of the best moments in the franchise.
(Note: SPOILER ALERT! Use caution if you haven’t seen all of the Jurassic Park or Jurassic World films.)
Honorable Mention: The Long Neck Silhouette
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is one of the more divisive films in the series and was generally seen as a disappointment (it’s my least favorite). Despite that, the destruction of Isla Nubar was an undeniably moving sequence to witness. It was especially emotional for die-hard fans that basically had to watch the “death” of the original Jurassic Park compound. While some of the dinosaurs were captured for questionable purposes, the rest of them were left to die within a catastrophic volcanic eruption. The final shot of the legendary island is a sorrowful one. We see a lone Brachiosaurus silhouette falling amidst an eerie amber glow from the rising smoke and burning lava. In a haunting bit of cinematic poetry, we bid farewell to the very first dinosaur that we see in the original Jurassic Park.
5: Blue to The Rescue!
2015 saw Jurassic World bring audiences back to Isla Nubar 14 years after the last entry. The film introduced a whole new cast of characters and dinosaurs, one of which became an instant fan favorite. The velociraptor “Blue” was the leader of her pack and she was affectionately raised by Owen Grady (Chris Pratt). Seeing the vicious raptors work along side humans was a sight to see but seeing “Blue” running to the rescue during the final act of the film was a moment audiences could stand up and cheer for. When things were at its bleakest and it looked like the humans were doomed, “Blue” came just in the nick of time to help the T-Rex defeat the terrifying Indominous Rex.
4: The Birdcage
Although Jurassic Park III is universally seen as the worst film to date, there is still a lot of fun to be had. It lacked a compelling story, but the film made up for it with exciting thrills and grand set pieces. The most unique of the bunch was the infamous “birdcage” sequence. Director Joe Johnston builds up to the big reveal slowly and effectively. Blanketed in a dense fog that is impossible to see through, the surviving humans make their way across a series of platforms. By the time Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) realizes they are actually trapped in a birdcage, a Pteranodon emerges and grabs a member of the group. It makes for an intense scene and is the first time in the franchise that humans interact with a flying dinosaur.
3: The Kitchen Hunt
Some of the most tense and horrifying moments in cinema take place in the original Jurassic Park film. One of them is the nerve-wracking kitchen hunt. Throughout the film we learn about how ferocious and intelligent raptors can be. So when our 2 child protagonists end up hiding in a kitchen, the moment the velociraptors step into frame we know they’re in big trouble. The award-winning Sound shines here from the raptors’ growls to the scraping of their claws. The cherry on top is the beautiful framing by cinematographer Dean Cundey as the children cower in fear of the stalking dinosaurs.
2: The Cliffhanger
The Lost World: Jurassic Park had the near impossible task to try to live up to the original. Knowing this, it felt like Steven Spielberg decided to fully lean into the intensity of the scares. Upon doing so, he delivered some awesome moments of suspense including a T-Rex knocking a massive trailer off a cliff. Whether it’s Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) trying not to fall through a rapidly cracking sheet of glass, or Eddie Carr (Richard Schiff) desperately trying to keep the trailer from falling on the outside, the sequence is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.
1: Welcome to Jurassic Park
The moment in Jurassic Park where Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Dr. Alan Grant’s jaws drop as they silently stare at live dinosaurs for the first time. This was the moment “movie magic” astounded me. I’ll never forget the beautiful swell from John Williams’ iconic and infectious score as we slowly made our way up the hill. Even more memorable was the genuinely amazed feeling I got when I first saw the Brachiosaurus slowly graze upon the leaves of the trees. It looked incredibly real and I felt just as blown away and taken aback as the characters in the film.
I am very excited to see Jurassic World: Dominion, even more so knowing it is serving as the final film in the franchise. 4 years removed from the previous entry, audiences have been especially excited now that the original cast is returning. In a world overrun with dinosaurs, old characters and new unite. The ‘Jurassic’ series has had meaningful and memorable moments regardless of the quality of the film they’re in. I for one, am hopeful that this will be a satisfying conclusion. Time will tell if Jurassic World: Dominion has been worth the wait, but this ‘Jurassic’ finale is sure to be a fantastic spectacle regardless.
A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days on my Nintendo Switch, I can be found at concerts or playing basketball.
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