Five years after “Jurassic World: Dominion,” an expedition ventures into isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures in pursuit of a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.
I can still recall my first time watching “Jurassic Park” on the big screen in 1993—the memory of that T Rex reveal is burned into my mind. It was the first time dinosaurs felt tangible, not just figments of imagination. Fast forward over thirty years and five follow-ups, and now the series is back for its seventh chapter. While this new film doesn’t reinvent the narrative wheel, it’s a genuinely fun experience. It represents a notable step up from its immediate predecessors, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” and “Jurassic World Dominion.”
Set five years after the events of “Dominion,” the story picks up in a world where the planet’s environment has forced most surviving dinosaurs into isolated, humid regions resembling their ancient habitats. At its center is Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), working for the pharmaceutical powerhouse ParkerGenix. He brings in Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), a specialist known for performing high-risk extractions in some of the world’s most treacherous locations.
Zora’s new assignment? She must travel to Ile Saint-Hubert—a secluded Atlantic island previously used by InGen for genetic experiments on dinosaurs. Her goal, along with her crew, is to obtain blood samples from the last three biggest prehistoric creatures still alive: one each representing land, sea, and air. Krebs insists that these samples could lead to a revolutionary medical breakthrough. The team is rounded out by Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), Bobby Atwater (Ed Skrein), Nina (Philippine Velge), Leclerc (Bechir Sylvain), and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), a paleontologist whose knowledge is key to their mission.
Upon landing, it becomes clear that the island houses not only dinosaurs but genetic misfires—beasts created for the original park but deemed too dangerous to join the rest. These include a swimming T-Rex, Mutadons (flying, raptor-like predators with pterosaur traits), and the Distortus Rex, a monstrous hybrid that dwarfs even the Spinosaurus and Giganotosaurus.
The stakes are raised when Zora’s squad encounters Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and his family, who are stranded after a shipwreck: daughter Teresa (Luna Blaise), her boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono), and Reuben’s younger daughter Isabella (Audrina Miranda). Taking them in makes the group’s exit even more treacherous. With the necessary blood samples in hand, their only way out is on the opposite side of the island, forcing them through the ruins of InGen’s abandoned lab—where even greater threats lurk.
By the seventh film, most sagas start to wear thin—look at HALLOWEEN, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, and FRIDAY THE 13th. While “Jurassic World Rebirth” doesn’t stray far from what’s familiar, the strong cast and Gareth Edwards’ direction—he previously helmed “Godzilla,” “Rogue One,” and “The Creator”—keep things fresh. Edwards manages to juggle action with character depth, ensuring viewers care about the people on screen rather than reducing them to mere dino bait. The screenplay also finds room for creative action sequences, including a standout moment featuring the T Rex and an inflatable raft—a clever nod to a scene from Michael Crichton’s original novel that was omitted from the first film.
Of course, the dinosaurs remain the star attraction, and thanks to advances in CGI, they’ve never looked more convincing. This film is best experienced in IMAX or Dolby format to appreciate the visuals fully. “Jurassic World Rebirth” kicks off a new trilogy, but it also leaves you wondering where the story could go next. With other long-running series like FAST & FURIOUS, CHUCKY, LEPRECHAUN, and HELLRAISER taking ever wilder turns, maybe an adventure in space isn’t too far-fetched.
At its core, “Jurassic World Rebirth” delivers everything you’d want from a summer blockbuster: it’s exciting, visually impressive, and never apologizes for being over-the-top.
In Theaters Wednesday, July 2nd
