It
has big dinosaurs!
First, I must
make a major confession. I don't like this film.
I didn't enjoy seeing it, and it didn't grab me
on any level. That said, I give it a "B" because
I'm aware it's a well-made, well directed and
well-created film with an excellent score. For
some reason, all these solid factors simply
didn't gel for me into a positive moviegoing
experience.
My biggest problem with this film is much the
same as I had with the LOTR series...that is,
the performances here are nothing special. They
add nothing to the film, and almost seem
cartoonish. Admittedly, with a cast such as Jeff
Goldblum, Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Richard
Attenborough a cartoonish quality could have
been fun. Yet, it really wasn't that much fun
either. It's as if they were mere pawns in the
chess game of this movie.
Of course, the combination of a Michael Crichton
novel and Spielberg's direction is a powerful
one and the film is rescued from mediocrity by
these factors. It is suspenseful, interesting
and you feel compelled to watch to see where it
is going. Yet, in a suspenseful film I want to
care about the characters in question. I never
cared about these characters. I never needed any
resolution to the suspense...in a way, the
suspense was more satisfying than any
resolution. The film won Oscars for Best Visual
Effects, Sound Effects and Best Sound...all well
deserved. Overall, however, I have to say I'd
have found this film tremendously more
satisfying with a more developed script and
characters that I cared about...The technical
aspects of this film are "A" quality...the
acting/writing are "C" quality...thus, I give it
a "B".
©
Written by Richard
Propes
TC Candler's Comment
Terrifically
entertaining with FX that still hold up despite
all the incredible advancements of the last ten
years.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
