Review: Jurassic Park (1993)

I remember getting this film as a kid for Christmas on VHS. Back then I only saw it once so I watched it again today to find out why.

True to my younger self, it could well be another 20 years before I watch it again.

The concept is incredible. Michael Crichton clearly had some awesome ideas when writing about bringing dinosaurs back to existence. It has an amazing director in Stephen Spielberg, the cast are great and the soundtrack is typical 90's orchestral niceness.

So why won't I be watching it again soon?

Well the first hour is gripping. The science behind the park and construction is really interesting. It is EXACTLY how people would react if it was a true story.

But when things start to go wrong it gets extremely repetitive. How many times can they outrun a dino and then hide again only to be found again?

I was a little bit disappointed with the end, I can't say what I expected, because I didn't really know what to expect...but a cool plot twist would have made it a better film. - had I have written it, Nedry would have been more of a key character and his actions unseen until the end. But that's neither here nor there.

I wanted to love this film but I only liked it. That said, I will be watching the lost world and JP3, and I'm hoping for answers to questions such as "What happened to Nedry?" And "does the dinosaur having a cold/disease bear any relevance to the story?"

Maybe I have it totally wrong, and this was made knowing full well that the other two were going to answer a load of missing detail. - although I don't seem to remember it being released like this.

I also hope they make JP4, because from what I've read, it sounds excellent.

Overall, my main reason for disappointment is due to films such as I am legend, and Rise of the planet of the apes - which go into greater detail behind the genetics, and control of mutations etc, rather than aaarrrrgggh run!! - must be the geek in me.

Imdb score: 8/10
Mike's score: 7/10

Watch this film when you don't need to concentrate, not if you want one that gets you thinking.