Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) - Film Review

      **Jurassic World Rebirth, 2025**

      Directed by Gareth Edwards.

      Featuring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain, Ed Skrein, Niamh Finlay, and Adam Loxley.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      Set five years after *Jurassic World Dominion* (2022), this film follows an expedition into remote equatorial regions to collect DNA from three enormous prehistoric creatures for a revolutionary medical advancement. With a foreboding prologue taking us back 17 years to a secret island lab conducting dinosaur experiments, Gareth Edwards’ *Jurassic World Rebirth* achieves two tonal feats: it introduces a heightened danger from the larger creatures (hinting at one known as D-Rex), suggesting a hint of horror, reminiscent of Edwards’ work on the 2014 *Godzilla*, while maintaining a playful and absurd approach compared to the overly serious tone of the previous installment, *Dominion*, thanks to David Koepp’s screenplay and Michael Crichton’s iconic characters.

      Jumping to the present, the film explores intriguing world-building, revealing how dinosaurs are again dwindling due to climate factors, leading most to congregate near the equator (where they can better adapt). Meanwhile, the average person shows indifference towards them. An escaped zoo dinosaur blocking roads illustrates this change, as they are seen as nuisances rather than wonders. The initial excitement of their return has faded, leaving museums struggling to attract visitors, and even children are no longer captivated. It’s clear that reviving dinosaurs has led to more chaos than benefits.

      Mercenary Zora (Scarlett Johansson) is recruited by corporate executive Martin (Rupert Friend) to accompany paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) on an exploratory journey across land, air, and sea to extract blood samples from the longest-living massive dinosaurs, which could advance treatments for heart diseases, a cause that resonates with Zora after her mother’s death. She demands that Martin not make it personal, agreeing to the job for $10 million. Henry reluctantly joins to observe dinosaurs in their habitat, reassured that they won’t be harmed during the mission.

      Zora enlists longtime mercenary friend Duncan (Mahershala Ali), who has a ship for the expedition, bringing along his crew. Meanwhile, Martin adds security with Bobby (Ed Skrein), who clashes with Henry’s pacifist view on the dinosaurs. The screenplay explores the friendship between Zora and Duncan, highlighting their past regrets and mistakes, portraying them as somewhat pitiful for wanting to profit from a venture led by someone as self-serving as Martin, who aims to dominate the market for the cure for personal gain.

      In a pacing choice that feels slightly off, there is also a civilian family sailing through the area. This includes father Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his two daughters, college-bound Teresa (Luna Blaise) and young Isabella (Audrina Miranda), as well as Teresa's often shirtless and comical boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono), whose attempts at a bonding experience take a disastrous turn. When underwater dinosaurs are provoked, leading to the capsize of their boat, the family must band together to survive and eventually cross paths with Zora’s team. Notably, despite his character flaws, Xavier shows he has a good heart, acting without thinking when Teresa is in danger.

      Once *Jurassic World Rebirth* establishes its characters, it primarily unfolds through thrilling action sequences interweaving between these groups, capturing the spirit and tension of the original *Jurassic Park*. Most characters are shielded from real danger by the plot’s nature, which makes Gareth Edwards’ ability to keep dinosaur encounters engaging all the more impressive. Whether it's Scarlett Johansson trying to extract blood from a massive underwater dinosaur while suspended over a ship's railing or the family creating distractions after being thrown off a life raft, the inventiveness showcases the creatures in ways the franchise hasn’t explored before.

      Viewers become immersed in the dynamic and exhilarating spectacle, setting aside logical concerns or the fact that the film ultimately shifts focus away from character development toward changing alliances and moral decisions. While some green screen backdrops are apparent in certain scenes, much of the action maintains weight and vitality (shot in studios and real locations), featuring impressive visual effects for the dinosaurs.

      The third act compellingly ties back to the prologue, adding a touch of fear as the outcomes of those earlier experiments are revealed. One could draw parallels to the *Resident Evil*-inspired *Dino Crisis* by Capcom, as the monstrous antagonist introduced in the finale fits perfectly as a climactic boss battle. This section also allows Scarlett Johansson to fully embody the action hero role, surrounded by genuinely likable characters.

      Regardless of the genre, Gareth Edwards has a reliable track