A Welcome Return to "Jurassic Park" (3D)

Steven Spielberg's mega-hit Jurassic Park is back in theaters, complete with a 3D upgrade, after nearly two decades. Until attending a recent advance screening, I had not seen the film since its original theatrical run and I was quite impressed with how well Jurassic Park has held up over the years. This is the type of film that 3D is tailored for and the dinosaurs look even more menacing with the updated technology. 

For those unfamiliar with Jurassic Park, the story centers around the efforts of billionaire businessman John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) to populate a tropical island near Costa Rica with cloned and genetically modified dinosaurs that were created with blood found in mosquitoes that had been frozen in ice since the beasts roamed the Earth. Hammond wants to create a theme park, but after a worker is killed by a dinosaur, he needs to be sure the park is, in fact, safe. He asks Dr. Grant (Sam Neill), a paleontologist, and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), a chaos theorist, to help in making sure another tragedy does not occur. Dr. Grant is accompanied by graduate student Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), who wants more than a working relationship with her mentor. 

The inspection does not go as planned because a few dinosaurs do not appear, some have fallen ill, and a dangerous tropical storm arrives and strands several people outside, including Dr. Grant and Dr. Malcolm. Meanwhile, Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight), the resident computer programmer, has been paid to steal dinosaur embryos by a rival company and as he sets his plan into motion, the island loses power and then Nedry goes missing in the storm. Without the use of safeguards, such as the electronic fence that separates the dinosaurs from the human population, all hell breaks loose. 

Jurassic Park is a fast moving family film that features a good mix of drama and lighthearted moments. The special effects are still spectacular and the 3D technology adds even more realism to the images. The performances are generally good and I was surprised to see two familiar faces that I did not remember seeing the first time around; Samuel L. Jackson, who portrays Ray Arnold, a park engineer, and character actor B.D. Wong (Oz, Awake) as a geneticist. 

Yes, Jurassic Park is available on DVD and Blu-ray, but if you have the opportunity to see the film again in theaters, I would encourage you to do so. Some of those mammoth dinosaurs must be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated and it is one of Steven Spielberg's finest films that the entire family can enjoy. The film may also whet your appetite for the fourth installment, which is set to be released in June 2014.