Blu-ray Spotlight: "The Jurassic Park Trilogy"

I recently had the opportunity to see the re-release of Jurassic Park in 3D and was pleasantly surprised at how well the film holds up, some two decades after its original release. I also took the time to watch the second and third installments in the franchise, The Lost World and Jurassic Park III, as well as the numerous special features that are included on the Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy Blu-ray edition, which was released in 2011. You can read my thoughts on Jurassic Park here.

The original film is, without a doubt, the best in the series, followed by Jurassic Park III and The Lost World, which was very disappointing. Released in 1997 and directed by Steven Spielberg, The Lost World: Jurassic Park boasts a very talented cast, including Julianne Moore, the late Pete Postlethwaite, Vince Vaughn and the returning Jeff Goldblum, as chaos expert Dr. Ian Malcolm. The Lost World also has not one, but two T. Rex dinosaurs who wreck havoc on the principal characters in response to them taking their baby, which was in need of medical attention. The story centers around the infiltration of dinosaurs on Isla Sorna, which is the neighboring island to Isla Nubar, where the events of the first film took place. Once they are discovered, Dr. Malcolm is asked to join a team of researchers to document their findings on Isla Sorna. Complicating matters are a team of mercenaries who are trying to capture certain dinosaurs for placement in a park in San Diego. Of course, messing with the dinosaurs, especially the large ones, can only lead to disaster.

Unfortunately, the talented cast never seems to develop the rapport that viewers might expect and none of the characters are particularly likable. In addition, a supporting character, who will not be named, is completely unnecessary and is involved in a ludicrous scene involving raptors that features a gymnastic move that almost made me stop watching the film completely. Outside of the dinosaurs and the special effects, there is little to enjoy in The Lost World.

Jurassic Park III, on the other hand, is a marked improvement over The Lost World. Returning for the third installment is Sam Neill, as Dr. Alan Grant, and Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Degler, who plays a supporting role and does not interect with the dinosaurs. The story centers around two missing tourists who were last seen para sailing around Isla Sorna. Later, Dr. Grant is approached about leading a tour of Isla Sorna, by air, at the request of a couple, Paul and Amanda Kirby (William H. Macy and Tea Leoni). Dr. Grant agrees, but soon learns that the Kirbys intend to land on the island and need his help in finding their son, who is one of the missing tourists. Shortly after they land, a Spinosaurus appears and when the group try to fly away, their plane is damaged and crashes in the forest. They are now trapped on the island and soon discover so-called "super dinosaurs" which have evolved over the years. 

Despite a couple of annoying characters, Jurassic Park III is a lot of fun to watch. The addition of several new, huge and frightening dinosaurs add to the tension throughout the film, as the survivors literally run for their lives almost from start to finish. Director Joe Johnston takes over for Spielberg and crafts an enjoyable and exciting film that is reminiscent of the original.

The abundance of special features, both new and old, is a real treat for fans of the trilogy. Each of the three discs boast many behind the scenes featurettes and the original theatrical trailers. The Lost World also includes deleted scenes, while Jurassic Park III features commentary with the special effects team. Even with the substandard second installment, the Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy is great fun and a good primer for viewers who are anticipating the fourth installment, which is due in the summer of 2014.

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.