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Bud Brewster
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 Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:37 am Post subject: Jurassic World (2015) |
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I saw "Jurassic World" last night — the movie that broke the all-time record for the highest grossing opening weekend. Apparently the world was just itchin' to see this long-awaited movie, and by gum last weekend that's exactly what the world did.
Was it worth the wait? Was it worth the money?
Well, there's good news and bad news. First the bad news.
The critics are not exactly singing the praises of "Jurassic World". The general consensus is that the characters are shallow and the story is shaky at best. This comment from the Guardian sums it up pretty well.
| Mark Kermode wrote: | | Emerging from more than a decade of development hell, this unwieldy beast of a film cobbles together elements variously cooked up over the years by umpteen writers (including executive producer Steven Spielberg, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes scriptwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver) with a final draft by director Colin Trevorrow and his Safety Not Guaranteed screenwriter, Derek Connolly. This convoluted evolution has produced a story riddled with plot holes big enough for a mosasaurus to leap through with ease. |
Everybody on this board knows how I feel about film critics, so normally I wouldn't give a 'raptor's rear end what the critics are saying, but in this case I'm afraid the movie deserves these biting remarks. It's a mess.
Here's an example. Don't worry about this spoiler, because you'll see the "big surprise" coming a mile away.
Early in the movie the characters discover that the fearsome Indominus Rex has escaped from its enclosure. The chubby, dim-witted guard at the control panel announces that the infrared detectors can't find the dinosaur.
Do the characters sound the alarm? Do they contact security so that thousands of park guests can be rushed indoors?
Nope.
They go into the enclosure to look for the giant carnivorous animal. And when they did that, my growing suspicion that this movie had not yet evolved intelligence increased dramatically.
Once inside the dinosaur pen, these clueless people discover long claw marks on the lower half of the concrete wall of the enclosure. Conclusion: the Indominus Rex has climbed the wall and escaped!
(Meanwhile, I'm thinking, Guys, guys, guys! Look again — the claw marks only go halfway up the wall!)
Any audience member who doesn't have his head stuck too deep in his $20 bucket of popcorn won't be the least bit surprised when the Big Bad Beastie jumps out and starts eating these morons like delicious Raisinettes.
And that's the way this movie goes, start to finish: wacky ideas that make you wonder exactly who thought this story had the kind of intelligence the fans deserve after waiting years for this fourth movie in the series.
My vote for the Dumbest Idea In The Movie is the bad guy's brilliant plan to use trained velociraptors as combat troops to replace humans and expensive weaponized robots.
No, seriously. That's his secret agenda, and he's convinced that the 'raptors can be conditioned to follow orders and fight the evil enemies of America.
So, that's the bad news about "Jurassic World".
And what's the good news?
Well . . . the 3D worked great! 
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Wed Nov 09, 2022 5:14 pm; edited 6 times in total |
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Pow
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| Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| I love my $20.00 bucket of popcorn, Bud!!! |
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Rocky Jones
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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I just caught this one in an uncrowded afternoon show the Thursday after Fourth of July weekend. I liked it just fine, but my judgement may be corrupted by the Northeast Mall Rave theater's comfy wide reclining seats (with foot rests, no less). It was literally more comfortable than watching a movie at home — something I've never been able to say about a movie theater experience. Let's hope this theater design trend spreads.
From this type of film I don't need mind-bending concepts, great surprises or extreme suspense. I want tons of good special effects, nice action pacing and a likable character or two. About the only thing there this one falls short on was the last. Mr. Pratt's character is about the only one I wouldn't have minded being dino chow. Anyway, good or bad, these dinos ate up the box office, thus there will definitely be a sequel in a couple of years. I'm sure I'll be there comfortably reclined and enjoying every minute of it. |
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Bud Brewster
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| Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Rocky Jones wrote: | | From this type of film I don't need mind-bending concepts, great surprises or extreme suspense. I want tons of good special effects, nice action pacing and a likable character or two. |
I'd have settled for basic common sense and a villain who wasn't so dumb he thought he could send velociraptors to obedience school and teach them to salute.
The dramatic conclusion, when a T-Rex and a velociraptor team up to "win one for the Gipper", was a notch lower on the logic meter than when Lassie used to rush back to the farm and go —
"Bark! Bark, bark! Bark!"
— and June Lockhart would shout, "Grandpa, I think Lassie is trying to tell us that Timmy fell down the well!"
Erik Kain's review of Jurassic World in Forbes sums up perfectly why I thought the moronic plot defeated my efforts to enjoy it. Read it and you'll understand my disappointment.
Why 'Jurassic World' Never Lives Up To 'Jurassic Park'
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:19 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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Pow
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:20 am Post subject: |
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Urban myth: There never was an episode where Timmy fell down a well.
One of the most hilarious Super Bowl Ads was one from a few years ago. It had a truck (which was the product) that would come to the house & flash its lights & beep the horn to alert the parents that Timmy was in trouble...again.
Its on Youtube & worth checking out. |
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Rocky Jones
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Thank goodness for those people who remind us what we should dislike because we might be stupid enough to enjoy the wrong thing.
I've not seen much in any Jurassic Park movie — or Yogi Bear cartoon, for that matter — I'd consider plausible, but that hasn't interfered with my enjoying them for what they are. Movies like Jurassic World (as well as James Bond and Star Wars films) are like amusement park rides. You get your ticket and you ride. Worrying about plausibility is kind of pointless. |
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Bud Brewster
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Rocky Jones wrote: | | Worrying about plausibility is kind of pointless. |
Rocky, I respect you're right to like whatever movies you want. The difference between you and I is that I like movies that display intelligence in the story, and I don't like movies that display stupidity.
I could no more just watch movies and "enjoy them for what they are" than I could eat food that looked nice . . . but had no flavor.
Many people like thinking about the movies they see. That's not pointless — heck, that is the point. If a movie gives me something interesting and intelligent to think about (and discuss with other people), I like it.
But if a movie is just two hours of bright colors and loud noises, I've been cheated out of the price of that ticket you mentioned. I didn't get the ride I paid for.
I saw Forbidden Planet over 50 years ago and it's still providing intelligent food for thought. By your own admission, your not going to waste time thinking about Jurassic World, because that would be "pointless."
I promise I won't waste any time doing that either.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:23 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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orzel-w
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Bud Brewster wrote: | Many people like thinking about the movies they see. That's not pointless -- heck, that is the point. If a movie gives me something interesting and intelligent to think about (and discuss with other people), I like it.
But if a movie is just two hours of bright colors and loud noises, I've been cheated out of the price of that ticket you mentioned. I didn't get the ride I paid for. |
I must be inclined to favor Rocky's point of view on this. I just couldn't drum up enough enthusiasm over The Space Children to talk about it with anybody.
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Bud Brewster
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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And yet according to the thread you started with your well-written review of "Maggie", you gave that one considerable thought. I wouldn't have had the slightest interest in watching a movie about zombies if you hadn't recommended it as, basically, a thinking man's movie.
I just put it on my Netflix list. We can talk about that one next week.
I'm sure it doesn't include a moron trying to train zombies as soldiers — because that would be the second dumbest idea in movie history! 
_________________
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:23 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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ralfy
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Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
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| Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:02 am Post subject: |
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I started playing the video and my computer froze. Did anybody else have that problem? If so I will, with regret, remove the video. 
_________________
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:06 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Robert (Butch) Day
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Custer
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| Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 8:35 am Post subject: |
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The "Honest Trailers" guys dealt with Jurassic World this week on YouTube:
Jurassic World
I guess that won't stop me buying the blu-ray soon, since it's out, in the UK at least, tomorrow.  |
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orzel-w
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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We watched Jurassic World a couple nights ago on DVD from Netflix. I just turned off my critical thinking and enjoyed it.
One thing that smacked me 'twixt the eyes is that I felt Vincent D'Onofrio was channeling Brian Dennehy, not only in appearance, but in body language. I even started toying with the idea that D'Onofrio is Dennehy's love child. It took me right back to the latter's character in Silverado.
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Rocky Jones
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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| orzel-w wrote: | | ...enjoyed it. |
Shh. Don't let Bud hear you say that. |
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