Every Jurassic Park Movie Officially Ranked: Which Sequels Missed the Mark?
The original sets the standard
The 1993 Jurassic Park is described as an exceptionally entertaining summer blockbuster, with careful worldbuilding and compelling characters. The review places it below some of Steven Spielberg’s greatest films, including Jaws and Schindler’s List, but treats it as the franchise’s defining success.
The films that followed are judged as a steady decline. The review says the series has struggled to capture the qualities that made Michael Crichton’s novel beloved, even as its box-office returns have remained strong.
Box office versus quality
Commercial success does not, in the review’s view, prove that a film is good. It argues that the franchise has not introduced a compelling new group of characters since the original movie.
With Sam Neill gone, the review questions whether the saga can regain the original’s appeal. It sees the sequels’ shortcomings as worth examining, particularly their storytelling and character choices.
Sequels lose their direction
Jurassic World Dominion is compared to The Rise of Skywalker, a pointed parallel given that Colin Trevorrow directed Dominion after leaving the ninth Skywalker saga episode. The review criticizes Trevorrow’s storytelling, describing a lengthy second act weighed down by exposition and side quests before an underwhelming finale.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is faulted for shifting from a disaster thriller to a haunted-house film. The review says its script mishandles the idea of dinosaurs exploited by greedy capitalists, while adding questionable science and a cloning subplot.
Rebirth struggles to reset
Jurassic World Rebirth was presented as a return to basics, but the review calls the result cynical. Its characters head back to the original island in pursuit of money, and the story gives military figures more focus than scientists.
The review says dinosaurs become a means to obtain DNA rather than a source of wonder, and criticizes the film’s plot and family characters. It names Jonathan Bailey’s performance as a standout, while saying Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali cannot lift David Koepp’s script.
Key points
- The 1993 Jurassic Park is presented as the franchise’s strongest film.
- The review argues that box-office success does not equal quality.
- Later films are criticized for weak plots, muddled tones and thin character development.
- Jonathan Bailey’s performance is identified as a bright spot in Jurassic World Rebirth.