In the week leading up to the release of Jurassic World Dominion, I still hadn’t seen the second Jurassic World film. You can see where this is heading right? If I was going to watch the second film, I may as well start with the first Jurassic World.

Furthermore, if I was going to re-watch the Jurassic World series, how could I pass up the opportunity to start where it all began. And if I was going to do that, I may as well re-watch them all right?

Thus Jurassic Park week commenced!

I felt that one a night was an even distribution and it really was a fun week. I think I’m going to have to read Michael Crichton’s books, which the first two films are based on. Partly because it’s well overdue and partly because I’m a little sad Jurassic Park week is over.

As I had mentioned, I kicked off the week back to where it all began in 1993. I was concerned to discover that outside of your “mainstream” dinosaurs I have not retained my knowledge of different species. Lyrics to songs from the 80s and 90s are still in there but I don’t know where the dino facts disappeared to. What I do remember is doing a project in primary school on the Rhamphorhynchus. Unclear is if we were assigned an animal or got to choose. I’m guessing it was assigned.

But I digress…

I still a youngling when Jurassic Park was released in cinemas but I do have memories of watching it on VHS and not being able to watch the scenes where the cow is lowered into the velociraptor enclosure and (spoiler alert) where the T-Rex eats the lawyer off the toilet. Perhaps more traumatic for a time was when my cousins pinned me down and forced my eyes open to watch that latter scene. There’s some character building for you – thanks guys!

Nowadays I can watch the whole film without hiding behind the couch and enjoy the build up of suspense and how much is left up to the imagination. Nothing that happens on screen is as bad as I had pictured what might be happening in my mind. A really good use in the Jurassic Park franchise is hearing the dinosaurs before you seen them. There might be a vocal call from an animal or rustling from shrubbery and that’s when your heart rates starts to elevate. How can one forget the iconic imagery of the water ripples as Rexy (as she is affectionately known by fans) approaches.

Speaking of Rexy, I think a lot of people are most excited for a tyrannosaurus to be featured in the film. With lots of teeth and its sheer size, Rexy is a predator to be feared. However Jurassic Park takes it up a notch an introduces us to the velociraptor, who maybe not in size but is the bigger threat. After all, the whole reason for the events that take place at the park is for an inspection following the death of a worker from a velociraptor. The kitchen scene with the raptors stalking Lex and Tim is exhilarating. All of this taking nothing away from Rexy, who is still terrifying and had an important part of this story.

In regards to favourite characters, of the human variety, I’d have to say the honours go to Dr. Ellie Sattler; portrayed by the wonderful Laura Dern. Ellie is such a well-rounded character for an action film, especially in the early 90s. She is kind, compassionate, smart. not to mention she helps to save the day. I lover her enthusiasm and spirit. She also has one of my favourite lines from the film:

Dr. Ian Malcom: God creates dinosaurs, God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man, man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.
Dr. Ellie Sattler: Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.

Thinking on it I’d have to say one of my favourite things about Jurassic Park is that most of the main characters do their part to save the day. There really isn’t much deadwood.

As this review is starting to get a bit long now, I’ll wrap up with a quick note about transforming novel to film. While I haven’t read the book I can certainly appreciate some of the techniques used to do so. Storytelling in novel form provides a lot of background information which is important to the plot but this can be rather boring to translate into a film medium. The use of the character “Mr. D.N.A” is a brilliant way to get a lot of information across in a quick and entertaining way.

Jurassic Park is a modern classic and if you are going to watch any films in the franchise, let it be this one.

Rating:  A Must See