Director: Joe Johnston
What Is Jurassic Park III About?
Jurassic Park III (2001) follows Paleontologist Alan Grant, who is tricked into joining what he believes is a simple aerial tour of Isla Sorna, an island where dinosaurs roam freely after the collapse of earlier park experiments. The couple who hired him, Paul Kirby and Amanda Kirby, actually intend to search for their missing son, Eric Kirby, who disappeared on the island. When their plane crashes after a massive dinosaur attack, Grant and the group must survive a dangerous journey across the island while being hunted by predators like the Spinosaurus and navigating flocks of intelligent Velociraptors. As they struggle to escape, Grant uses his knowledge of dinosaur behavior to help them stay alive and ultimately try to find Erik.
My Personal Thoughts:
Jurassic Park III is the first movie of the franchise that saw a director change. Steven Spielberg stepped away after taking the reins in the first two, and his magic touch not being in this 3rd establishment is definitely noticeable. When it comes to this 3rd movie, the storyline takes a backseat and lets the action shine. Dinosaur lovers went to see this film for the action-packed thrill ride of seeing their favorite prehistoric beings on screen, and that’s exactly what this film delivers. Jurassic Park 1 and 2 led with a larger storyline focus, as well as keeping the T. Rex as the focal point dinosaur, so I like the swing that they took for this 3rd film on bringing in a new dinosaur (the Spinosaurs) to make things fresh. I also respect that this movie is very self-aware.
The goal was to have a fast-paced action movie that does not let off the gas, and that is exactly what we end up getting. I also love that Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil) decided to return and star in this film, because there would be a gaping hole that would falter the entire movie without his presence. He delivers a steady Sam Neil-type performance and keeps the ship rolling when certain aspects of the movie get rocky. Throughout the film, you have moments like the intense battle between the T. Rex and Spinosaurs, the Velociraptor trap, and the Pterodactyl swinging bridge chase as 3 iconic scenes in this franchise, and they are all paced very nicely.
I’d be remiss if I did not mention any of the flaws that this movie also showcases, though. Character development does not really exist in this film, as I could have seen a better storyline from Paul and Amanda Kirby. They are very cut and dry in wanting to find Erik, and that’s as much as their story goes. The Alan dream sequence is something that could have been completely left out of this film, and I think all fans can get on board with this, but with early 2000s production, we saw many rather interesting decisions regarding sequels to very successful franchises. Finally, this movie is seen as pretty shallow with no real in-depth storytelling, but I can be convinced that this was actually a good idea with the type of movie Jurassic Park III is.
Movie Stub Rating
This was the first film I remember watching in theatres, so I will always have a sentimental attachment to it. I remember getting the cool Jurassic Park dinosaur cup, a big bucket of popcorn, and seeing the Spinosaurus for the first time, which was a crazy moment that won’t be forgotten. Of course, this film has many flaws and does not live up to the standard of the 1st Jurassic Park, but few films do. This movie is a perfect example of a popcorn flick where you can shut your brain off and watch a quick 90-minute thriller of non-stop dinosaurs on the screen.
3.25/5
