Seventh Jurassic Film Fights for the Franchise to Survive Extinction
DIRECTED BY GARETH EDWARDS/2025

In the summer of 1993, Steven Spielberg reshaped cinema and destroyed the box office with his adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel. Jurassic Park was a marvel the moment the first brachiosaurus graced the big screen, and it cemented itself into film history when the Tyrannosaurus Rex rocked every theatre’s sound system. In a little over two hours, Spielberg brought to life these prehistoric creatures and taught as all that life does in fact find a way. In the years following, audiences have been treated to lackluster sequels and a promising but disappointing second trilogy. 32 years later, here we are for the arrival of the seventh installment: Jurassic World: Rebirth.
In world of Rebirth, these ancient creatures have either died out or been all but abandoned by human civilization. The few that remain are concentrated solely in restricted zones on the equator, as they are able to thrive in the tropical climates and oxygen-rich environments. Long gone are the days of theme parks and immersive attractions. Dinosaurs are old news now, didn’t you hear? The initial novelty of this scientific breakthrough has faded into a chilling universal boredom. As one character so aptly describes it, these “engineered entertainments” are no longer enough to draw a crowd or, most important to these companies, their money.
That does not mean dinosaurs have outlived their profitability. As expected from any Jurassic film, a sleazy businessman inserts himself where he doesn’t belong to get the plot rolling. This time it is Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), a representative of a pharmaceutical company searching for the next big breakthrough. Their target: DNA from several different kinds of living dinosaurs. In order to reach the DNA before their competitors, Krebs hires covert operation expert Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) to head this suicidal operation. Zora brings in her trusted associate Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) and his practically nameless crew to get them to the forbidden Ile Saint-Hubert.

Rounding out this team is civilian paleontologist Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), who has spent his entire life dedicated to dinosaurs but is only familiar with their fossils. At the same time, we are introduced to the Delgados, a family currently sailing across the Atlantic for one last bonding experience. There is the father Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his oldest daughter Teresa (Luna Blaise), her slacker boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono), and his youngest Isabella (Audrina Miranda). When the Delgados are attacked and shipwrecked, the covert ops team save them only to bring the Delgados along on their deadly mission. Inevitably, both the crew and the unfortunate family are stranded on possibly the most dangerous island in the world and must survive until rescue arrives.
Under the direction of Gareth Edwards, Rebirth makes a valiant effort to replicate the same level of heart and horror that is so definitive of the source material. I would be remiss to ignore the occasions where this film succeeds. Edwards is far from a novice when it comes to blockbuster spectacles. Between the Death Star and a kaiju with atomic breath, he clearly has experience navigating high-stakes action and larger-than-life creatures. Certainly, the CGI here is stunning, and each dinosaur is a visual delight. Watching the Mosasaurus glide through the ocean like a monstrous whale is equally breathtaking as it is horrifying. In perhaps the most memorable scene, the covert ops crew finds themselves in a herd of Titanosaurus. The sheer size of these gentle animals, the awed reactions of the team, and the swell of famous score make for a truly nostalgic moment that feels like it could have been ripped out of the original.

What worked so beautifully in Jurassic Park was the human element. Practically every character was easy to like, and therefore easy to worry about when being hunted through the park. Unfortunately, Rebirth struggles to replicate this same emotional response. In general, the film is far too overpopulated to truly build any true depth to its characters. That is not to say that any of these actors give weak performances, but rather the action overpowers the smaller quieter moments of character growth. Likewise, the screenwriters seem far too attached to their cast. By the third dinosaur encounter, it is fairly clear that Edwards is entirely unwilling to actually truly risk any of these characters. At a certain point, some of the near misses began to feel more ludicrous than practical. When did dinosaur movies begin to feel this sanitized?
Though leagues above the abysmal past two installments, I am starting to believe this franchise has given all it has. Perhaps the unconquerable challenge here is matching the truly stellar quality of the predecessor. With such a successful beginning, it is difficult not to fall short every time. Edwards does a respectable job with his chance at reviving this dying genre. There are some offbeat attempts at social commentary sprinkled in with the dinos and survivalist drama, but the most relevant seem unintentional. Is it a little ironic that a seventh addition in blockbuster franchise has the guts to condemn the greed of capitalist corporations? Most definitely, but hopefully they are self-aware. Extinction is reversible in this strange new world, but perhaps for dignity’s sake the Jurassic films should be allowed to have an honorable end with Rebirth.