If dinosaurs eat plants and no one is there to see them is it still a majestic sight? The seventh installment of the Jurassic Park film series comes loaded with familiar tropes and predictability- but a surprise it’s possibly the best one since the third, because even with its flaws, it is still entertaining.  They’re aren’t any new or different avenues of tone or themes being discussed. My favorite cliches in Jurassic Park films are in full display- the not minding your surroundings pays dearly, and big dinosaurs will follow bright smoking flairs. The film is wildly entertaining if you desire to see all the tropes that are in previous films of the franchise. If you are craving something different and wish for something new, you are out of luck. The big main theme that has permeated all the films  is still there hanging over every character decision and action, that people are the real monsters and dinosaurs are just being what nature designed them to be, just hungry animals. The Jurassic franchise is still all about People infringing on nature and their error that they can control all things, and should control all things leads to dire consequences. It has always all been and always will be the Frankenstein syndrome, that what was dead should be left dead, and to bring it back leads to more death.  

Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla) leads us down a stereotypical path that a team of people need to get back to the dinosaur inhabited islands to get blood samples for medical research. A pharmaceutical head hires some mercenaries to embark on a mission that will pay enough so they all can retire. It’s the, all familiar,  one last big bank robbery to ride off in the sunset job. None of the characters that you are rooting for are in any real danger and the bad guy turns out to be more evil than you thought. What kinda  saves it is that it goes relatively fast and keeps the exposition dialogue short. The subplot of the lost dad and his daughters being rescued by the mercenary team occasionally refreshing and tries to bring some wholesome-ness and life to the story. What does work is the scale and scope of the set and action. And its feature of dinosaurs, which is why we are all here. 

What is captivating to me is that clearly this film is pushing the boundaries of its PG-13 rating. There is gore and great scenes of dinosaurs feasting on humans that teases that this franchise is ready to go all out horror. A topic that has been discussed for many years among fans for thirty years. For a film series that consistently presents stories of people and creatures breaking societal and natural laws and rules it is amazing that the Jurassic Park film franchise won’t challenge itself to get an R rating.  A film series all about people breaking societal protocols and fighting nature, logically its next evolutionary step is to go Rated R. 7/10