Jurassic World: Rebirth Trailer Disappoints: A Step Backwards?
The first trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth, the seventh installment in the Jurassic Park franchise, has arrived. This new entry, directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring a fresh cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali (alongside the return of screenwriter David Koepp), marks a supposed "new era" following the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard trilogy. However, the trailer suggests a regression for the series.
A Return to Familiar Territory?
While the Jurassic World trilogy received mixed reviews, its box office success is undeniable. The global appeal of dinosaurs is clear, and despite Universal's initial intention to retire the previous cast, another installment was inevitable. Gareth Edwards' involvement is intriguing, given his expertise in large-scale VFX-heavy films. The trailer showcases impressive visual effects, particularly the dinosaurs' realistic movement and detailed rendering, surpassing many recent blockbusters. Edwards' efficiency, completing production within a short timeframe (hired February 2024, in production by June), is remarkable. However, the trailer offers limited insight into the new characters' development.
Despite the visual promise, the trailer's central issue is its apparent abandonment of the "world of dinosaurs" concept teased in Fallen Kingdom and Dominion. The setting appears to be yet another island—a supposed research facility for the original Jurassic Park—rather than the globally dispersed dinosaur populations established in previous films. Universal's synopsis explains this by stating that the planet's ecology is inhospitable to dinosaurs, confining them to isolated equatorial environments.
Missed Opportunities and Creative Regression
This creative choice feels like a significant misstep. The previous trilogy's efforts to establish a "Jurassic World" are seemingly disregarded. Similar to Dominion's retconning of Fallen Kingdom's ending, Rebirth seemingly discards the exciting potential of a world overrun by dinosaurs. This conservative approach undermines the intended relaunch with new characters and concepts.
The established lore also appears inconsistent. Dominion showcased dinosaurs thriving in diverse environments, from snowy regions to urban settings. The film's depiction of dinosaurs navigating various terrains contradicts Rebirth's explanation of an inhospitable global environment. The Malta chase sequence in Dominion, a highlight of the film, showcased dinosaurs successfully navigating a city.
The Jurassic franchise is a reliable Hollywood bet, but this reliance on established tropes seems to stifle innovation. While Rebirth might hold undisclosed surprises, the trailer's reliance on the familiar island setting feels stale. The rumored original title, Jurassic City, hinted at a different setting entirely, raising questions about what the trailer intentionally omits.
The franchise needs to move beyond the tropical island formula. While not necessarily requiring a Planet of the Apes-style approach, exploring new environments and scenarios would greatly benefit the series. The hope is that Jurassic World: Rebirth will ultimately surprise, but for now, the trailer suggests a missed opportunity for creative evolution.
Jurassic World Rebirth - Trailer 1 Stills
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