Critical Reception to Jurassic World: Rebirth Is Disheartening

Jurassic World: Rebirth officially hits theaters on July 2nd, and the first reviews are starting to trickle in. Right now, it’s got a 58% on Rotten Tomatoes from 83 reviews, which isn’t “Fresh.” But hey, that’s actually the third highest score in the whole Jurassic series, just behind the classic original Jurassic Park (which got a 91%) and the first Jurassic World (at 72%). Gareth Edwards, who directed Godzilla (2014) and Rogue One, is at the helm. And the script? It’s by David Koepp, who actually wrote the very first Jurassic Park movie, so he’s back in the mix.

The main stars are Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey. The story revolves around Scarlett’s character leading a team trying to get some dinosaur DNA back. So, what are folks saying? Well, reviews are pretty split. On the not-so-great side, a lot of people are pointing out that the script isn’t very original. They’re calling it a rehash of old ideas. Critics are also grumbling that it leans too much on nostalgia without really bringing anything fresh to the table, and they’re saying the human characters feel a bit shallow. Even though there’s some wild action and the dinosaurs look amazing, many feel the movie just doesn’t grab you and doesn’t really have a clear point

Just to update, Jurassic World: Rebirth is still sitting at a 58% on the Tomatometer, now from 76 reviews. That number could shift as more critics weigh in, of course. But it seems pretty unlikely it’ll hit that “Fresh” mark. As Manuel Sao Bent from Fandomwire put it, “What we get is just another recycling of ideas in Jurassic World: Rebirth.” The studio actually kept the budget a bit tighter this time, around $180 million. That might help them break even, especially if it does well overseas. Jurassic World: Rebirth tries to breathe new life into the series by bringing back classic stuff and going for a more tense, hands-on feel. But folks are saying it still doesn’t really bring anything new. It’s a big question mark whether fans will keep lining up for dinosaur movies when the old tricks are starting to feel a bit tired.

Looking at the money side of things, predictions for its US opening weekend are between $115 and $125 million for the five-day, extended 4th of July weekend. If that holds up, it’d be the lowest opening for the Jurassic World part of the franchise. On the brighter side, Scarlett Johansson is getting some solid praise for her acting and how she carries herself on screen. Other good points people are mentioning include how tense the survival scenes are, the cool practical effects, and a more subtle vibe that feels closer to the original Jurassic Park. In fact, some are even saying this is the best Jurassic movie since the very first one!