7 Best Velociraptor Scenes in the Jurassic Park Franchise

In the thrilling Jurassic Park movies, Velociraptors stand out as one of the most iconic dinosaur characters, boasting some of the most memorable scenes within the franchise. First introduced in Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel and its 1993 film adaptation, these fearsome creatures were among the earliest dinosaurs featured in the Jurassic Park universe.

While it is important to note that many of the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park universe, including Velociraptors, are not entirely scientifically accurate, their on-screen versions effectively capture the essence of a terrifying predator. In fact, Velociraptors are renowned for their incredible strength, speed, and intelligence in the Jurassic Park series, making them both formidable hunters and highly intelligent dinosaurs.

In Jurassic Park III, Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) uncovers that Raptors can communicate vocally with one another. It’s no surprise then, that the Raptors have endured as a popular mainstay in the Jurassic Park series, boasting numerous memorable moments throughout its history. Here are seven standout Velociraptor scenes from the Jurassic Park franchise.

The Raptors Attack In The Long Grass – The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park saw the InGen workers disregard Ajay’s caution not to venture into tall grass, leading to their tragic demise when they crossed paths with a hidden pack of Velociraptors. The long grass scene in The Lost World is a cinematic triumph in building dinosaur tension, as the Raptors were skillfully kept out of sight and managed to overpower their human prey from beneath the grass.

1) The high-angle shot of the Raptors moving towards their target in “The Lost World” beautifully portrays these dinosaurs as cunning hunters, dominating the dinosaur realm with their strategic skills. Though they remained mostly hidden throughout, the long grass hunting sequence is undeniably one of the most suspenseful scenes featuring the Raptors stalking their prey. What’s more, it ends spectacularly with a thrilling aerial attack by the Raptors, emphasizing their agility, power, and intelligence – qualities that make them the most formidable predators in the “Jurassic Park” series.

The Raptors Attack At The InGen Compound – The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

After the thrilling Raptor chase scene in “The Lost World”, another exciting Raptor sequence unfolds, where these dinosaurs relentlessly pursue human characters Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Dr. Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore), and his daughter Kelly (Vanessa Lee Chester) at an abandoned InGen facility. The trio are put in a perilous situation as Malcolm ends up trapped inside an old car with a Raptor trying to break in, while Sarah and Kelly find themselves cornered in an old structure as Raptors aggressively attempt to enter.

In the InGen compound, the Velociraptors’ relentless assault on a group of three humans serves to keep the pace just as swift as the Raptors themselves. Steven Spielberg skillfully infuses tension with moments of visual suspense that leave you on edge, such as one Raptor forcing its snout through the car window’s glass and Sarah and Kelly’s race against time to burrow their way out of the building while two Raptors frantically dig towards them. Despite having a smaller role in The Lost World, the Velociraptors undeniably make their brief appearance unforgettable in this scene.

The Raptor Family Comes For Their Stolen Eggs – Jurassic Park III (2001)

In the world depicted by the Jurassic Park series, there’s a crucial lesson: avoid interfering with dinosaur families, particularly their offspring. This rule is unfortunately broken in Jurassic Park III by Billy Brennan (played by Alessandro Nivola), who takes Raptor eggs to support Dr. Alan Grant’s struggling Raptor research, leading to grave danger for the human characters as the Raptors pursue them relentlessly. The film reaches a heart-pounding climax as the humans find themselves face-to-face with the Raptors in a thrilling final showdown.

In “Jurassic Park III”, Velociraptors, known for their quickness and ferocity, take on a different dimension when they appear to reclaim their eggs from the human group. The scene where they confront Paul (William H. Macy) and Amanda (Tea Leoni) is particularly nerve-wracking, highlighting the Raptors as protective family members. Despite not causing any harm to humans in this instance, the tension in this Velociraptor sequence is palpable and unparalleled.

Blue & The T-Rex Battle The Indominus Rex – Jurassic World (2015)

2015’s “Jurassic World” not just revived the “Jurassic Park” series, it also introduced the world to its latest beloved Velociraptor – the trained dinosaur, Blue. The fearsome Indominus Rex was causing chaos in Jurassic World, and it seemed that even the unleashed Tyrannosaurus Rex couldn’t handle this towering hybrid alone. But then, the scene-stealing Blue came into play, demonstrating once again why a trained Velociraptor is such an asset!

In the final scene of the original Jurassic Park, there was a brief hint of a Raptor fighting a T-Rex. The climactic battle in Jurassic World can be seen as a sort of completion or full circle moment, with Blue going up against a much larger dinosaur. Interestingly, both Blue and the T-Rex’s confrontation ends in a mutual show of dinosaur respect between them, enhancing the full circle aspect of the encounter. Furthermore, the Indominus Rex proved to be a formidable adversary, but ultimately it was Blue who played a crucial role in its defeat, and her actions also contributed to another memorable Velociraptor sequence in the finale of Jurassic World.

Robert Muldoon Meets The “Clever Girl” – Jurassic Park (1993)

In Jurassic Park, Velociraptors are predominantly kept out of sight until the climax, where they’re spoken about with awe and trepidation by Dr. Alan Grant. Robert Muldoon, the park’s game warden (portrayed by Bob Peck), later encounters their stealthy hunting strategies firsthand. Attempting to fire at one Raptor from afar, Muldoon is startled when another emerges unexpectedly from his side. Recognizing the Raptor as “smart,” Muldoon unfortunately fails to react quickly enough with his weapon against the new dinosaur attacker.

As a dedicated fan, I’d rephrase that as follows: In the Jurassic Park franchise, the hunt sequence we witness is the first for the Raptors, and it skillfully expands upon Dr. Grant’s early film monologue about these creatures strategizing their attacks, as they don’t strike from the front but rather from the side, catching us off guard with a Raptor that even Muldoon didn’t suspect was there. The intelligence and synchronization of Velociraptors is a chilling blend indeed, and the Jurassic Park series masterfully demonstrates this, featuring one clever little girl in particular.

The Malta Motorcycle Chase – Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)

Back in Jurassic Park, Robert Muldoon estimated that those velociraptors could sprint at around 50 to 60 miles per hour. But it wasn’t until the Jurassic World films that the franchise truly unleashed the incredible speed of these creatures. In my opinion, the Raptor chase scene in Malta from Jurassic World: Dominion takes the top spot as the best one yet. As Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and others scrambled to escape on motorcycles and cars through the winding streets of Malta, those Raptors left no doubt about their status as the speed kings of the dinosaur kingdom! What an adrenaline rush that sequence was!

In addition to being remarkable, the intricate old buildings of Malta demand that the Raptors move cautiously as they pursue their human targets. This heightens the chase’s awe-inspiring quality, as the Raptors are able to maintain their incredible speed while navigating narrow streets, alleys, and other openings like agile, upright serpents. The Velociraptor chase in Malta from Jurassic World: Dominion not only stands out among all Raptor sequences, it also ranks as one of the most thrilling action scenes within the entire Jurassic Park franchise.

The Raptors Stalk The Kids In The Kitchen – Jurassic Park (1993)

In the iconic scene from Jurassic Park, the Velociraptor’s most memorable moment is undeniably when the duo of these intelligent dinosaurs chased Lex (played by Ariana Richards) and Tim (Joseph Mazzello) into the Visitor’s Center kitchen. Although Raptors had already made appearances on screen during the movie, their entrance into the kitchen gave the impression that this was their grand introduction to the big screen. They cleverly learned how to use a door handle and stormed into the kitchen with their spine-chilling raspy growls, signaling their intent to hunt down their next meal.

The kitchen scene in Jurassic Park is particularly effective due to Spielberg’s clever approach of underplaying the Raptors’ power and swiftness. He instead prolongs the sequence, building tension as the Raptors sense their prey is in the kitchen and leisurely walk in, clicking their sharp claws against the tile floor. The numerous narrow escapes Lex and Tim have from the two Raptors add to the feeling of being trapped and terrified. For instance, one Raptor nearly discovers hiding Tim when it sniffs a dropped ladle just inches away. Throughout the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World series, Velociraptors have had many memorable moments, but the nerve-wracking, suspenseful kitchen hunting sequence in Jurassic Park remains the best Velociraptor scene yet.

The Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies are available to stream on Prime Video and Hulu.

2025-03-07 04:15