Jurassic World Dominion Is the Franchise’s Worst Movie, Here’s Why

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Although Jurassic Park continues to be one of cinema’s most legendary films, its sequels have generally fallen short of the mark. Rarely has a masterpiece spawned so many lackluster follow-ups that failed to capture the essence of what made the original so exceptional. Incredibly, even The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Steven Spielberg’s sole additional directorial contribution to the franchise, is often considered his least successful film. The charm, spectacle, and spot-on casting that characterized the first Jurassic Park were eventually replaced with underwhelming staging and melodramatic human storylines.

Even though some viewers believe that the moment a raptor shouted “ALAN!” in Jurassic Park III was the lowest point of the franchise, they’ve clearly missed the target. Instead, it’s the Jurassic World trilogy, introduced in 2015, that marked the beginning of the saga’s weaker moments. Eventually, this trend reached its peak with the conclusion of Colin Trevorrow’s trilogy, specifically Jurassic World Dominion, which surpassed all other Jurassic Park films in terms of being the worst.

What Makes Dominion the Low Point of The Jurassic Park Saga?

In a different take: People once criticized the short runtime of Jurassic Park III, saying it suffered from pacing issues, especially due to its lack of a proper climax. Yet, the brevity of that film is much more appealing than the prolonged runtime of Jurassic World Dominion, which is now the longest installment in the series, surpassing 130 minutes. With a running time of 147 minutes, Dominion feels like an endless journey as it manages numerous subplots involving the new characters from Jurassic World, along with returning characters from the original Jurassic Park, such as Dr. Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm.

In this film, titled “Dominion,” written by Trevorrow and Emily Carmichael, we don’t prioritize brevity. Instead, the script separates the World and Park characters into distinct subplots that last almost the entire movie. This approach can be described as fragmented, especially considering there are additional subplots about Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon), Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), and her new adventurous friend Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise). Their actions revolve around a peculiar event: gigantic locusts causing turmoil in reality, not dinosaurs.

In essence, the film “Dominion” is criticized for its excessive number of human characters and giant insects, while providing limited dinosaur action. The ending cliffhanger from “Fallen Kingdom”, which hinted at a collision between dinosaurs and human civilization, is largely absent except for a brief scene showing dinosaurs rampaging across Malta. Apart from this, the movie “Dominion” is seen as an unusual imitation of previous works. This extends to its finale, where dinosaur violence is confined to a secluded laboratory enclosed by greenery. This plot point brings all the characters together at a secluded compound owned by villain Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott), which seems much like Isla Nublar or Sorna.

Even when Dominion’s climax intensifies with dinosaur-focused scenes and brings characters together, it fails to generate enthusiasm within the storyline. In simpler terms, the fragmented storytelling in Dominion makes it feel like a tedious journey towards the “fireworks factory’s” grand finale.

Jurassic World Dominion Struggles As A Standalone Movie

Disappointingly, Trevorrow and Carmichael wind up Dominion’s complex human dramas, filled with melodrama, by having two digitally created dinosaurs engage in combat. This finale features the iconic T-Rex from the initial film battling a Giganotosaurus, accompanied by a Therizinosaurus assisting the Rex. The fight initiates with a moment that might induce an eyeroll due to its “fan-service” element, where the T-Rex is depicted through a circular object, reminiscent of the Jurassic Park logo. However, the subsequent battle between the T-Rex and Giganotosaurus references a skirmish between these dinosaurs from ancient times that was shown in a Dominion prologue that preceded F9: The Fast Saga in IMAX.

This battle, when considered independently, feels like a repetition of the iconic Velociraptor versus T-Rex encounter that concluded both the original and the latest Jurassic Park or World films. However, it’s rather perplexing and annoying that a significant emotional thread in this fight will be hard to follow unless you’ve watched a separate prequel film. Right before this battle, Dodgson meets his demise at the claws of a Dilophosaurus. Earlier, these creatures had killed off Dodgson’s confidant, Denis Nedry, in the original Jurassic Park, many years prior. Remarkably, Dodgson dies holding a canister of dinosaur DNA, similar to how Nedry did.

In simpler terms, the movie “Dominion” seems to lack substance, with its conclusion mainly significant when considering external factors. It’s more like a treat for fans and payoffs from other works (Chekhov’s Guns). The poor lighting choices during the nighttime dinosaur fight further deteriorate the overall impression of the film. This criticism comes after a movie that was already mediocre, failing to deliver the necessary spectacle expected in a dinosaur-centric blockbuster. Instead of focusing on impressive visuals or engaging dialogue, they had esteemed actors like Laura Dern say awkward lines such as “he slid into my DM’s” or “it’s always darkest just before eternal nothingness.

Watching “Jurassic World Dominion” feels like gazing into a void. Its blend of practical effects and real locations, typically exciting elements, seems lackluster due to the unengaging filming style. Even the talented composer Michael Giacchino fails to infuse excitement into this production, which is unusual for his energetic contributions to action-packed blockbusters. Previous Jurassic Park films like “The Lost World” or “Fallen Kingdom” featured standout sequences demonstrating impressive theatrics or visual flair; however, “Dominion” seems to be devoid of any such qualities. Instead, it appears as if a catastrophic asteroid has wiped out this franchise, leaving behind only hollow remnants of the dinosaur-filled Earth seen in the 1993 original. The screen time dedicated to dinosaurs is disappointingly scant. The storytelling choices are perplexing, and the film’s main flaw lies in its constant callbacks to a far superior movie that you could simply rewatch instead.

Jurassic World Dominion is now streaming on Peacock.

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2025-06-03 00:41