‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ movie review: Join Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey on a dino-stuffed thrill ride

The fourth film in the Jurassic World universe opens in 2010 on an island in the Atlantic Ocean, Ile Saint-Hubert, where dinosaur mutations are being developed to feed the public’s demand for newer species.

A six-limbed T-Rex mutant, Distortus rex, as mean-tempered as its name suggests, gets free and unleashes mayhem, causing the facility to be shut down. What causes the breach is a candy wrapper frying the electrics — littering is never a good habit.

Years later, the dinosaurs are unable to adapt to the changed climate, surviving only near the equator where the air and temperature are what they were used to those many million years ago.

Dinosaurs are not a novelty anymore and a dying Apatosaurus causing traffic to back up in the city is a major irritant and not a cause for joy or wonder. A sauropod on Silk Board Junction, on the other hand, would have been fun. Just saying.

Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), who works with a shadowy pharmaceutical company, is one of those irritated by the fallen Apatosaurus. Krebs meets with Zora (Scarlett Johansson), a scarily competent covert operative, and tells her he has a job for her.

Jonathan Bailey, Left, and Scarlett Johansson in a scene from ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth.’
| Photo Credit:
Jasin Boland

The job involves getting blood samples from three of the biggest dinosaurs — on land, in water, and air — to create a drug that will save the world and line his company’s pockets till kingdom come.

Offering Zora an obscene sum of money, the expedition is quickly kitted out. There is the palaeontologist offering technical expertise and a cool specimen-collection gun, Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey); the captain of the boat, Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), and his crew, which includes Bobby (Ed Skrein), Leclerc (Bechir Sylvain) and Nina (Philippine Velge).

As the team heads out to the island to collect the first specimen from a Mosasaurus (yes!), a family, comprising Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his daughters Teresa (Luna Blaise) and Isabella (Audrina Miranda), and Teresa’s stoner boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono), is heading to Cape Town from Barbados.

They are shipwrecked after the Mosasaurus turns their boat upside down. Zora’s team rescues them, but instead of heading for safety, they chase the Mosasaurus for the sample. The thrills follow fast and furious with mean dinosaurs flashing their wicked teeth. The Mosasaurus is a bit of a show-off, going round and round snapping its gargantuan jaws.

Gareth Edwards, who has helmed two of the most exciting sci-fi films in recent times — Rogue Oneand The Creator — has made a film that has enough of the original Steven Spielberg DNA to keep things moving spiffily along.

Rupert Friend, from left, Mahershala Ali, and Bechir Sylvain in a scene from ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth.’
| Photo Credit:
Jasin Boland

There are moments of silly fun, especially with Xavier. The T-Rex rolling in its sleep like a cute Labrador puppy is most adorable. The thrills, while derivative, much the all-important sample tube rolling to the edge of the cliff, deliver the requisite adrenaline rush.

The cast is competent and fully invested in their characters. Johansson’s Zora is tough as nails, Ali is sturdy and kind, Friend is necessarily slimy, while Bailey brings in the shock and awe at these creatures that ruled the earth so many years ago. Bailey incidentally played the clarinet on the score.

Jurassic World Rebirth sounds and looks wonderful, and though it does not offer anything brilliantly new, it is the kind of summer fast food that is filling and tasty and utterly forgettable.

Jurassic World Rebirth is currently running in theatres