Jurassic Park (1993) Review

Nearly twenty years before Jurassic Park was first released Steven Spielberg made Jaws. That film was a masterpiece. A stunning success measured by the overall failure of shark attack films since. The same is true of this film. In the hands of another filmmaker this could turn into your standard Saturday monster matinee but Spielberg's mastery of science-fiction and indeed film itself keeps that from happening.

Based upon the novel by Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park imagines a world where Dinosaurs are no longer extinct. On a remote island, a wealthy entrepreneur (Richard Attenborough) secretly creates a theme park featuring living Dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening the attraction to the public, he invites a top paleontologist (Sam Neill), a paleobotanist (Laura Dern), a mathematician/theorist (Jeff Goldblum), and his two eager grandchildren (Joseph Mazzello, Arianna Richards) to experience the park -- and help calm anxious investors. A money-hungry computer technician (Wayne Knight) tries to steal the Dinosaur embryos and forces systems all over the park to shut down causing the prehistoric creatures to break out who then wreak havoc.

Not only is it a visually brilliant film but it also is incredibly nice to listen to. I know what you're thinking. The screeching Dilophosaurus is nice to listen to? Trust me. If you were only listening to the film as it plays in your living room while you are in the kitchen it would still be exquisite. There is a nice blending to all the sounds in the film. The real stars of the film are the Dinosaurs. This is due to the work of Phil Tippett, Dennis Muren, Stan Winston and Michael Lantieri. Each of these men are vital to the effects being able to succeed. I still watch the film and have to wonder who was responsible for what shots of the Dinosaurs in the film.

The film is still the standard for any live-action film with dinosaurs running around. The phenomenal effects have not aged in the least. Maybe because people aren't used to seeing Dinosaurs so we aren't as quick to criticize but there is no point in denying that when people of think of Dinosaur films they think of Jurassic Park first and foremost. Indeed when someone tries to change the way Dinosaurs move or sound in a film we often reject it.

★★★1/2