In 1993, the world was introduced to Jurassic Park, the epic dinosaur movie that laid the foundation for all future films and even influenced how dinosaurs were portrayed in other films. While many dinosaur films have come before it, it was the first to go deep into the science behind these prehistoric creatures and present them in the most realistic way on the big screen.

The two sequels didn’t manage to live up to the original, but still kept the same spirit, and the follow-up Jurassic World films managed to stand out on their own by going in a whole new direction, which brought in new fans but also divided the fanbase. Now in 2025, the latest film in the franchise, Jurassic World Rebirth serves as not only a sequel, but also a new beginning, now roaring its way into cinemas worldwide.

5 years since the events of Jurassic World Dominion, dinosaurs were brought back from extinction and escaped into our world, but have proven unable to coexist with humans in the modern world, resulting in all surviving dinosaurs inhabiting tropical islands near the equator. Zora Bennett is recruited by a wealthy businessman representing a pharmaceutical company, Martin Krebs, to lead a team of skilled operatives to Ile Saint-Hubert, an island research facility used for the original Jurassic Park that has been kept secret all these years.

Their mission is to secure genetic material from dinosaurs whose DNA can provide life-saving benefits to mankind and give everyone a huge payday. As the top-secret expedition becomes more and more risky, they soon make a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.

The film features a big cast and tells the story from two different perspectives that intertwine. On one side, Scarlett Johansson leads the cast and the team of skilled operatives as Zora Bennett, Mahershala Ali plays Duncan Kincaid, a team leader, Jonathan Bailey stars as Dr. Henry Loomis, a palaeontologist, Rupert Friend as Martin Krebs, the wealthy businessman of a pharmaceutical company, plus Ed Skrein, Bechir Sylvain and Philippine Velge as other members of Zora’s team. They come equipped with various equipment to carry out their mission and guns to defend themselves, while Dr. Henry Loomis provides some insight and context into the dinosaurs throughout the film.

On the other side is a civilian family on a boating trip with Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Reuben Delgado, with his daughters, Teresa and Isabella played by Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda respectively, plus Xavier Dobbs, Teresa’s lazy and unambitious boyfriend, played by David Iacono.

After their boat gets capsized by a Mosasaurus, they manage to survive and are rescued by Zora’s team, who were on their way to Ile Saint-Hubert for their mission. Before the family could be returned to the mainland, Zora and her team first need to get the DNA samples but their ship was attacked by a group of Spinosaurus. They end up on Ile Saint-Hubert as planned, but the family were separated from them during the chaos.

It creates an interesting contrast seeing the film from the perspectives of a covert team equipped with guns and equipment to keep them safe, and an innocent family with nothing to defend themselves with and must adapt to survive. Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali have great chemistry on screen (without any needless romance), even when they’re just having casual conversations, but also bring a lot of excitement and emotion when things get intense.

The film could do more of them as it doesn’t feel they get enough screen time, so hopefully this isn’t the last we see of them if there were to be a sequel. Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Henry Loomis is the film’s palaeontologist, sharing his knowledge of the dinosaurs seen in the film, which dinosaur enthusiasts will certainly enjoy. Rupert Friend’s character is the typical wealthy, greedy, corporate businessman with signs of ulterior motives.

The Delgado family didn’t feel necessary at first, but they do get some exciting scenes, especially one with a fan favourite dinosaur. Having a child amongst them adds a lot to the intensity, as she’s the most vulnerable amongst the cast but also gets some stand-out moments, so she isn’t just a liability. The father does everything he can to keep everyone safe, even his older daughter’s boyfriend, whom he doesn’t approve of, as he finds every excuse to do nothing but does rise to the occasion when things become dire. They also provide some comedic relief, but that can also feel overdone on occasions.

The real stars of the movie are, of course, the dinosaurs. For a lot of us who grew up with this franchise since the beginning, and even kids today, speculating what dinosaurs we might see in the next movie was always one of the most exciting things to look forward to, even if the overall film wasn’t the best. In the latest film, we get some new dinosaurs not seen in past films, which are amazing to look at, but also some fan favourites as well that had some of the biggest moments in cinema history in past films. Unfortunately, a lot of the dinosaurs we really wanted to see don’t appear at all or get much less screen time, with some being just cameos.

It’s good to bring in new dinosaurs and show the audience what they can do, but the latest film introduces more hybrid dinosaurs. One is a deformed 6-limbed tyrannosaur called the Distortus Rex or D-Rex for short which becomes the main giant dinosaur that doesn’t look like it belongs in this movie and another is a pack of mutated raptor/pterosaur hybrids called Mutadons, which take the place of the Velociraptors with their speed, agility and now flight.

They do tie in with the overall plot of the first two Jurassic World movies due to the public becoming bored of the regular dinosaurs and wanting something newer and bigger, but they didn’t feel necessary at all. Fans and dinosaur enthusiasts feel rewarded and get excited when they see dinosaurs they’re familiar with from seeing them in books and documentaries while growing up, but these hybrids don’t give us that same feeling.

They worked well in past films because they were a major part of the plot but in this film, they’re just there without much context other than being experiments, so we could’ve done without them as they get too much screen time that could’ve easily been used for the actual dinosaurs we know and love. Without saying too much, they don’t get a satisfying ending either, like the Indominus Rex or the Indoraptor.

A major reason to watch the latest film is for the horror aspect that made the original three films famous. Director Gareth Edwards’ past work includes Monsters, Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, so he definitely knows how to create suspense, excitement and intensity on screen. David Koepp, who wrote the screenplay for the first two films and worked alongside director Steven Spielberg, finally returns for the latest film, and his work clearly shows.

The Jurassic World trilogy leaned a little too far into the comedy, but Jurassic World Rebirth goes back to basics and feels closer to the original trilogy. The meat-eating dinosaurs in this film, real or hybrid, actually look and feel scary. The way they’re portrayed is designed to prey on your fears of being hunted down and eaten alive, something that feels like a lost art in modern films. Hopefully, future films will keep going in that direction.

Aside from the scary scenes, there are also occasions that allow you to enjoy the sights of big landscapes and prehistoric titans that once again roam the earth. While the film is a constant reminder that dinosaurs are not to be messed with, it also allows you to just appreciate their beauty and gives you the time to take it all in.

The orchestral music throughout the movie also feels like a throwback to the past, with something for every occasion, and you can’t have a Jurassic Park/World movie without the iconic theme song composed by John Williams, which plays at the most appropriate times. There are also a lot of callbacks and references to past films that longtime fans will appreciate. Even the smallest things can bring back old memories and give you a reason to watch the film again to see anything you might’ve missed.

The latest film in the Jurassic Park/World franchise may not be the most solid entry, but it does get a lot of things right by going back to what made the original films so good. The important thing is you won’t be bored, as there is still a lot to enjoy with new dinosaurs making their first appearance on the big screen and the exciting and intense action scenes. The suspense buildup is done fantastically, and the callbacks and references feel rewarding to diehard fans.

Sadly, some fan favourite dinosaurs get very little screen time, and the hybrids served no real purpose other than being a small reference to previous films and taking the spots from the real dinosaurs we know and love. The hybrids simply need to go, as theirs nothing more to add to their part of the story. Currently, there is no word of a possible sequel, but we wouldn’t say no if it were to happen. Jurassic World Rebirth may leave you wanting more of the good stuff, but it is a big dino step in the right direction.

Written by: Sammy Hanson