I was eleven when Jurassic Park first came out, and I remember everything about the experience of seeing it on the big screen vividly. At that point in my life I was incredibly interested in dinosaurs, so much so that my goal was to become a paleontologist. Alas, that dream never came to fruition. Still, dinosaurs would still have quite an impact on the direction my life would go in the future, as walking out of Jurassic Park that summer day back in 1993 my eyes had been opened to the pure magic of movie-making and all it had to offer.
Now, twenty years later after many twists and turns in the road, I’m in filmmaking school and working towards getting into the industry that sparked a flame within me two decades earlier and has been burning brightly ever since. To celebrate this fact, Steven Spielberg decided to re-release Jurassic Park in 3D – though it could also have something to do with it being the 20th anniversary and introducing it to newer generations as well, but I’ll just stick with my initial reasoning.
So the big question is: is Jurassic Park worth seeing again in theaters when I could go and buy the entire trilogy on Blu-ray for the cost of two tickets? The answer in short is yes, yes it is. Granted, I do have a heavy nostalgia for the film; however, this isn’t just a slapped together re-release with tacked on 3D put out there to garner a bit more money by those with said nostalgia who just can’t pass it up. No, this is a beautifully remastered version of Spielberg’s blockbuster, and it’s clear from the very start that they spared no expense.
Watching the film brought me back 20 years, and yet it looks so good that it could easily be compared to films being made today and still come out on top. It just shows the type of visionary Spielberg is, and how he really delivered in bringing together an experience that can still send both child and adult into a state of awe and wonderment. Both the CGI and animatronic dinosaurs all still look absolutely fantastic, and the level of realism and lifelike mannerisms that accompany them is something to marvel at.
There are a few times when it’s clear CGI is being used, as the animations just don’t match the world around them; however, this was ground-breaking technology then, and Spielberg isn’t someone who likes to tinker with his original works, and he learned this lesson the hard way before. Back during the 20th anniversary release of E.T. Spielberg swapped out the guns that the government agents chasing E.T. were carrying for the much more threatening walkie-talkies. He’s since admitted that it was a mistake and he regretted making the change ever since (the guns were put back in for the recent Blu-ray release of E.T.), so it’s completely understandable why he chose to leave Jurassic Park the way we all remember it.
Another big question people are likely curious about is: how is the 3D? The 3D is really spectacular, as Spielberg and his crew really went all out to make sure that this wasn’t just a tacked on money-grab. Of course, it helps to have a filmmaker like Spielberg at the helm, as he aimed to bring the viewer into the park with the characters back in 1993, so with today’s advanced technology, it’s a much easier transition for Jurassic Park to be remastered in 3D in a way that makes it look like that was always the intent.
There’s no real reason to delve too much into the plot, as it’s very likely that even if new generations are seeing this for the first time on the big screen, they’ve likely already seen it before at some point. I will say that the acting holds up quite well, with Jeff Goldblum still stealing every scene he’s in to the point where I can only hope that he’s once again brought back for the fourth film being released next year. The story also holds up nicely, with lots of laughs and scares to be had; and it’s crafted at such a quick pace – all while the unforgettable score by John Williams helps accentuate every angle of it – that even with a runtime just over two hours, the film flies by.
Jurassic Park is one of Spielberg’s most memorable films, and easily one of the best movies about dinosaurs ever created. There’s really so much to love here that any flaws or minor gripes are easy to overlook in favour of embracing your inner child and escaping to this lost world filled with extraordinary creations. The remastered 3D release of Jurassic Park is anything but a cash grab, and is something that children of all ages should experience on the big screen at least once.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Michael Crichton and David Koepp
Notable Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight
