Here’s a little fun fact about me: I learned each dinosaur name when I was a kid. You can say that I was a nerd. The culprit behind it? The Jurassic Park movies. I loved watching these movies with The Lost World being one of my earliest movie experiences. As a nerdy kid whose best friend are books, reading about dinosaurs brought my imagination back in time! Luckily, Michael Crichton’s creation birthed great movies that starred my favorite creatures. On June 5, Universal Pictures treated Filipino fans to an early screening of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in IMAX in SM Megamall where I attended as one of the press. Did I like it? Did it live up to my expectations? That’s what you are going to find out! So, read up, Bingers!

Extinction Awaits

Three years after the incident in Jurassic World, the dinosaurs are now let loose and left abandoned in Isla Nublar. The prey and predators are now among themselves. In order to survive, they have to outlive the harsh environment. As if that wasn’t enough, the volcano in the island is now starting to erupt posing a threat to eradicate all dinosaurs that live there.

Meanwhile, humans are divided into two ideologies: those who want to save the living creatures and those who want to let them die on the island. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of stories and plot that play on moral compasses of people. And that is one aspect that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has played upon by director J.A. Bayona and writers Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly.

Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) returns as a paleo-life activist who actively lobbies for support in their goal to save the dinosaurs from extinction. An old colleague Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) contacts her offering support from Benjamin Lockwood. It wasn’t long before it was revealed that Lockwood worked with Hammond in the development of Jurassic Park. To pull off the rescue, Claire reaches out to Owen (Chris Pratt). Among the dinosaurs stuck in the island is Blue- the velociraptor who developed a fostering relationship with him. Their operation at the island concluded with a betrayal for a more sinister plan.

The Inevitable

After requiring some suspension of disbelief and sighing at some dumb character decisions, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom keeps its strong footing as the best movie in the franchise. The plot introduced two problems: nature in the first act and human greed in the second act. Both had their own narrative strengths that solidified the dark tones of the movie. Somehow it threaded along the lines of establishing who the bigger monster is: human greed or the dinosaurs.

In the end, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom did THAT! It did the inevitable and one that I have been wanting to see since! As someone who has been watching this franchise since he was a kid, the film’s bold move to let loose the dinosaurs in the city made my inner dinosaur-loving kid ecstatic! The barriers are off and now I am ready to see the catastrophe that is in store for the rest of the world. Man played god in reviving these creatures and now these creatures are now out to go after their gods. There is too much at stake and breathtaking possibilities for the third installment! It sets out on a blaze of glory but you do know that there will be a story to tell. For the thrills and twists, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has got to be the most engaging movie in the franchise that will make the audiences think, gasp, and be at the edge of their seats!

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