TUCSON, Ariz. — "Jurassic Park Dominion" is just about as awe-inspiring and pea-brained as the giant, prehistoric carnivores who stomp around as the movie's showpieces.
You could sit back and pick apart its plot holes and contrivances, but the series has never been known for its logic or cohesion. This is an event movie — as big as they come — that shows off the current apex of special effects and pyrotechnics.
The gimmick in this sixth, and supposedly last film in the current trilogy, is to bring back "Jurassic Park" stars Sam Neill and Laura Dern, and give series stalwart Jeff Goldblum far more than his usual extended cameo. They join current trilogy stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Combined with a couple of significant cast editions, the protagonist roster grows nearly as long as a baseball team's lineup. It takes clockwork-like precision from the film making team to make every character seem necessary, and the squad is generally up to the task.
While it takes contortionist-style stretches to cram all the key players from the first film into this one, director Colin Trevorrow orchestrates the chaotic, sprawling army of actors and dizzying visuals with ease.
The plot sucks all the players into a secretive, dino-laden DNA firm run by a nefarious corporation that masks its money-grubbing intentions under the guise of a natural reserve. The company is deep into the trafficking and smuggling market, and the protagonists convene to stop their plans while scampering away from bloodthirsty beasts.
The giganotosaurus joins the cadre of t-rex, velociraptor and dilophosaurus scene-stealers. While the action-movie hero skills bestowed on the heroes are ludicrous, their screen-enhanced superpowers don't detract from the fun.
Over the decades, the "Jurassic" series has had its ups and downs, but "Jurassic World Dominion" sends it off on a high point. It inspires the feeling of awe you might have felt when you first saw dinosaurs romp and stomp on screen way back when. And that is no accomplishment to dismiss.
RATING: 3 stars out of 4.
Watched Thursday night at Harkins Tucson Spectrum.
This story was first reported by Phil Villarreal at KGUN in Tucson, Ariz.
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Phil Villarreal is the senior real-time editor for KGUN 9. He is also a digital producer and host of "Phil on Film" seen weekly on Good Morning Tucson, Phil moved to KGUN after 17 years with the Arizona Daily Star. He is married and has four children. Share your story ideas and important issues with Phil by emailing phil.villarreal@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
