To retrieve the samples, Krebs hires Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), a covert operations expert known for her experience with high-risk missions. Zora puts together a team for the job. She brings in Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), a friend and a seasoned field leader, along with LeClerc (Bechir Sylvain), Nina (Philippine Velge), and Bobby Atwater (Ed Skrein). Also joining them is Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), a paleontologist brought in for his knowledge of dinosaur behavior and biology.
Meanwhile, sailing nearby is Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) with her daughters, Isabella (Audrina Miranda) and Teresa (Luna Blaise), and Teresa’s boyfriend, Xavier (David Iacono). When their boat drifts too close to the island, they are attacked by a Mosasaurus. Their vessel is destroyed and they become stranded in open water.
Zora and Kincaid’s team finds the shipwrecked family and rescues them. But with no way to send them back to safety, the team takes the family with them as they move forward with the mission.
Once they set foot on the island, they realize the difficulty of this mission. The island is crawling with more aggressive and terrifying creatures. Among them is a monstrous, genetically altered dinosaur called the Distortus rex. It is probably the most brutal creature on the island.
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Gareth Edwards always knows how to make you feel small. He has a gift for showing scale and just how insignificant humans are when placed next to massive creatures. In Jurassic World Rebirth, that knack shines. The way dinosaurs are portrayed here reminds you that they are the true alphas of the world. This is the first time since the original Jurassic Park that we get to experience the wonder and terror of dinosaurs again with some moments that are simply majestic, while others are deeply terrifying. That balance shows why Edwards feels like the right director for a Jurassic World film.
But everything else in the movie still feels off.
At this point, the franchise feels completely different from what Jurassic Park once was. If you have not seen any of the other sequels beyond the first film, this one might surprise you. The tone now leans more toward action-adventure films like King Kong.
One ongoing problem with the Jurassic World series is its obsession with the same types of characters. Every film still centers on scientists, soldiers, and greedy businessmen. Yes, the original Jurassic Park had a strong message about corporate greed and the consequences of playing with nature. But that message has grown stale. The formula since the first movie is always the same. A billionaire makes a reckless decision, and a group of professionals has to clean up the mess. The stakes never feel new.
Jurassic World Rebirth does bring in one storyline that actually feels refreshing.
While the main plot focuses on a rescue mission involving Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, a smaller side story follows a family who accidentally ends up on the island. This part works incredibly well. In fact, it is the most compelling part of the movie.
I strongly believe that Jurassic World needs to start focusing on civilians more. Regular people with no training, no power, and everything to lose. That is where the heart of the story should be. When we follow those characters, we feel their fear and desperation. That is what made the first film unforgettable.
I understand the filmmakers are trying to reset everything. The previous movie ended with dinosaurs living freely in the modern world. Now they are back in one central location. A move to go back to square one. But even with that reset, it seems like the series is preparing to go through the same old story again.
Still, the brief glimpse of something new gave me a reason to stay engaged. It showed that there is still potential in this franchise. There is still a powerful story waiting to be told. But to get there, the series needs to let go of its tired structure. It needs to move past the soldiers, scientists, and corporate villains. Until it does, Jurassic World will remain stuck, circling the same ideas and never quite reaching the thrill of the original.
2/5
