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Created Jun 29, 2018 10:25PM PST • Edited Jul 02, 2018 05:13PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   Chris Pratt’s charisma is nearly as supernatural as the dinosaurs in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, a competent if not especially terrific summer blockbuster. Pretty much every monster phobia gets exploited. However, the people are ploddingly obvious in their actions and not very engaging, superstar Pratt aside.

   Thus this second Jurassic World is a distinct letdown from its entirely terrific predecessor, which remains the best Jurassic chapter yet. Still, Fallen Kingdom is a must-see for Jurassic fans. The best dinos that CGI can conjure plus Chris Pratt’s supernatural charisma make it a sure bet for mindless summer entertainment.

   It also tees up the third and apparently final chapter of this Jurassic era, due in 2021. Let’s hope Jurassic World III recaptures the original Jurassic World’s magic, starting with having as many laughs as screams.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Chris Pratt is a surefire leading man now, making a movie worth seeing just by being in it. Not Brad Pitt handsome, he nonetheless has a Clint Eastwood squint and comedic timing worthy of a Cary Grant. Sadly, the rest of the cast doesn’t hold a candle to him, unlike in Jurassic World.

   • Bryce Dallas Howard is fine as a costar, but lacks the charisma or range to be an A List moviestar.
   • Rafe Spall seems too formulaic as a rich kingpin.
   • Justice Smith is completely unaffecting as a cliche-ridden nerd.
   • Daniella Pineda jumps offscreen as a dino doctor. She’s got charisma.
   • James Cromwell employs his well known gravitas as a rich old dreamer.
   • Toby Jones is given several lines that clank, ruining his craven bad man role.
   • Ted Levine is also more a cliche character than a fearsome one.
   • Jeff Goldblum declaims portentously in his trademark odd style.
   • BD Wong is back as the dino creator. He’s a great actor, not that you’d know it from this role.
   • Geraldine Chaplin is called upon to play severe.
   • Isabella Sermon is perfectly lovely as a little girl in a very big house. Word is that she won the role over 2,500 other child actresses. Wow.

5. Male Stars Perfect 5.0

   Chris Pratt

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Good 3.0

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    Several of Fallen Kingdom’s iconic set pieces are in the trailer, most especially a massive sea lizard about to snatch some surfers. Now that’s a image that burns into the mind’s eye! However, it’s only a throwaway cameo in the movie itself.

11. Direction Good 3.0

12. Play OK 2.5

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.0

17. Sex Innocent 1.5

18. Violence Brutal 2.7

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Supernatural 3.7

22. Circumstantial Surreal 3.0

23. Biological Fantasy 5.0

24. Physical Supernatural 3.2