I’m not sure what the critics will be anticipating when they watch Jurassic World Dominions in the early summer. This picture, the sixth in the increasingly irrational dinosaur action/adventure franchise, suffers a setback that is wholly out of proportion to the crime it portrays. And that crime, I should add, is nothing compared to the severe ones themselves, Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom (or Jurassic Dungeon: Fallen House). And winding Jurassic Park III… yeah, and The Lost World: Jurassic Park’s San Diego segments.
Jurassic World Dominions Fresh received a pass on that criterion, which for me is the only genuine outcome metric for this entertaining but frustrating franchise. And people, the Jurassic World Dominions expanded version, which recently debuted at Peacock, scored 102% Fresh on the Grantometer for giving us two a lengthier sequence with Sam Neill as a cunning yet brutal palaeontologist.
I need to know this right now since I’m always up for more Alan Grant-related material. Am I disposed to donate? Because Sam Neill is my favourite actor, Alan Grant is one of my favourite fictional characters, and Sam Neill was my first crush, does Jurassic World Dominions pass for me? Is it truly the case that I want to rewatch the almost three hours of dino chaos just because I saw everything Sam Neill did in it? Given that I hyperlinked to thousands of words of evidence of my adoration for the guy, I have a feeling that you already know the answers to all of those questions. My safe area is Sam Neill’s work and the longer edit makes it a little roomier.
For the benefit of the other Sam Neillophiles, the two scenes in question are extended versions of Alan and Ellie’s Utah reunion (I feel too old and exhausted to actively post anything but, knocked out) and the amusing little scene at the beginning of the yellow mine sequence, which both references the plot of the first Jurassic Park movie and furthers Alan’s narrative in this one. It also has this image, which…
I love this man, by God. The burning! I’ve also chosen to support Jurassic World Dominion: Extended Version on Peacock after giving it some thought.
“Your mileage may vary”, but I believe that Power is an action-packed frolic that is a true runaway with loads of chuckles (oh my God, Alan orders a coffee at a tech company!). The surprising critical response to the movie was an illustration of this. A almost 30-year-long love on Sam Neill that develops into a sincere homage to his talent and appreciation for his affable and approachable public demeanour undoubtedly helps you break into the film industry. The wine is also excellent. Yes, I made that call in 2022 while drinking a bottle of Two Paddocks. Although I strongly encourage viewing Jurassic World Dominions, the version that came with decades of Sam Neill adoration, the expanded version is fine.