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JURASSIC
PARK III
JURASSIC
PARK III DVD FEATURES
Region Reviewed: Region 1
Number of Discs: 1
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1/ DTS
Picture: 1.85:1
Anamorphic
Special
Features: Theatrical
Trailer, Making of JPIII, Feature Commentary With Director
Joe Johnston, New Dinosaurs of JPIII, Tour of Stan Winston
Studio
Visit to ILM, Dinosaur Turntables, Behind-the-Scenes Montage,
Storyboard Sequences, JPIII Archives, Finding New Dinosaurs.
(info from Play247.com)
Juassic
Park III Review:
When the first two films in a series generate over $500 Million
in box office receipts and countless dollars in toy and merchandise
sales, it is a safe bet that the studio will do whatever it
can to keep the almighty dollars keep coming in.
Sequels are often a safe bet in Hollywood as they have a built
in audience and name recognition, combined with the general
fact that even if a sequel does1/3 the business of the previous
film, it is likely to make good money at the box office.
Despite lackluster reviews from critics and many filmgoers,
1997s “Jurassic Park The Lost World” was one of
the years biggest winners at the box office. Boosted by a
$92.7 Million opening weekend in the bank, the powers that
be at Universal started to make plans for the next chapter
in the series.
Steven Spielberg decided to pass on directing duties and focus
on producing the new Jurassic Park film leaving Joe Johnston
to take over the reins of the lucrative franchise. The biggest
issue facing the new film was creating a script, as the first
two films had the advantage of having best sellers from Michael
Crichton to base their screenplays upon. However, with no
new novel in the series available, it fell to screenwriters
Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor to create an
original script that would continue the success of the film
series and ensure the lucrative continuation of the series.
The story takes place a few years after the event of the first
two films where the world’s population has come to accept
that Dinosaurs do indeed exist on the Isla Nublar. This has
lead to a belief amongst many that and that further study
of fossils of the creatures is no longer necessary to the
point it has been in the past. This is viewpoint is very difficult
for Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil) to accept as he has spent his
time following his visit to the original Jurassic Park speaking
out against the company who recreated the animals as theme
park attractions. Grant is also working on a theory that Velociraptors
were able to communicate with one another and had the Dinosaurs
not been eliminated, they instead of primates might have evolved
as the higher lifeform on Earth. Grant is however unable to
get the needed funding he needs to continue his research and
is faced with shutting down his research in only a few short
weeks.
Just when all seems lost for Grant, a wealthy couple arrives
with an interesting proposition. It seems that Paul and Amanda
Kirby, (William Macy, T’ea Leoni) have chartered a plane
to fly over the forbidden Isla Nublar and they want to fund
Dr. Grants research if he is willing to be their guide. Despite
some misgivings, Grant realizes this is the only way to continue
his work and before long he is on the way to the island.
It does not take long for Grant to realize that this is not
a site seeing trip for a wealthy couple but rather a rescue
attempt. It seems that the Kirbys are a divorced couple who
is looking for their son who vanished on the island 8 weeks
earlier. On top of this, Kirby is not the wealthy person he
claimed to be, and before long, Grant and the crew find themselves
in a spectacular plane crash, stranded on the island running
for their lives, from all manner of deadly creatures.
While the film does not have the tightest of scripts, the
FX is truly amazing. While the sight of the Dinosaurs does
not hold the awe it once did in the original, it is amazing
to see how the technology has improved as the creatures are
even more detailed then they were before. The animals show
a spark of intelligence and at times menevolence in their
eyes much to dismay of many a character who ends up on the
lower end of the food chain to one of the creatures.
“Jurassic Park III” also introduces some new animals
such as the deadly Spinosaurus and a nest of Pterodactyls
who menace the cast in a visual spectacle. The film also had
a sense of humor about it, and an ongoing series of jokes
regarding a unique cell phone ring is very funny. In once
scene the audience went from laughing to jumping from their
seats in less than 30 seconds, truly an effective use of audience
manipulation.
While it would be easy to pick the film apart for plot holes,
pacing in parts, and a lack of originality with some of the
scenarios, it is important to remember that the film is intended
to be nothing more than a Summer thrill ride. It is under
this scenario that “Jurassic Park 3” succeeds. It
is not as good as the first film but better than the second.
The return of Sam Neil as Dr. Grant was a good idea as his
calm demeanor in the face of crisis and his humanity made
him stand out from the rest of the cast who were little more
then stock characters in the film. Leoni and Macy did have
some nice scenes but they were little more than the romantic
element to the film. As the strained couple who learn to love
one another again in the middle of all the chaos, but their
lines and situation were so stock, it was obvious where their
relationship was going.
Word has it that plans are already underway for a fourth installment
of the series and here is hoping that the creative element
do not rest on their past formula and decide to push the envelope
a little bit. JP3 was more of a scenario that unfolded for
the viewers over 90 minutes much like a theme park ride. It
had its thrills and chills, but there were moments were things
just went along. In a leisurely manner waiting for something
to happen. Johnston allows this to happen as he knows that
the real stars of the film are the creatures and since the
audience is coming to see them, not griping human drama and
well written character interactions, he puts his focus on
the creatures and the humans as the struggle to survive and
outwit one another. Bottom line, if you go in not expecting
much in the way of a story and want to have some thrills and
laughs while you marvel at the top notch FX by ILM, then JP3
is a relaxing afternoon in the park.
JurassicPark III Disc Review: The DVD features an impressive
collection of behind the scenes, making of, trailers, and
a great Paleontologists perspective. The bonus material on
this disc is first rate, and is well worth the price of the
DVD alone. There is also a commentary by the special effects
team that gives amazing insights to the creation of the creatures
as well as a look at the 12 Dinosaurs used to create the film.
