Ender
11-28-2001, 01:26 AM
Jurassic Park
1993
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough
Plot: A rich eccentric funds ground-breaking research into the field of cloning, eventually resurrecting dinosaurs using prehistoric DNA fragments. This turns out to be a much worse idea than originally anticipated, as the dinos eventually break the leash, run amok and eat just about anything that moves.
Critique: Jurassic Park is a rare movie in that it works on a couple of different levels. On the one hand, we have a stellar action flick, with plenty of cheap thrills, fantasic effects, and cool visuals. Randomly interspersed throughout the movie are some surprisingly deep insights into human nature, the relationship between man and the natural world, and the abuse of power. It makes for a very well balanced and enojoyable film experience, that leaves most everyone pleased.
Cast: Lots of neat stuff here. Sam Neill is a gem, spouting one-liners and philosphic monolouges all in one breath (his small monolouge during the lunch scene is particularly poigniant). He also treats us to some great deadpan humor. Laura Dern is an excellent accompaniment to him, and the two work well together on camera, although I didn't think they had the quite the right chemistry for me to buy their supposed romantic relationship. Jeff Goldblum is obnoxious and neurotic and provides us with the movie's biggest laughs. Richard Attenborough manages to come off as both a genuine visionary and a money-grubbing sleaze at the same time. No small feat, to be sure.
Directing: Spielberg is nothing if not a showboat, and he puts that quality to good use here. Everything in this movie is big, the sets, the shots, and especially the dinosaurs. Some of the effects are outdated by today's standards, but the T.Rex is still a great bit of technology and still provides some genuine thrills. Steven injects a lot of tension into the movie, as well as his usual sense of wonder and excitement. Good shit, for the most part. Occasinally he cheats and reuses the same trick more than once (such as the low shot of the raptor's feet in the kitchen scene), but everyone's allowed to cut a corner or two now and then, right?
The Bottom Line: I have trouble finding anyone who doesn't like this movie, and there's a good reason for that. Strange as it may sound, Jurassic Park has the potential to one day become a classic, as a well-rounded movie that leaves you both awed and soundly entertained.
1993
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough
Plot: A rich eccentric funds ground-breaking research into the field of cloning, eventually resurrecting dinosaurs using prehistoric DNA fragments. This turns out to be a much worse idea than originally anticipated, as the dinos eventually break the leash, run amok and eat just about anything that moves.
Critique: Jurassic Park is a rare movie in that it works on a couple of different levels. On the one hand, we have a stellar action flick, with plenty of cheap thrills, fantasic effects, and cool visuals. Randomly interspersed throughout the movie are some surprisingly deep insights into human nature, the relationship between man and the natural world, and the abuse of power. It makes for a very well balanced and enojoyable film experience, that leaves most everyone pleased.
Cast: Lots of neat stuff here. Sam Neill is a gem, spouting one-liners and philosphic monolouges all in one breath (his small monolouge during the lunch scene is particularly poigniant). He also treats us to some great deadpan humor. Laura Dern is an excellent accompaniment to him, and the two work well together on camera, although I didn't think they had the quite the right chemistry for me to buy their supposed romantic relationship. Jeff Goldblum is obnoxious and neurotic and provides us with the movie's biggest laughs. Richard Attenborough manages to come off as both a genuine visionary and a money-grubbing sleaze at the same time. No small feat, to be sure.
Directing: Spielberg is nothing if not a showboat, and he puts that quality to good use here. Everything in this movie is big, the sets, the shots, and especially the dinosaurs. Some of the effects are outdated by today's standards, but the T.Rex is still a great bit of technology and still provides some genuine thrills. Steven injects a lot of tension into the movie, as well as his usual sense of wonder and excitement. Good shit, for the most part. Occasinally he cheats and reuses the same trick more than once (such as the low shot of the raptor's feet in the kitchen scene), but everyone's allowed to cut a corner or two now and then, right?
The Bottom Line: I have trouble finding anyone who doesn't like this movie, and there's a good reason for that. Strange as it may sound, Jurassic Park has the potential to one day become a classic, as a well-rounded movie that leaves you both awed and soundly entertained.