Jurassic World Rebirth

Dinosaurs have been extinct for 65 million years, yet our fascination with them has never died. “Nobody cares about these animals anymore,” a skeptical scientist declares early in Jurassic World Rebirth, but he’s only partially correct.

We still care, but we wish the franchise that began more than three decades ago didn’t continue to offer such diminishing returns. This seventh installment features striking visuals, seamless effects, that majestic John Williams theme song, and meticulously designed creatures that still inspire a sense of wonder and peril.

However, like its mutant species, the film feels too manufactured and engineered at this point, dispatching much of the moral complexity that defined the series during its heyday in favor of carnivorous monsters that are bigger, faster, louder, and more dentally menacing.

Tastes and trends have evolved over the past 32 years, although human vices and follies remain as prevalent as ever. Cue a story where the original Jurassic Park has shuttered, and the remaining beasts have congregated on a different remote island in the south Caribbean.

A greedy pharmaceutical executive (Rupert Friend) finds a supposed link between dinosaur DNA and a cure for heart disease, so he rustles up a secret expedition to steal some samples.

His crew includes a strong-willed security contractor (Scarlett Johansson), a neurotic paleontologist (Jonathan Bailey), a boat captain (Mahershala Ali), and others willing to throw caution and common sense and ethical integrity to the wind.

A harrowing encounter at sea leads to rescuing a family who becomes unexpected companions. As they bicker over motives and methods, eventually their numbers dwindle due to some vicious examples of Darwinian justice.

The screenplay by David Koepp — who wrote the script for the 1993 original — adheres to a familiar template, struggling to find a narrative path forward while injecting hints of nostalgia.

The film lacks the character development to generate a deeper rooting interest— one-liners, flirtations, and candy preferences don’t count — making the dinos seem more lifelike by comparison.

Koepp and director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) generate some suspense from a well-worn formula while incorporating the usual half-hearted messages about ecology, coexistence, and the dangers of genetic experimentation.

There’s also an aggressive product placement strategy so you’ll know which of your favorite on-screen snack brands will be sharing in the box-office revenue. After all, the slick and stylish Jurassic World Rebirth is all about big appetites and empty calories.

Rated PG-13, 133 minutes.