Jurassic Park 3 - 07.21.2001

Like people who dug the first film and the book, I too read Michael Crichton's novel and found it to be a big book of stuff he wanted to see if they would put in the second film. A ton of stuff... and they were pretty close. At the time, Crichton could do no wrong, because just about everything he'd written up until then was being optioned into film. And, so has everything since. But I don't blame Crichton for the second movie being terrible. I blame Spielberg.

I'm a fan of Joe Johnston's other work. I think he's a very smart director, with a fantastic eye for comedy and suspense. I really enjoyed JP3, and so far it's my favorite summer movie, beating out A.I., The Score, Final Fantasy, Scary Movie 2, Cats and Dogs and The Mummy Returns.

His first major release was a huge success, working with writer Brian Yuzna to create Honey, I Shrunk the Kids in 1989. Two years later, for Disney, Johnston made Dave Steven's Rocketeer character come to life in a fantastic film, The Rocketeer. He also did work, in the coming years, on the Young Indiana Jones series, along with two other features. Jumanji, which was a well crafted, original movie, and October Sky (his first film with Laura Dern), which, to this day, I have not seen. I know, I'm lame.

Joe Johnston is that guy, you know, one of the few guys that have been there since the beginning. He worked as an effects illustrator and designer and art director on four of the most influential movies ever made. The Star Wars Triology and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

He's also worked on other films as a designer/production designer. The Iron Giant, Always, Howard the Duck, The Ewok Movies (we can forgive him for those) and Temple of Doom.

It's no wonder Spielberg trusted him with this film... and I have to say that this film had more humor and a much better over-all feel than the first two.

Now, I know that sounds like a loaded statement, so bear with me, I'll explain.

In 1993, Stan Winston, ILM, Crichton and Spielberg went out and made one of the most successful films ever. They created new technology, and created a suspenseful dinosaur film with a good story, an excellent cast... and some major effects. It was the top grossing film of the year, and spawned a whole ton of marketing crap, a sequel to the novel, and a sequel to the movie, a definite moneymaker.

But, after the initial take on Jurassic Park, you can go back and see how much of it is candy-coated. It's that way because of the kids, it's that way because of Spielberg's take on sentimentality... face it, his stuff is flooded with it in both films.

JP3 is much different. Sure, there's a sentimentality to it, you can't have a film like it without that sappiness. But, well, I don't know if it was the acting, I don't know if it was the script, or if it was Johnston, who was a completely and totally fresh pair of eyes in this franchise... but there's a totally different feel to this film, than it's predecessors. There's a much more human take on humor and fear, along with a fantastic atmosphere of suspense in this film. There's a great dinosaur fighting sequence that I don't think would have been as powerful in a Spielberg film.

There are other examples, but I hate to re-hash films in reviews. I also hate to re-hash plots. I never enjoyed those in reviews, and I'm not about to do them now.

I've always been more interested in what, technically, the film has, over other films.

First off, the acting.

I'm a huge, HUGE fan of Sam Neill. Ever since his work in The Hunt For Red October, Memoirs of an Invisible Man, The Piano, JP 1, In the Mouth of Madness, and Event Horizon... I've loved his abilty as an actor. He has an incredible sense of personality and humor when he translates into a character, and he was great in this film.

William H. Macy. Jesus, this man is a genius. Ever since Fargo, I don't think there's a person on the planet who does not enjoy his work.

He's been entertaining as an actor for years, since the early 80's. He even has a part in The Last Dragon, which I just recently saw again, and couldn't believe my eyes. From Homicide, Benny and Joon, his stint on ER, Boogie Nights, Wag the Dog, Pleasantville, Mystery Men, Magnolia... I've never been disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed him in this picture.

I do not enjoy Tea Leoni. I don't like watching her. Her acting, for the most part, is a dull and monotonous thing that drones on. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with her in this film. I do, however, attribute that to the script, her character, and the direction. She has some decent moments and, again, I was surprised.

There really isn't much more to the cast, that stands out. Alessandor Nivola and Michael Jeter have some decent parts in this film, and some great dialog, but for the most part they take the background to the dinosaurs and the other stars.

John Diehl, Bruce A. Young and Laura Dern have some decent parts, but, again, for the most part, they are not very noticable.

Trevor Morgan, who we've seen in The Sixth Sense and The Patriot... he did a pretty good job as the... well, I won't ruin it for you. Suffice it to say, as a kid actor, he's what looks like a decent future ahead of him.

Second, the writers.

There are some serious problems with this film, when it comes to writing... specifically the ending. But, then there are some fantastic things as well, especially some of the dialog, which I found very fresh and entertaining at times. I thought the characters were well rounded and it was neat to have Dr. Grant back, since I dig Neill's work so much.

Peter Buchman has absolutely nothing listed about him in the IMDB. How he got this project, I have no idea.

The other two writers are the writing and directing team behind what I thought was the best film of 1999/2000, Election. Alexander Payne, the director and co-writer of Election, also helped write a few other features, Citizen Ruth and the soon to be released About Schmidt, which was co-written with Jim Taylor, who was the other writer in JP3.

Third, cinematography.

This is something I watch for in just about every film I see. It's such an important part of the process, and depending on the DP, he might be responsible for everything from blocking, angle, trick photography (zooms, etc) and lighting. A good DP is devoted to the entire process, and trusts and is trusted by the director, fully.

Cinematographer Shelly Johnson has worked primarily in television since the 1980's. This is Johnson's first feature film in over 12 years, if you can believe that. And I have to say, I was very impressed with the work. I think it takes a good DP to be able to work with actors and effects, such as in this triology of films, where the effects are MAJOR characters.

The effects are gorgeous. Nuff said. I don't think anyone has to re-hash how incredible ILM and Stan Winston studios are. They've been entertaining us for twenty years... and at the helm of a great director, as Johnston is, I have no doubt in my mind that you will be entertained by this picture.