JURASSIC WORLD
Spectacular dinosaur chaos, but adults only for intense content.
Should You Watch It?
JURASSIC WORLD is an exciting, ambitious return to the famous dinosaur park. It offers thrilling action, funny moments, and some touching scenes, while the heroic characters provide genuine moral and emotional appeal.
But the movie also overdoes its spectacle. Its more vicious CGI-induced dinosaur mayhem loses much of the awe and wonder that made JURASSIC PARK memorable. The story presents a strongly humanist, Darwinian worldview, and the intense action violence includes dinosaurs attacking and eating people.
The source review finds enough entertainment value for some viewers, while advising fans of the original to keep their expectations low. If you are an adult who can handle the content, it may be worth the trip; it is not appropriate for children or young teens.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESTwenty years after the first JURASSIC PARK disaster, the dinosaur theme park is fully operational and profitable. To keep visitors interested, its owners create a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur called the Indominus rex.
When the creature escapes, velociraptor trainer Owen Grady must help protect thousands of visitors. Meanwhile, two brothers become lost inside the park, and their aunt joins the search to find them before the dinosaur reaches them.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a highly entertaining action adventure, even though it falls short of the original's awe and wonder. The movie has thrilling action scenes, funny moments, and touching moments. Its CGI is not believable, but it stands up alongside mega-monster movies such as GODZILLA and PACIFIC RIM.
The film is also ambitious. Its main weaknesses are an inexperienced director, one-dimensional characters, and a convoluted plot. Humanizing some dinosaurs and giving them empathy and motivations also weakens the scare factor. The result is exciting and worthwhile for some viewers, but ultimately uninspiring.
The Worldview
JURASSIC WORLD presents a strongly humanist, Darwinian worldview that promotes evolution and is anti-capitalist and relatively godless. The story includes many references to mother nature and environmentalism. It portrays competing alpha creatures battling to control the island, while suggesting that mankind's desire to innovate will lead to its downfall.
The film criticizes greed and the creation of life for profit. Scientists and park owners try to satisfy consumers' desire for bigger, badder entertainment, and their morally questionable choices backfire. This reflects a biblical concern about greed and human pride, but the movie's worldview remains largely detached from God and treats evolution as its framework.
The film does include solid moral and heroic elements. A boy learns to fight and encourages his younger brother. The male protagonist is heroic, and the story contains courage, sacrifice, and concern for others. Still, its treatment of creation departs from the biblical view that life belongs to God: “So God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong humanist, Darwinian worldview promoting evolution and that’s ant-capitalist and relatively godless, with many references to mother nature and environmentalism, plus some solid moral/heroic elements such as a boy learns to fight and encourages his younger brother, a boy is hurt by the fact that his parents are divorcing, boy corrects an adult’s use of foul language, male protagonist is heroic, and woman says “Thank God”; 16 obscenities (most “d” and “s” words) and seven profanities (including one use of Jesus Christ’s name); strong action violence throughout, dinosaurs eat animals and humans off screen many times and on screen several, a few people are swallowed whole, a man’s arm is bitten off, at least two shots of blood splatter, flying dinosaurs pick up visitors and drop them, a man is stabbed with a beak, a helicopter crashes into an aviary, dinosaurs fight and maul each other, one dinosaur kills herbivores for sport; several light sexual references, including one hand gesture, a boy flirts with girls even though he has a girlfriend; no nudity, but woman shows some cleavage; no alcohol use; no smoking or drug use, but reference to a dinosaur being stoned from tranquilizers; and, greed motivates the bad guys who try to capitalize off the chaos.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The park creates a new dinosaur to satisfy people's desire for something bigger and more exciting. When does creativity become prideful or destructive?
Genesis 1:27 · Proverbs 16:18Greed motivates people who try to profit from the chaos. How can wanting success or profit distort our judgment?
1 Timothy 6:9–10 · Luke 12:15One brother learns to fight and encourages the other during danger. What does courage look like when someone you love is afraid?
Joshua 1:9 · 1 Thessalonians 5:11The brothers are affected by their parents' divorce. How can a family offer patience and care to children experiencing painful change?
Psalm 34:18 · Galatians 6:2The Final Word
JURASSIC WORLD brings thrilling action, humor, touching moments, and heroic elements, but its excessive spectacle, Darwinian worldview, convoluted plot, and intense content limit its audience. For discerning adults with realistic expectations, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For family viewing, consider.
