In 2022, the cinematic landscape witnessed the culmination of the iconic Jurassic Park series through Jurassic World Dominion. Despite its financial success, this trilogy-ender faced criticism, making it a bittersweet finale. Let’s dissect the reasons behind its divisive reception.
Jurassic World Dominion Squandered Jurassic World’s Potential
As the concluding chapter of the Jurassic World trilogy, Dominion fell short of the promises set by its predecessors. While it neatly tied up loose ends, the resolutions felt safe and predictable. The familial bond of the main trio and the return of Jurassic Park’s original stars, though not inherently bad, reflected a reluctance to take creative risks. This installment lazily restored the status quo, neglecting the potential laid out by its ambitious predecessor, Fallen Kingdom.
Previously, Fallen Kingdom dared to disrupt the norm by burning Jurassic Park, revealing human clones, and unleashing dinosaurs on civilization. Instead of building on these daring narrative choices, Dominion retreated to the familiar. The escape of dinosaurs and the implications of human cloning were downplayed, focusing once again on the tired concept of a dinosaur zoo. Even the newer characters were overshadowed by the return of Jurassic Park’s stars, leading to the uninspired resurrection of Dr. Lewis Dodgson as a forgettable villain.
Jurassic World Dominion Was the Moment Jurassic Park Gave Up
Some defended Dominion’s return to comfort zones as a knowing deconstruction of legacy sequels and the franchise itself. However, unlike its predecessors, Dominion lacked the self-awareness to be satirical. It deified the past without offering any meaningful commentary on nostalgia or the industry’s preference for self-indulgence. The movie was a regressive reaction to Fallen Kingdom’s bold moves, opting for a safe, fan-pleasing route that felt more like a course correction than a genuine narrative progression.
The predictable rejection of depth and reverent nostalgia was exemplified by Dominion’s infamous locusts. These creatures, manufactured by Biosyn to control a global food crisis, served as a shallow plot device, sidelining the dinosaurs themselves. Instead of grappling with the symbolic purpose of the dinosaurs, Dominion reduced them to mere attractions, replacing them with narrative placeholders that lacked depth.
Jurassic World Dominion Could’ve & Should’ve Been Better
Regrettably, Jurassic World Dominion failed both as a sequel and a finale. It retreated from the promises of its predecessors, concluding the narrative in the safest and weakest ways possible. By attempting to please everyone, it ended up impressing no one. While enjoyable as a spectacle, Dominion’s reluctance to embrace originality and confront the future left fans and newcomers alike yearning for a more substantial conclusion. It felt like a rushed obligation rather than a thoughtful conclusion to the beloved Jurassic Park series.
In essence, Jurassic World Dominion, despite its financial success and cinematic thrills, missed the opportunity to be a memorable and thought-provoking finale. Its failure to evolve beyond nostalgia left a void that could have been filled with a more daring and impactful conclusion to the Jurassic Park saga.
