Jurassic Park V Jurassic World: Which Series Is Better?

One of the most loved film franchises in history is Jurassic Park. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton, the film was released in 1993 and audiences were astounded by the cool ‘Jurassic Park’ theme park and realistic CGI dinosaurs. Director Steven Spielberg had already released popular movies such as Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and three of the Indiana Jones films, so many were excited to see what he would achieve with Jurassic Park.

Since the first film was released, the franchise has developed a large fan base and there has been a lot of movie merchandise generated over the years. Jurassic Park has inspired t-shirts, video games, and is even featured in a guide to top ten movie slots by The Pogg. In 2015, there was a new series introduced to the Jurassic franchise with the release of Jurassic World. As this series looks to become another trilogy, with Jurassic World 3 to be released in June 2021, will Jurassic World be any better than the original Jurassic Park trilogy?

Jurassic Park

As the first installment in the Jurassic franchise, there are a number of reasons why Jurassic Park is one of the best films in the entire series. Released in 1993, Jurassic Park featured incredible CGI effects to help bring the dinosaurs to life. Even nearly twenty-seven years after its release, the special effects used in the film are still incredible to watch. The spectacular performances from the cast including Richard Attenborough, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum, helped to make the film incredibly real for audiences. After so many years, Jurassic Park remains to be a fan favourite of audiences both young and old. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film achieved three Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Four years later, Spielberg returned to make the sequel with The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Many expected this second installment to be just as good as the first, however it didn’t quite live up to its expectations. Although Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough were back, and Julianne Moore was added to the cast, this sequel didn’t perform as well as its predecessor.  Many fans might feel like The Lost World: Jurassic Park was an unnecessary sequel, but the film can still be quite an enjoyable one to watch. In 2001, a third installment to the franchise was released without Spielberg as director. Instead, director Joe Johnston (Captain America: The First Avenger, Jumanji) took on the job to create Jurassic Park III. Although Sam Neill was back as Dr. Alan Grant, many felt that this third film still did not live up to the original Jurassic Park.

Jurassic World

In 2015, a new take on the original Jurassic Park series was introduced to fans with the release of Jurassic World. Starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, this film features a new theme park that is built on the original site of Jurassic Park. Released fourteen years after Jurassic Park III, some may say that this installment was unnecessary. Jurassic World could be seen as a film that brings nothing new to screen. We have all seen a dinosaur theme park before, that ends up with a lot of dinosaurs escaping, and the inevitable chase as humans flee the dreaded predators. Although Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Parks and Recreation) provided some comedy throughout, many fans of the original Jurassic Park were left disappointed.

Last year the sequel to Jurassic World was released in cinemas with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were back in their roles and even Jeff Goldblum made an appearance too. However, just like with the previous installment, many felt that this film still did not bring anything new to the Jurassic franchise. With films in the Marvel Universe taking center stage in the film industry and capturing audiences attention, this film had some tough competition to beat. The film ended up grossing over $1.3b at the box office, yet had very mixed reviews from critics. The Jurassic World series is set to be another trilogy, so Jurassic World 3 is set to start filming early next year. Fans of the originals may be excited for this installment as last month it was confirmed that Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum will reprise their roles. Set for a 2021 release, could a sixth Jurassic film bring anything new to the table?