Ranking the ‘Jurassic’ Movies – ScreenHub Entertainment

Some things just won’t go extinct. And with the release of Jurassic Park: Rebirth, we’re now seven theatrical films into this franchise that debuted back in the 90s. We thought this would also be a great time to see where this latest film falls on our personal ranking, and it gives us an excuse to revisit the franchise to get some fresh perspective. So here’s our list! We’re going to stick to the theatrical films only, so no mention of the TV series or the (surprisingly good) short films available on YouTube, which you should totally check out if you haven’t before.

7. Jurassic World: Dominion

Probably not a big surprise that Jurassic World: Dominion starts off the list as the weakest film in the franchise. The main problems stem from the script, which is nonsensical and downright dumb, to say the least. An emphasis on insects instead of dinosaurs as the primary plot point, alongside the human clone subplot from the last film, and generic characters, makes this one a frustrating chore to watch. It also makes the cardinal sin of wasting the original Jurassic Park cast in this movie, who return in this film as pure nostalgia bait, as opposed to offering any meaningful reason for them to be in this movie. There’s a pretty neat prologue that was released online, which wasn’t part of the theatrical cut but is part of the extended cut on home video, so there’s that at least.

6. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom actually got off to a good start, not going to lie. The first half, a rescue operation on Isla Nublar right before the island’s volcano erupts, results in some well-paced and entertaining sequences. The opening sequence, as well, featuring the extraction of the Indo DNA from the bottom of the park tank, is spooky and tense, highlighting J.A. Bayona’s horror roots and, in all honesty, may just be the best opening in the whole franchise. But the film starts to fall apart in the second half with the introduction of the Indoraptor, the introduction of human cloning, and the reintroduction of the weaponization of dinosaurs, which was a big part of the plot of the last film. It didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work here. Once again, there’s no chemistry between the two leads, who in this movie have swapped personality traits relative to the last film. The script also feels uninspired and empty as it goes on, with some bizarre flaws in logic, such as why build an amusement park on an active volcano, or the Indoraptor being sold as an Indominus/Raptor hybrid, when that’s what the Indominus rex already was already a T-rex/raptor hybrid, making the new creature more raptor than hybrid in the end.

5. Jurassic Park III

Jurassic Park III is fine, I guess? It has a slew of problems, chief among them the VFX, oddly enough, but it’s a far more serious movie than its predecessors, more focused on the terror than the wonder, and for that, it does feel more unique. I actually like the Spinosaurus as the main threat and the new raptor design, and the aviary scene was pretty fun. But the CGI felt very low-grade, and the animatronics here felt more like a theme park ride. Plus, the Kirby family were pretty annoying, which contributed to a sense of exhaustion watching them putter through the jungle.

4. Jurassic World Rebirth

The seventh entry in this franchise, Jurassic World Rebirth, finds itself tucked snugly in the rough middle of the quality meter. It’s not a bad movie, has some solid dinosaur action and some great cinematography featuring some on-location scenery. But the story and characters fall flat. Scarlett Johansson gives a wooden performance as Zora, and Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali are kind of just there in the movie. There’s a whole secondary plot featuring a family who get brought into the mess, and they’re at least more likable, but it’s not enough to get us invested in the narrative of the film.

3. The Lost World

There may be some dumb parts to The Lost World (gymnastics, anyone?), but the movie is a fun ride that doubles down on the dinosaur mayhem. Why have one Tyrannosaurus when you can have two? Goldbloom returns from the first film as Ian Malcom in a much more subdued and reserved role. I can understand why, though, considering the PTSD he probably has from the first film, but I would’ve liked the film to explore that angle. The new cast is nowhere near as iconic as the original, and Julianne Moore’s Sarah is just the worst, but if you want a movie that wants to give you more dinosaur mayhem while still tapping into that Spielberg magic, this is a serviceable entry in the franchise.

2. Jurassic World

Despite its problems, I actually enjoy Jurassic World quite a bit. It was great to see the Hammond dream of a dino park fully realized, and then seeing that nightmare unravel as one of the new dinosaurs escapes from its pen. Jurassic World explores the concept of hybrid dinosaurs, citing that the public has gotten “bored” with the concept of dinosaurs and yearned for something bigger and scarier. While it felt redundant and silly in Fallen Kingdom, it really works here, and World ends up feeling more like a monster movie, which works in its favour. The whole “let’s militarize the dinosaurs” subplot does hurt the film, and the characters just aren’t as memorable/likeable as the originals, but it’s a decent romp nonetheless.

1. Jurassic Park

Surprise, surprise, I know, but what can you expect? Yes, not only is Jurassic Park the best film in the franchise, but it’s one of the best films ever made. Thanks to groundbreaking VFX that still hold up today, likeable characters, a sense of dread and terror mixed with awe and wonder, this is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again, and it’ll never feel old. Plus, that soundtrack is iconic and one of John Williams’ finest works.

And that’s our ranking! How would you rank the seven Jurassic films? Let us know in the comments and on social!