Displaying items by tag: Gareth Edwards

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH

US, 2025, 134 minutes, Colour.

Scarlet Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Mayerasha Ali, Ed Skrein, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaose, David Iacono.

Directed by Gareth Edwards.

It is 32 years since Steven Spielberg skilfully drew us into the world of Jurassic Park, bringing to life the story and characters written by Michael Crichton. Spielberg himself made a sequel in 1997. But, over the years, quite a number of ventures into and adventures in the Jurassic World. And another one…?

Best to say immediately that this reviewer quite enjoyed this Rebirth. Certainly, many of the reviewers will say that it is formulaic, that the characters and the action are what we might expect, that we know what the dinosaurs are like, what they are capable of, what they will do in terms of menacing those who venture/intrude into this Jurassic World. And it is true that this film is formulaic (even written by regular Spielberg collaborator, David Koepp).

But the point to be made is that in a way, the formula doesn’t matter. It is what happens within the formula that is important. And, inside the formula here are a whole lot of episodes designed to keep the audience anxious, on the edge of their seats, feeling the sense of menace, and enjoying it all at the same time. It works.

The opening shows the island where experiments taking place in the 2000s. Apparently everybody had got used to dinosaurs, going to zoos and other exhibitions to watch them, but now finding other things to amuse. The museums are closing down in the cities but on the island, there are experiments to make bigger and more menacing dinosaurs. Then, an initial moment which seems to undermine the credibility of the film, one of the experts opens what looks like a Mars Bar and carelessly drops the wrapper. Needless to say, it is swept into the machines and causes havoc – and the careless wrapper is devoured by a dinosaur! All that within the first few minutes. The experimental station is closed down. And the dinosaurs, some even more gigantic, are on the loose.

Then, to the present. A group of entrepreneurs, mercenaries, scientists, Rupert Friend, Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, taking on these roles, set out on a mission to the equator, where numerous dinosaurs are still swimming, to get blood samples which, it is hoped, would contribute to the preparation of pharmaceuticals to alleviate heart disease.

In case this was all too is expert-oriented, there is a Hispanic family on a boat, father, two daughters and a lazy boyfriend, who are attacked by a dinosaur, boat overturned, rescued and sharing the action of the scientific expedition.

The impact of the film is the enormous range of action adventures, dangers, menace, a Jurassic World on the ocean. But, then a crash landing of the boat, survivors onshore, and the trek through the jungle, mountains and rivers, to a helicopter rescue intended near the old buildings.

Scarlet Johansson in charge, we are in good hands, backed up by a genial Mahershala Ali. Motivations are mixed, especially greed and the fatigue of the millionaire pharmaceutical entrepreneur. But, the best of intentions will prevail.

Yes, the Jurassic formula, but plenty of exciting confrontations with the dinosaurs.

1. More than 30 years of Jurassic Park/Jurassic World? The tradition? Dinosaurs, experimentation, consequences?
2. The prologue, 17 years earlier, the island, the Centre for experimentation, the careless scientist and the wrapper, the breakdown, the disaster, his being destroyed? The island abandoned? Memories of the earlier films?
3. The present, the different situation, people used to dinosaurs, in zoos, exhibits, lesser interest? The scientists, studies? The closing of the zoos, the closing of the museums?
4. Martin Krebs, his character, pharmaceuticals, big business? His background? His approaching Zora Bennett, her background, character, mercenary? Motivations, money? The discussions, her agreement, the proposal, the particular dinosaurs, to get samples of their blood, to be used for heart condition experimentation and medications? The approach to Henry Loomis, his work at the Museum, knowledge, quiet life, his decision to go on the expedition?
5. The surviving dinosaurs, around the equator, people forbidden to go to the area? Martin Krebs, Zora and the link with Kinkcaid, his boat, the bargaining, the two members of his crew? Setting out on the expedition?
6. The Jurassic world of the Ocean, the surviving dinosaurs, their size (and the special effects)?
7. The family, on the boat, a family reunion, the genial father, the teenage daughter about to study in New York City, the saviour, her lazy boyfriend, Isabella and her age? The discussions, the situation, the approach of the dinosaur, overturning the boat, the fact that they were seen, the flare, the rescue?
8. The approach to the dinosaur, the size, the activity, the threats? Zora, attempting to shoot the dart, eventually succeeding? The dangers, Henry collaborating, the family on the boat, Martin Krebs and his urging them on? Kincaid and his observing?
9. The continued dangers, the threats of the dinosaurs, the decision to crash land the boat, the family falling out, the daughter and Krebs not rescuing her, stopping her calling the Mayday signal? Her resentment? The contrast with Xavier, showing some heroism, leaving of the boat to save his girlfriend?
10. The members of the crew, packing up, leaping from the boat, the landing, the crewmember and her pushing the load, taken by the dinosaur?
11. The action of the family, making their way to the village, the dangers, the dinosaurs, taking cover, the little dinosaur and the daughter, the licorice? The sentiment with the pet? The father and his leg injury? Audience participation in the dangers, in the night, Xavier peeing and the fight behind him? The pipeline, finding the pier, the raft, inflating it, the attack of the dinosaur, overturning it, the hiding, the little girl under the raft, turning it over, the continued ride, their arriving at the ruined base?
12. The team, the journey through the valleys, the mountains, the dinosaurs, the huge dinosaurs with the long tails, able to get the sample? On the cliff, the sheer cliff face, going down, the member of the crew taken by the dinosaur? Zora and Henry, into the cave, the eggs, the attack of the mother, repelling her, with the egg, Krebs and Kincaid and the ropes, the final rescue? Making their way to the base?
13. The base, abandoned, the cafeteria, hearing Stand by Me? Everybody reunited? The daughter and her resentment towards Krebs? The strategies, the attack of the dinosaurs, winding the underground tunnels? The various adventures in the tunnels, Krebs and his taking the vehicle, with the samples? The drive, out-of-control, confrontation with the dinosaurs, his crash and death?
14. Kincaid, wanting to help, the helicopter, the surveillance, turning back, Henry lighting the flare? The helicopter crash? The interactions, Kincaid with the flare, tracking the dinosaur towards him, the others escaping, getting to the shore, the dangers, the little girl with her pet, the boat, everybody on board, sailing away, the flare and the rescue of Kincaid?
15. The generally formulaic plot – but audiences not minding the formula because of the vitality, interest and tensions of all the episodes?

THE CREATOR

US, 2023, 133 minutes, Colour.

John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Vouyles, Gemma Chan, Alison Janney, Ken Watanabe, Sturgeon Sampson, Amar Chadha Patel, Ralph Ineson.

Directed by Gareth Edwards.

The Creator is a vast, visually impressive drama of the future, the development of AI, sophisticated robotics, robots with personality and parallel human functions, harmony with the humans – or hostility. It is the creative work of writer-director, Gareth Edwards (Monsters,). In many ways it is visionary.

Overall, the audience is overwhelmed by being immersed in this future, 2067-2070, extraordinary locations, the vastness of Los Angeles destroyed by hostile AI forces, millions destroyed, Americans determined to wipe out AI. However, robotics is flourishing in what is called New Asia, humans living in harmony with the AI. Much of the filming was done in Thailand, in the rice fields, wonderful visual overviews, the crags emerging from the coastal waters, supplementary filming in Korea, Cambodia, and for spectacular mountain sequences, Nepal. There is a vastness about these landscapes.

But with the screenplay, there is a challenge to the audiences, the need for serious attention to determine who is who, who is on whose side, who are the enemies, who are the destructive forces, the American military? The AI weaponry? Some may find this challenge too much.

But, in this future, the robots can be distinguished with a literal hole in the head. The robots otherwise look human, act in a very human way. But, at the core of the film is the mysterious Creator with a mystique from Nepal. However, American intelligence indicates that the AI enemies have a mysterious weapon capable of complete destruction.

Also at the centre, is a human story, a focus on Joshua, John David Washington, undercover American agent in New Asia, married to a local wife, she pregnant. And then an American invasion, Joshua’s cover blown, his wife disappearing, his returning to LA and working for the government. Five years later he is approached to return to new Asia to find the mysterious weapon and to kill the mastermind creating AI.

In fact, the weapon is a mysterious child (mother Madeleine Yuna Voyles), hole in the head, very human (delighting in television cartoons), but with complete powers of control. All the rest of the screenplay is somewhat overwhelming in the confrontation between American forces, led by quite a fierce colonel, played by Alison Janney, backed by sinister authorities in Washington, but it is also very personal, Joshua and Alphie, as he calls her, escaping together, pursued, taken aboard an immense, really vast, airborne machine of surveillance, pursuit, heroics, sacrifice.

Enthusiasts for dramas about the human future, about the role of AI, will enjoy it is sometimes overwhelming drama. Audiences who prefer to focus on the present might find it too much.

1. The title? A world of AI? The Nepalese word and title?
2. Audience interest in AI, robotics, the past, the future? Human collaboration? Human hostility?
3. 2067, 2070? The US, AI and human dependence, the devastation in Los Angeles? The promotion of AI in New Asia? The US wanting to destroy AI? Surviving in New Asia?
4. The visuals of the future world, the wreckage of Los Angeles, the villages of New Asia (filming in Thailand, the rice fields, the coasts and crags, Cambodia, Korea, the mountains of Nepal)?
5. The technology, the robotics, human form, human functions, expressions of emotions, relationships? Weapons? The child as a weapon? And the huge airborne surveillance?
6. The screenplay, elaborating the situation, challenged to audiences as to who is who, who is on whose side, who are the humans, who are the robots? The nature of the confrontations and battles?
7. Joshua, the American government, undercover, his relationship with Maya, her pregnancy? Hopes? The invasion, blowing his cover, Maya and the confrontation, her disappearance?
8. Joshua in LA, the authorities, coming to him, drawing on his undercover experience in New Asia, his being sent in to find the AI weapon?
9. Joshua, his personality, regrets about his wife, her disappearance, the pregnancy, five years passing? The discovery of the weapon, the Creation? His searching for her, finding her, bonding, her name, the shared experiences, the risks? The protection? In New Asia, the American invasion, Col Howell and her hostility? The other Americans?
10. The people of new Asia, the robots in harmony with the humans, working the fields, protection? Support of Joshua? The religious backgrounds?
11. Colonel Howell, her personality, determination, her subordinates? Her tactics? Relationship with the authorities in Washington?
12. Joshua, calling the child Alphie, the attack, the pursuit, in the vehicles, the fights, the weaponry? The national surveillance overhead?
13. The Americans, the wounded, the appeal to Joshua? The implants, the recordings, Howell and her listening to the mind of the dead man, limited? The changes of appearances – and, in the AI world, the robots and their possibility of changing faces? Mayar’s face?
14. The buildup to the climax, aboard the floating surveillance, the chases, vastness, Joshua and his ingenuity, relying on Alfie and her powers, turning power on and off?
15. The finale, the explosions, the talk about heaven, for good persons, Joshua and his self-sacrifice?
16. Howelll, destruction, the floating surveillance?
17. The American attitudes, the Washington authority and commands, defeated? The people of New Asia continuing on in harmony?
18. The vision of the director, the future, technology, humanity?