'Jurassic World: Rebirth' Review: This Franchise Belongs to the Dinosaurs Once Again
- Elliot Lines
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
By Elliot Lines - June 30, 2025
Over three decades of Jurassic films have passed, each gradually diminishing in quality. Jurassic World: Dominion marked a new low for the franchise, side-lining its legacy characters and iconic dinosaur set pieces in favour of a baffling subplot about genetically modified locusts. Now, only three years later, comes the next instalment, Jurassic World: Rebirth. This time, the story is streamlined, and the dinosaurs are finally back at the forefront, reclaiming the screen with the dominance they deserve.
What is 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' about?
A team of specialists is assembled by a pharmaceutical company on a mission to gather dinosaur DNA for the development of ground-breaking medical treatments. The catch? These dinosaurs—three of the largest ever genetically engineered—reside in a now-restricted equatorial zone, untouched by humans for years. The team must venture into this forbidden wilderness to retrieve what they need.
Following the release of Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom, and Dominion, the franchise lost its way with convoluted, disjointed narratives that moved further from what audiences truly wanted: dinosaurs. Rebirth takes a cue from Jurassic Park III, embracing a simpler structure—one focused mission, one cohesive journey. This tighter narrative allows for natural encounters with different dinosaur species and delivers several thrilling set pieces, with the highlight being a climactic, large-scale confrontation.
A secondary storyline involving a rescued family runs parallel to the main mission. While it occasionally distracts from the central plot, it still provides some strong dinosaur moments and emotional beats, even if it veers into melodrama at times.
Directed by Gareth Edwards, Rebirth benefits from a filmmaker who knows how to handle large-scale franchises with care. Edwards, known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and The Creator, brings a strong visual eye and a grounded approach to storytelling. His ability to blend spectacle with character-driven moments gives Rebirth a sense of scale without losing focus. The film looks fantastic, immersing us in a world where dinosaurs have reclaimed their territory. Action sequences are well-executed and varied, with highlights including a tense Mosasaurus attack at sea and a thrilling T. rex encounter along a river, and even the much talked about D-Rex failed to de-rail the climax. It’s clear the film was crafted by someone who understands how to make blockbuster storytelling both exciting and cinematic.
The human cast is equally impressive. Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey lead the ensemble with charm and intensity, bringing the necessary charisma to anchor the story. That said, the subplot involving the family occasionally drags focus away from the main group—though it does offer a suspenseful raft scene worth mentioning.
Jurassic World: Rebirth isn’t perfect, but its stripped-back approach—much like Jurassic Park III—makes for an entertaining and much-needed course correction with only slight nods to what came before it. The locusts are gone. The dinosaurs are back. And for the first time in a while, this world feels like it belongs to them again.
'Jurassic World: Rebirth' releases in cinemas July 2
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