This evening, I took in a screening of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. I wanted to share some quick-fire thoughts on the movie, but note - there will be some minor spoilers. Nothing you can’t find out from the trailers, of course.

• This movie is absolutely ridiculous and fun. If you’re expecting high-art, or anything on par with the original - see something else. But if you dug the mix of nostalgia and dinosaur action found in the first Jurassic World, you’ll dig this one.
• Only half of the movie takes place on the (now volcanic) island of Isla Nublar. The other half is set in a giant mansion, and turns into sort of a haunted house picture, which explains why JA Bayona (The Orphanage) got picked as the director.
• The dinosaur effects are the best they’ve been, including copious amounts of physical, practical effects.
• Unsurprisingly, the human characters are nowhere near as interesting as the dinos. The two new additions - a tech expert named Franklin (Justice Smith) and a vet tech named Zia (Daniella Pineda) do not really leave a lasting impression.
• The villain side is, once again, rich white dudes who want to weaponize the dinos. What a surprise. I think there’s an ongoing thread in the Jurassic franchise about the rich.
• That reminds me - this movie introduces Sir Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell), the partner of John Hammond in the original creation of Jurassic Park. Am I wrong or was he never mentioned at all before this?
• Is it me, or does Rafe Spall’s American accent sound strikingly like Ryan Reynolds?
• Speaking of accents - what the hell accent was Toby Jones doing? Sounded kinda like a drunk Brando?
• There’s one early sequence on the island with Chris Pratt which may be the most ridiculously cartoony and silly moments in the Jurassic franchise.
• There’s also a sequence involving Chris Pratt with a Stygimoloch which is probably the most Spielbergian sequence in the movie, minus the rather grim opening (which felt a lot like the opening of Jurassic Park proper).
• Michael Giacchino returns to do the score, and unlike in Jurassic World where he was clearly having a great time doing a John Williams tribute act, he goes grandiose and gothic here. Appropriate given the movie that follows.
• I give Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom a lot of credit for finally exploring an aspect of the process which lead to the creation of the park and its ramifications….beyond just dinosaurs.
• The end of this movie sets up - GASP - a sequel. And if it lives up to the final few moments, that movie will be THE most ridiculous installment in the franchise.
• Can we just make Blue the Velociraptor the lead for the next installment? She even gets to jump in front of an explosion this time! By the way, if that prior sentence didn’t sell you on the movie, this is definitely not your movie.
• HEY! There IS a post-credits sequence. There’s not a lot to it, but if you want to know where Jurassic World 3 is most likely set when it releases in 2021, be sure to check it out.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is in theaters now.