Jurassic Park (1993)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

Jurassic Park (1993) dir. by Steven Spielberg

One of the most beloved film series’ of my childhood was the Jurassic Park series and honestly, apart from all the animal abuse, I still like the film. I do not care that the animals are dinosaurs and they are extinct, it is still upsetting to see people try to kill them. That is just what you get for producing extinct animals for other people’s viewing pleasure.

The Rotten Tomatoes consensus is generally favourable with an over ninety percent rating. This is what the consensus actually said:

"Jurassic Park is a spectacle of special effects and life-like animatronics, with some of Spielberg's best sequences of sustained awe and sheer terror since Jaws.”

Roger Ebert stated the following about the film:

"The movie delivers all too well on its promise to show us dinosaurs. We see them early and often, and they are indeed a triumph of special effects artistry, but the movie is lacking other qualities that it needs even more, such as a sense of awe and wonderment, and strong human story values.”

Though he had some nice things to say about the film, he did have some criticisms as well. Stating that there was so much more that the film could have been:

“Spielberg enlivens the action with lots of nice little touches; I especially liked a sequence where a smaller creature leaps suicidally on a larger one, and they battle to the death. On the monster movie level, the movie works and is entertaining. But with its profligate resources, it could have been so much more.”

It went on to win many, many awards including the Academy Awards, Saturn Awards, a BAFTA, Hugo Awards and many more.

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone made a very good and favourable review for the film and stated the following about it when it was released:

"colossal entertainment—the eye-popping, mind-bending, kick-out-the-jams thrill ride of summer and probably the year [...] Compared with the dinos, the characters are dry bones, indeed. Crichton and co-screenwriter David Koepp have flattened them into nonentities on the trip from page to screen.”

Whereas, another critics named Henry Sheehan argued that the film was not really good on the continuity side of things:

"The complaints over Jurassic Park's lack of story and character sound a little off the point," pointing out the story arc of Grant learning to protect Hammond's grandchildren despite his initial dislike of them.”

All in all, we can honestly say that Jurassic Park is a lot of fun, the series has been great and it has been amazing to watch in the cinemas as a great big-time production. But I think I agree with Empire Magazine when they said that it is ‘quite simply one of the greatest blockbusters of all time.”

Here is the Roger Ebert Review if you would like to have a look where I got the quotes from.