Lost World: Jurassic Park

Thanks to Stephen Spielberg, I now have an ideal sleeping aid. At least it has worked the past two nights, causing me to drop off to sleep within 30 minutes of watching Jurassic Park: the Lost World. I did see the full movie one time when it was first released in theaters, and I remember emerging from the theater and immediately forgetting the experience ? a really bad sign for a movie.

I wouldn?t have purchased this disc alone either, but when I got a decent deal on the new DVD set of both Jurassic Park films along with all the extra features, I splurged a bit and gave The Lost World another chance. Unfortunately, I haven?t been able to stay awake through the whole film on my DVD player ? another bad sign for any movie.

It?s not that Spielberg doesn?t understand the rules for adequate sequels. He relates this on the background film by explaining that the audience will expect more in the sequel, so he planned to deliver the goods. And he did deliver some interesting sequels in the Indiana Jones series, even though none could possibly top the original ? we at least were treated to some monkey brains, some failed heart surgery, and Sean Connerly in the two follow up films.

Unfortunately, Spielberg?s concept of offering more in Jurassic Park: the Lost World just means more of the same but less originality. Instead of one Tyrannosaurus Rex, we get two T-Rex parental units with a baby, and instead of a couple of nasty raptors, we get a whole herd of the vicious beasties. Just one lawyer got munched in the original, so to increase the impact several more people meet their Jurassic doom in the lame sequel, including one poor fellow who is treated like a wishbone by the T-Rex parents. The only demise I found interesting was Peter Stormare?s (of Fargo fame) when he is destroyed by swarms of 12 inch piranha style carnivores.

More isn?t always better. I?d rather see more creative tweaks instead of the formula sequel material that we?ve seen all too often in teen slasher flicks. Spielberg makes an attempt by making rising star Jeff Goldblum the leading character with talented actress Julianne Moore as his paleontologist fiance and sidekick. Too bad his script does little to develop their characters, as they spend most of their time dodging stegosaurus tail swipes, T-Rex bashing, and Raptor gnashing. The ending is little more than a rehash of King Kong and Godzilla movies with a T-Rex stomping around San Diego. (how original of Spielberg to change the setting a few miles away from Universal Studios this time)

Pete Postethwaite does interesting work in his films and could have contributed to this dinosaur disaster if Spielberg hadn?t left his best moments on the editing floor. There?s a nice scene that develops his character and demonstrates his motivations for wanting to hunt big game, but Spielberg deletes it and goes for the straight action shots that just make Postethwaite?s character look like a stereotypical mercenary big game hunter. I had a bit more sympathy for him after watching the deleted scenes, but it just made me realize how Spielberg had cheapened his film for the summer masses.

I remember watching Jurassic Park: the Lost World only because I felt obligated to do so. I?m not in the automatic Spielberg bashing camp, and enjoyed Jurassic Park to a degree. After all, I grew up fascinated with dinosaurs and always hope that the next dinosaur movie will be enjoyable and intelligent.

I left the theater that summer of 1997, dutifully knowing that I had fulfilled my obligation of checking out Spielberg?s blockbuster, but left feeling unsatisfied with no intentions of ever returning to the Lost World. After falling asleep to the DVD version the last two nights, I am reminded how weak this sequel is. But it?s definitely more effective than Sominex.