Jurassic Park III

As a Jurassic Park, it is one big pile of sh!t. As a movie in general, it's fine. Ultimately, for me, it was the Jurassic Park name and return of Alan Grant that killed it. I watch it, but the Jurassic Park name is always a nagging thought as I watch it.

Excluding the Spinosaurus, it still isn't as good as the other 2 in my opinion. The plot was a bit weak, the change from CGI to animtronic was obvious, and there were a couple of other movie mistakes. I'll give it 3/5 stars as a movie in general and 2/5 stars as a Jurassic Park. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's OK.

Okay, so not to play Devil's Advocate, but, to you both, what is the definition of a Jurassic Park movie?  For me, the third film was an interesting plot twist that we had not yet seen in the first two.  I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the plot and themes, aside from the obvious visual casualties.

For me, Jurassic Park has a degree of magic to it. Seeing the dinosaurs as animals and not Hollywood monsters. Seeing the Brachiosaurus for the first time for example or seeing the dinosaurs running free on Sorna in TLW. In JP III, I thought it was one never ending chase scene where the dinosaurs were no longer animals, but monsters. Hope that makes sense.

That does make sense.  However, I would argue that there was a similar degree of magic in the third.  You have Alan and Ellie's appreciation and fear over the intense intellegence and ferocity of the raptors, you have the discussion of astronauts vs. astronomers and Billy's desire to experience the magic of these animals in the flesh, and you have the scene where the characters emerge from the river to behold the dinosaurs in all their wonder, just to name a few.  I would also argue that, while Jurassic Park is definitely about the magic of seeing the animals in the flesh, there is a great degree of chasing/evading dinosaurs in the first two films.  In a sense, what John Hammond created to be wonderous and amazing truly blew up in his face, and in the end, what the characters were running from - in all three films - were in fact monsters, not in a literal sense, but figuratively.

Eh, I still like the other 2 more.

Haha, I get it.  I'm not trying to convert you or anything.  I just want to understand why some people hate it so much, and the response I usually get is that it would be an okay movie, it's just not a good Jurassic Park movie, which I don't get.  You obviously don't hate it, you just prefer the other two. I'm just eager to figure out through discussion why people don't like it.

Well now you know :)

i'm with you Fanatic.  honsetly the CG wasn't a huge problem for me.  I like the family aspect of the movie, its something people didnt really get to see in the first too.  also RexFan you said the plot was weak and lots of people think thats becuase of the script- but i thought the simpleness of it made it more relateable, like that part where mr. kirby talks about the fishing trip,. if i wass in a tramatic experience i think my dad would try to tell stories like that

just my opinion though

I say it was weak because it wasn't really like the other 2 movies.

Agreed Lotus.  To me, this film was one of the few films created in the early 2000s where the CG was really believable and life-like.  Although I will agree with Rex Fan that the transition from animatronic to CG was pretty noticeable.

And I agree, the family aspect was something that we were not as exposed to in the first two. Granted, you had great bonding scenes with Grant and the kids and Malcolm, Sarah, and Kelly, but, like you, I felt that the simplicity of the script and the comic relief of the third film conjured up images for me of what my parents might try to do to encourage or comfort me in such an experience.  

rex fan i dont really think you can say a movie is weak just becasue it is diffrent from the other two...

I proposed the argument that there is in fact magic in third film, and that wasn't disputed.  I'm just trying to grasp why people don't like it.  

It's just not the same as the other two. The plot is weak, the charactors aren't that great, and the interactions with the dinosaurs wern't the best. The JP 1 and 2 Velociraptors would f*ck you up for looking at them funny, the JP 3 Raptors only killed one person. When the eggs were returned, they left. The eggs were taken, all the more reason to rip Billy and them to shreds if you ask me.

hmm, well i'd like to start with the movie was alright. I like the approach Johnston took with it, but going in he knew this was going to be difficult. Spielberg brought back the wonder of dinosaurs with Jurassic Park, even TLW(albeit in the lesser sense). 

JP/// though....it took what the first two movies had, and quickly turned it around for the worst. Making the dinosaurs seen like genetically engineered monsters just wanting to eat every human on the island. They also killed off the Alan Grant we all got to know and love in the first movie..

To me, the CG/ animatronic crossovers weren't that bad, although i did notice somethings with the raptors that kind of threw me off..

Other than that, i would say this movie compares to Godzilla '98. Not over the top bad...a decent movie....just not worthy of the title "Jurassic Park"

Okay, so MrHappy, you were pissed off by the behavior of the dinosaurs.  That is a valid argument; I agree that it was very unlikely that the raptors would behave in this manner. I will say, though, that for creative purposes, the raptors had to act as they did. They definitely tried to kill Alan, but were gas-bombed. Alan was able to use his knowledge of the raptors' resonating chambers to divert the animals, which I say is a point to him, not a point deducted from the raptors. They were just responding to a call for help.

In regards to your statement about the amount of people the raptors killed, they would have undoubtably killed many more people if the film had required more characters.  But you can't kill off vital characters when there are so few of them, nor can you leave all the killing to the raptors.

@Carnosaur - thanks for your input.

Here's my question: what about JPIII Alan Grant did you not like, and how were the dinosaurs portrayed as monsters any more than in the first two?

well, i remember thinking Grant was the badass of the first firm(right next to muldoon). Getting out of the car to face a T.Rex, among other things...

And as to the point of the dinosaurs, yes they were portrayed as monsters in the first two films. But they seemed to have some purpose, some reason for their actions. It all flowed very smothly, and i just didn't get that vibr from JP///.

I think Grant is as badass as he can be in this movie. He reacts calmly and uses his brain in the raptor confrontation, something that an ordinary person would flip out if it happened to them, just to name one example. We have to remember that Grant is older and weary, and had no desire to even be on this island in the first place.  He still fights the intellectual struggles of being overwhelmed and is able to protect the other characters. 

I feel that the purpose of the dinosaurs is to inspire thrill, excitement, and awe for the audience, something that these dinosaurs still managed to do.  Just like in the first two films, these dinosaurs got people's hearts racing in theaters.

@MrHappy - It's difficult to come up with original material.  I would say the film's plot is different, not weak.  Why do you say it is a weak plot?

If you ask me, JP3 was Nim's Island with dinosaurs and more people, and some slight plot changes (kid gets rescued instead of escapes, becomes next Bear Grylls). Just send me a PM, I'll respond when I get home. I have big fingers, and I'm using an Ipod. Sorry to be so short with my answers, I'll go more in depth when I get home.

No problem.  Take your time; I can wait.

I personally thought the worst example of all 3 JP movies of making the Dino's into monsters was in JP 2.  The entire San Diego scene basically made the T-Rex into a Godzilla-like monster.  In all reality, when a wild animal see's a town, it doesn't invade it and kill everything in its path, it would go the opposite way.

I would at least give JP 3 credit that they left the dino's in their natural habitat and you could at least assume that they were just being territorial.  Animals don't just go barreling through civilization, I don't even think the mighty T-Rex would have.

Jurassic Park /// was a good movie in my opinion. Not excellent, not terrible, just a fun, entertaining movie. Personally, I really like this movie, not because of the movie itself, but more for nostalgic reasons. Although I accept the various flaws it has.

A problem it has its that it practically slapped in Jurassic Park's face by killing off and replacing the Tyrannosaurus in such a puny way. Besides some of the aspects already pointed out, it bothered me that the movie didn't balance very well between the Raptors and the Spinosaurus. It seemed like it was a little Spinosaurus at the begining and a little at the end and all the time in between we were just waiting to see what the raptors would do. Also, the CGI was good but various times it was noticable when it changed to animatronics, a problem balancing the effects. And the story wasn't very elaborate ether: "People escaping from dinosaur-filled tropical island".

But it introduced the public to a new dinosaur: Spinosaurs. A very interesting, awesome (and my ultimate favorite) dinosaur. Maybe not in the best way, but it did. We can all agree that if this movie had kept the Tyrannosaurus and the Spinosaurus all along the movie it would have been GREAT! We could have even had an ending like the first movie by making them fight again.

Bottom line, it was a fun, totally watchable, and good movie, despiste having its various flaws. It's a story that could have happened in the Jurassic Park universe, although maybe it wasn't the best story to show in a movie.

Oh and also @Carnosaur this movie doesn't compare to "Godzilla '98"! that movie WAS bad, silly and insulting. Although it can be a dumb, mindless piece of entertainment to watch once in a while.

Well the movie was decent to me, but it had mediocre acting, not much science in it, the Spinosaurus was made into some immortal god, the raptors were treated as some stereotypical monsters in a cliched monster movie, the special effects were mainly CGI-based, making it look unrealistic, the movie could have been longer, and that's all of what I can think of right now.

That's another thing Raptor. It was substantially shorter than the first 2.

PS- Dino Fan and Lotus, I kinda feel like I'm being a little criticized for my opinion of the movie. I was asked what I didn't like about it and you're trying disprove my opinion. I don't love it and I don't hate it, end of story.

How the hell can you disprove an opinion? That's the point of an opinion, you can't say it's right or wrong...

Yes, it was about only 1 1/2 hours long while the others were about 35 minutes longer.

Maybe I'm just a bit paranoid, but looking at some of the comments, that's how I feel. Please tell me if I'm wrong. 

The ending ruined JPIII for me. The climax with the raptor eggs was weak enough but when we hear the helicopters and see THE GUY WITH THE MEGAPHONE IN THE SUIT ON THE BEACH BY MYSELF  it still makes me gringe. Seriously?

Alan Grant's dream with the talking raptor... Too cheesy for my blood

I'll look at them right now and see what's up.

jpjoe, what you said about the raptor dream reminds me. How could Grant dream about the raptors from JP III when the only ones he ever encountered looked different? The raptor should have looked like one from the first movie. Theoretically speaking.

I will say one was trying to disprove you while the other just wanted to know more of your opinion.

So I'm a bit paranoid and a bit right. Sounds like my usual self, haha.

It's alright. Before when you Rex fans would criticize Spino I would get paranoid and act like you guys were criticizing me. But then I looked at it and realizing I was doing the same thing for Rex, so I have grown to not get offended anymore.

Uh, guys? Did anyone say welcome back to Dino.Fan? 

Welcome back Dino.Fan, long time no see.

Sorry, but it looks like I came here on the site long after Dino.Fan has come here... I officially became a full-out regular about 4 or 5 months ago.

Well then welcome Dino. Fan, hope you can stay with us.

DINOSAUR.FANATIC - This is an extremely compelling topic you've posted! As a general whole, I felt that Jurassic Park III was a fun and easily-followed film. However, I also believe that it lacked a great deal of the magic present to a large degree within Jurassic Park. To be fair, the Lost World was something of a comingling of egdy techno-thriller and "shoot-'em-up" action that boasted slightly less thought-provoking instances and provided a more straightforward thrill-ride. Don't get me wrong, I liked the Lost World; I watched it three times in theatres and perfected the art of hiding snacks in my purse! ;) However, it, like JP3, seemed to trail-off sequentially from the first film. Naturally, the first movie in a franchise often gets the lion's share of the attention. Yet, I can't help but feel that Jurassic Park III fell steeply away from its forerunners.

   In Jurassic Park and the Lost World, the animals, in my opinion, were presented as living beings for which we could feel awe, fear and wonder - beings who were in and of themselves living, brething scientific quandries. Additionally, the actors provided strong performances, merging interesting dialogue, slight humor and subtle quirks of personality that made the films fun to watch even when the dinosaurs weren't present on the screen. However, with JP3, the actors and animals seemed to be little more than display pieces without personality or depth - props for an all-out action film. The Spinosaurus, in my opinion, is one of the most glaring aspects of this train of thought.

    Instead of providing this magnificent creature with personality and depth, the story-writers treated it much in the same way as a T-800 from the Terminator series - an unstoppable killing machine without any other goal other than to track down and slaughter the protagonists. There was simply nothing else to it. Sure, it killed a T-Rex, but that seemed more like a "look at how powerful, awesome and good at killing this dinosaur is" flaunt. Had the Spinosaurus been treated with the same care and attentioin to detail as the animals from the previous two films, I've a feeling it would have been well-recieved by all fans.

   That being said, there was one instance in particular that I felt managed to recapture the magic of the original Jurassic Park, the Pteranodon scene. In my opinion, that segment was one of the most tense and rivetting moments throughout the entire film - causing me to actually feel suspense and concern for the protagonists. Not only that, but I felt that the Pteranodons themselves were excellently portrayed and affectionately rendered in CGI! I certainly hope this helps to satisfy some of your curiosity. Regardless, thank you very much for bringint this to us! :)

I like the dinos, but I hate the plot

idk, the plot seems so weird to me

and I'm kinda dissapointed when amanda (the blonde with megaphone) survived

so if you asked me if i like it or not as a whole, I think I'm somewhere in between

double post 

sorry

Sorry I didn't respond earlier - I was busy last night, haha

@Like a Bossk - I agree, I prefer seeing dinosaurs in their natural habitat, and that is a good point: what if these are animals who are territorial, and feel threatened? Maybe the movie is a constant chase, but there could be a reason for that. Good point.

@Spinojira - I'm also glad this movie gave Spino some time in the spotlight. Guys, I hate that fight scene just as much as anyone. I would have at least given Rex a more dignified death than those ten seconds of abomidable Jack Horner-influenced choreography. And I agree, I love it for nostalgic reasons as well, despite its many flaws.

@Rex Fan - I apologize if any of my comments came across as undermining or rude; I certainly didn't intend to insult you, and I respect all your opinions.

@jpjoe84 - True, that guy was cheesy, but I mean he had the navy and marines with him. I think it was meant to be corny.

@Raptor 401 - I agree that the movie should have been longer. No objections there. I will say that I believe the acting was purposeful. Remember, these are not a group of attuned, learned, curious scientists conducting behavioral research like in JP or TLW. This is a couple distraught over the potential death of their son. They are not supposed to speak eloquantly or calmly think rationally; that's Grant's job. When these actors come across as inept, confused, or just plain bad, it's because of the characters they are portraying, which are meant to be portrayed in this light. And let's give the Kirby's some credit - after all Mr. Kirby was able to help fend off the Spinosaurus.

@Something Real - That's hilarious that you perfected snack-sneaking in the theater! I agree, and I think that the "shoot-em up" nature of TLW added some charm to the plot.  It's interesting how you say that the dinosaurs lacked purpose or depth. I agree, but I think that this was purposeful. In the first two films, characters composed of scientists studied the dinosaurs and were able to appreciate the wonder of these animals. In the third film, we have a distraught, confused and terrified family, who naturally are not able to appreciate the wonder of the dinosaurs because they are too busy running for their lives. I know that if my family was stranded on the island, I would certainly not be taking time to marvel at the animals, I would be horrified. Granted, the film is not devoid of appreciation for the dinosaurs; recall the astronaut/astronomer conversation, Grant's brief tour from the plane, etc.

As for the characters, I believe they are given as much depth as any Jurassic Park characters have been given. We don't have much back story, but events lead to them coming to the island, then eventually escaping. As I said before, these are very human characters. They act much like you or I would act if stuck on an island. They cannot think rationally and are fraught with fear. It's Grant's job to be thinking rationally in this situation.