‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ – Review
Strap in and hold on tight, because Jurassic World Rebirth is here to crank the dino dial up to eleven. Visionary director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One) steps behind the camera to deliver a pulse-pounding sci-fi action rollercoaster that dives headfirst into the murky depths of corporate greed, wild science, and prehistoric terror. And trust us, this one doesn’t hold back.
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind. Skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
Picking up after the previous Jurassic entries, Rebirth throws the Spielbergian playbook out the window and charges straight into the unknown with a tone that’s best described as Apocalypse Now meets Jurassic Park. It’s bold, brutal, and beautiful to look at, a neo-Jurassic odyssey where survival is earned minute by minute. Gareth Edwards is no stranger to spectacle, but here, he’s clearly living out a childhood fantasy with dino-sized gusto. There’s a boyish glee to the way he directs Jurassic World Rebirth, but also a commanding sense of tension. Think massive IMAX-scale set pieces, gritty character work, and some of the scariest dino encounters ever captured on film.
In many ways, Rebirth marks a return to form. Edwards channels Spielberg’s magic, blending awe, wonder, and fear, while also bringing a modern urgency to the proceedings. Climate collapse, corporate overreach, and dangerous genetic experiments all swirl in the background as a team is sent to the long-abandoned Ile Saint-Hubert; a no-go zone where InGen’s worst mistakes were buried…and where nature, as always, finds a way.
At the centre of the chaos is Scarlett Johansson as Zora Bennett, a covert ops specialist hired to retrieve… well, let’s just say something very expensive and very dangerous. Johansson is all grit and steel, channelling her Black Widow energy in equal measure. Zora is tough, calculated, and more than capable of going toe-to-toe with apex predators; both human and reptilian. Johansson clearly relishes the role, tearing through jungle terrain, rappelling into biohazard bunkers, and battling neo-Jurassic beasts with a pulsating energy. It’s action heroine cinema at its finest.
Every Jurassic film needs that one character to remind us of the wonder and terror of these creatures, and Bridgerton breakout Jonathan Bailey steps up to the plate as Dr. Henry Loomis, a brilliant palaeontologist and former student of Dr. Alan Grant. Bailey is a revelation here, channelling wide-eyed awe, ethical conviction, and quiet heroism. His connection to the dinosaurs, especially a heart-wrenchingly touching moment with a pair of Titanosaurus, brings a layered emotional depth to the picture. Loomis is the soul of the film, and Bailey plays him with just the right mix of Spielbergian wonder and battlefield panic.
But make no mistake — this movie belongs to Mahershala Ali. As Duncan Kincaid, Zora’s grizzled team leader, Ali is all stone-faced cool and relentless intensity. He’s the guy you want by your side when everything goes to hell, and when the third act explodes into full-on survival horror, Ali’s performance becomes the pulse of the movie. Stoic, deadly, and fiercely protective, Kincaid is a straight-up action god, and Ali plays him like he was born in a Michael Mann film. Whether it’s going head-first against raptor hybrids with nothing more than a flare gun, or pulling off a one-man last stand against the film’s final boss monster, Ali owns this movie.
While the elite mission team provides the heavy lifting, Edwards throws a narrative curveball with the introduction of the Delgado family: a civilian clan who crash-land into the nightmare. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s Reuben is the no-nonsense father, Luna Blaise shines as the feisty older daughter, Teresa, and Audrina Miranda melts hearts as the youngest, Isabella.
But the real star here? Dolores, a baby Aquilops, who imprints on Isabella and follows the family around like a prehistoric puppy. She’s the Baby Yoda of the Jurassic universe, and yes, you’re going to want a plush version immediately. Edwards knows just when to drop the tension and deliver a moment of emotional levity, and Dolores is proof of that.
And now we come to the nightmare fuel. This isn’t your granddad’s Jurassic Park. Edwards dives deep into the darker side of genetic tampering with the introduction of the ‘Mutadons’ – freakish chimeras born from failed InGen experiments. These things are horrifying: think raptor-pterosaur hybrids with dislocated jaws, distorted limbs, and murderous instincts. They hunt in packs, screech like banshees, and they do not miss.
But nothing, and we mean nothing, prepares you for the Distortus rex, or D-Rex for short. A six-limbed tyrannosaur mutant that looks like it crawled out of Dante’s Inferno, the D-Rex is nightmare incarnate. Its screentime is limited, but when it hits, it HITS ; especially in a brutal third-act sequence that feels like Aliens meets The Descent. Trust us, the final 20 minutes of this film will wreck you.
Beyond the explosions and scream-worthy scares, Jurassic World Rebirth offers some real thematic meat. Edwards explores the ethical decay of science-for-profit, the ecological implications of neo-Jurassic ecosystems, and the fallout from humanity’s reckless pursuit of dominion over nature. It’s heavy stuff, and while the film never loses its popcorn pacing, it still delivers food for thought between the carnage.
Visually, this is some of Edwards’ best work to date. The overgrown ruins of Ile Saint-Hubert are haunting, the creature design is next-level, and the use of scale, both human and prehistoric, is genuinely awe-inspiring. Pair that with a thunderous score, slick editing, and killer stunt work, and you’ve got a film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
Jurassic World Rebirth is an all-out, pedal-to-the-metal thrill ride that reclaims the glory of the franchise while boldly pushing it forward. It’s packed with monster mayhem, nail-biting suspense, dazzling visuals, and a surprising amount of heart. From Scarlett Johansson’s badass heroine, to Mahershala Ali’s warrior poet, to a tiny dinosaur named Dolores, there’s something here for everyone. This is blockbuster filmmaking done right: loud, smart, scary, and a hell of a lot of fun.
Image: Universal Pictures
