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Jurassic World: Dominion  (DVD)

6/10

Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Isabella Sermon, Campbell Scott, DeWanda Wise, B D Wong, Mamoudou Athie

Director: Colin Trevorrow

After Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom prehistoric creatures of all shapes and sizes now roam the world, but the ones that are causing most concern are swarms of gigantic locusts, which are devouring the world's crops.

The locusts originate from a high-tech facility somewhere in Italy, where the obligatory mad scientist, in this case one Lewis Dodgson - a combination of Lewis Carroll's pen- and real names - played by Scott, is plotting control of the world's food chain.

He also has his eye on Maisie (Sermon), an orphan being cared for by Jurassic World alumni Owen (Pratt, stolid) and Claire (Howard, game) - as well as a juvenile raptor. The reason - both have been conceived by their mothers without male help. And Dodgson is determined to unravel the science that led to their conception.

It's not the plot, though, but the action and the animals that count in this spectacle, whose unnecessary overlength induces frequent yawns that could have been kept to a minimum with tighter editing. Still, there's a breathtakingly shot street chase with Pratt on a motor-bike, and hairsbreadth escapes from those tombstone teeth and slavering jaws.

Not the first time Dern is the best thing in the film, although Goldblum has sone quirkily funny moments. The villain is light and uninteresting, though it's hardly the actor's fault.

David Quinlan

USA/UK/Malta 2022. UK Distributor: Universal (Amblin). Colour by Company 3.
140 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 24 Aug 2022