The North American premiere of ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ has officially wrapped in Los Angeles and early reactions to the dino-centric sequel are pouring in online, with entertainment writers calling the follow-up all a good nostalgia shot. downright bad. As with most sequels in the “Jurassic” series, “Dominion” is met with a mixed response.
Universal positioned “Dominion” as a franchise finale, curating a roundup of “Jurassic” stars old and new. The film reunites Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, all of whom starred in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 original. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return after starring in 2015’s “Jurassic World” and “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018, while series newcomers DeWanda Wise and Mamoudou Athie also join the cast of the new entry.
“Dominion” picks up after the events of “Fallen Kingdom,” with dinosaurs now roaming the Earth and forcing the human race to tightly guard their position as the planet’s apex predators. “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow returns to direct the series finale.
Although “Jurassic World: Dominion” won’t hit North American theaters until Friday, Universal has already given the sequel a limited global rollout in 15 international markets. The sequel grossed $55.4 million at the international box office over the weekend, with its biggest debuts in Mexico and Korea.
Variety Craftsmen editor Jazz Tangcay praised the film, calling it “a fun, roaring adventure”. Tangcay also said that the dinosaurs “are bigger and better than ever”.
#jurassicworlddominion is a big fun and roaring adventure. Dinosaurs are bigger and better than ever. It’s non-stop dinosaur action. And the return of Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill hit the nostalgic spots. I just love them. pic.twitter.com/Z7kvy3SkpO
— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) June 7, 2022
Variety Awards editor Clayton Davis called the film “nostalgia overdrive”, while hiding his exact opinion of the sequel under his anticipated conclusion that “it’s going to make so much money”.
Let’s be clear… no matter what I say about #JurassicWorldDominion – it’s going to make so much money. It defies logic. It’s a movie where things happen and people know things “because” – smoke a joint, get drunk and have fun like never before. Nostalgia on overdrive. pic.twitter.com/eD7hViPYSd
— Clayton Davis – Stick with 🇺🇦 (@ByClaytonDavis) June 7, 2022
critical and Variety Contributor Courtney Howard summed up her reaction with “BAD”, stating that “Dominion” marks the franchise’s worst quality.
#JurassicWorldDominion = BAD. He ignores the premise he should have had all along, instead he synthetically designs 2 entirely different, uninteresting, hollow stories that he struggles to connect. Some effects look polished, others soft. The worst in the franchise. pic.twitter.com/0xbyUR6O9d
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) June 7, 2022
Ian Sandwell of Digital Spy called the film “disappointing for a finale”, although he pointed to bringing together the characters of Neill, Dern and Goldblum as a strength of the film.
It delivers the show you expect, but #JurassicWorldDominion feels underwhelming for a final as he treads on familiar ground. Nice to see the OG trio though and their strand is the strongest, even if it unintentionally highlights how bland the JW characters are in comparison. pic.twitter.com/IT2yXfhMFY
— Ian Sandwell (@ian_sandwell) June 7, 2022
Collider’s Perri Nemiroff dug into the follow-up, pointing to Bryce Dallas Howard’s performance as a highlight of the film.
#JurassicWorldDominion rocks a great mix of practical and digital effects. Dinosaurs look great. The Dimetrodon scene is…right up my alley. Bryce Dallas Howard is running away with the movie – and the new trilogy for that matter. Claire experiences one hell of a bow and Howard flies off with it. pic.twitter.com/5qWYkddi9e
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) June 7, 2022
Insider’s Kirsten Acuna recommends revisiting the original “Jurassic Park” before rolling it out for “Dominion.”
#JurassicWorldDominion is at its best when the old and new cast are together. Fans of the franchise should enjoy it. Lots of nods to the OG. I would recommend reviewing this closely. pic.twitter.com/WfRSqzsM81
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) June 7, 2022
Gizmodo and io9 senior reporter Germain Lussier called the film “overly indulgent and unnecessary,” with the dinosaurs serving as little more than “window dressing” for a few lackluster storylines.
Really, Jurassic World Dominion is bad. Shame. It’s too long, it’s wildly repetitive, and the dinosaurs are a showcase for multiple uninteresting and unrelated stories. The actors do their best but it’s just too forgiving and unnecessary. One of the worst, if not the worst, in the franchise.
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 7, 2022
See more reactions to the “Jurassic” finale below:
#JurassicWorldDominion is absolutely awful. It’s like a bunch of hot shots that thought about dinosaur-centric theme park rides and put them in a movie. Insects are more important than dinosaurs. A failure on all fronts with bankrupt ethics. Save your hard earned. 🤦🏻♀️
— Tomris Laffly (@TomiLaffly) June 7, 2022
My visceral reaction after leaving #JurassicWorldDominion it’s the worst film of a franchise that I love. It’s too long, the action sequences are downright ugly, and overall too bloated. Again, I smiled at the nostalgic beats and baby dinos so loved, that too? pic.twitter.com/BA1J4uFOMD
— Matt Donato (@DoNatoBomb) June 7, 2022
GOOD NEWS: #JurassicWorldDominion is my favorite movie from the new Jurassic trilogy. It’s jam-packed with thrilling dinosaur encounters and more from Jeff Goldblum, but it also has a good balance of spooky and inventive storylines with a few select nods to what’s come before. A solid finish. pic.twitter.com/G6bMCDUecL
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) June 7, 2022
It brings me no joy to point out that #JurassicWorldDominion is a MASSIVE disappointment. While the movie features some amazing dinosaur footage and it’s great to see the original cast back on the big screen, the movie doesn’t deliver on what previous movies promise. pic.twitter.com/AsGoqMsrSf
—Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) June 7, 2022
Honestly, I’m still supporting dinosaurs. #JurassicWorldDominion
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) June 7, 2022