There's a lovely quote from the late Lord Attenborough at the end of this film along the lines of "...creatures don't need our help to survive, they need our absence". Never a truer word, but sadly it doesn't really enliven this merchandising booster of a film. The aforementioned gent, "Hammond" has had control of his company wrested away from him and informs chaotician "Malcolm" (Jeff Goldblum) that there's a B-site full of the beasties from the first film and his new board are determined to monetise them all. He has to get there first, and so armed with his sarcastic wit and the savvy Quatermain-esque "Tembo" (Pete Postlethwaite) off he goes. Of course, it being a Spielberg movie, there has to be an annoying child and in this case that's the stowaway "Kelly" (Vanessa Chester) and to complete our line up of charm-free misfits we have Vince Vaughn's "Nick" and Julianne Moore's "Sarah". Thereafter we embark on an whole load of set-piece snatched from the jaws (literally) of death time and time again type scenarios from the real stars of the show, only they have lost the wow factor of their 1993 outing and so now look like pale imitations or something from Ray Harryhausen's reject pile. The story is all too hysterically predictable as it turns out that the venal and the scientific end up going head to head with each other, and the ravenous dinosaurs, before a denouement that is entirely fitting but about ninety minutes later than I wanted it to be. Postlethwaite is the only one here who has anything like a character, in many ways akin to Bob Peck's first time round and there are some astonishingly creative visuals, but this is a sequel that nobody is going to look back upon very fondly.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park tries to follow in the footsteps of the original masterpiece but stumbles along the way. While Spielberg delivers some thrilling action and stunning visuals, the movie lacks the charm and cohesion that made Jurassic Park so iconic. From the start, it feels like something is missing. The plot kicks off with a weak foundation, and motivations for the characters feel scattered and unclear, which makes it hard to connect with their journey. What really hurts the movie is the lack of focus. The story feels pulled in multiple directions, with some characters there to explore, others there to capture dinosaurs, and a few just along for the ride. This muddled narrative waters down the tension and excitement, leaving you questioning the point of certain scenes. Even Ian Malcolm, who was a standout in the first movie, struggles to carry the weight of a leading role here. The awe and wonder of the original have been replaced by darker tones and chaotic action, which might appeal to some but feels like a step back overall. That said, the movie does have its moments. The action sequences are gripping, and Spielberg still knows how to build tension when it counts. Visually, it’s as impressive as you’d expect, with dinosaurs that still hold up today. But ultimately, The Lost World feels like a sequel that’s trying too hard to recapture the magic of its predecessor without fully understanding what made it special in the first place. It’s worth a watch for the action and nostalgia, but don’t expect it to leave the same lasting impression as the original.

The other 2 star / 40% review of this movie is on point. The Lost World: Jurassic Park sucks on so many levels. I had Jurassic Park 1 on repeat for nearly 24 hours and every time I sat down I had a laugh or a feeling of awe or excitement. Jurassic Park 1 is truly a marvel. Apart from the squealing, the characters are well written and well acted. The casting is amazing, even the kids, and it's so WOKE I oughta give it a 10/10. _Actually, I think I will._ This time around it's all trash. Malcolm returns but the off-putting charisma that made him "beloved" is dulled. The kids return for a cameo but get replaced by Malcolm's daughter who... exists like Stacker Pentecost's son apparently exits in Pacific Rim. She does basically nothing for the majority of the movie. I'm not one to hate on kids unless they're insufferable but she kinda embodies the reaction I had throughout this movie, which is "this is pointless". Pointless movie, nothing happens, sure some folks get nommed but no one cares because they're all kinda stupid and useless except for the first guy who gets nommed _who I'm almost certain mentioned the Rexes left the area_. I've never seen Julianne Moore smile so much. Her character, Sarah, is fine up until Sarah and Nick do the "no good deed" _with a lot of unnecessary stupid_ that results in the events of this movie. Unlike the normal fare, I don't have an issue with women or feminism so her little quip about not needing Malcolm to save her at the start of the movie before everything goes awry doesn't phase me. She went there not expecting events to unfold the way they did, and by events I mean Ludlow. Anyway, back on topic. There isn't much else to say except just re-watch Jurassic Park 1 five times and you'll likely have a better time than watching any of the five sequels. P.S.: Can anyone explain the ship? Anyone at all? I know what the script says was supposed to happen but that's not what we get in the movie and the movie makes no sense whatsoever. 4/10 is too generous for this trash. I should reduce my rating. This was so disappointing after watching Jurassic Park 1 on repeat over the course of 24 hours.