‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ stirs awe and fear

There’s no shortage of scale or sound in Jurassic World Rebirth, the latest entry in the long-running dinosaur franchise. The film favours atmosphere over innovation, offering moments of suspense and visual wonder, even as its emotional core remains thin.

Opening today (4 July 2025) in Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro cinemas, the standalone sequel picks up five years after Jurassic World Dominion. Dinosaurs now survive only in equatorial zones. A remote island, once a Jurassic Park site, sets the stage for a high-risk retrieval mission. A team is sent to extract genetic material from three surviving giants, but mutated species and familiar predators complicate their task.

The film, directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), is most striking in its sense of scale. Shots of dense jungles, vast ocean vistas, and rustling grasslands create an environment that feels both majestic and dangerous. The sense of something lurking is ever-present.

Photo courtesy Universal Studios.

That tension is enhanced by a stirring score from Alexandre Desplat, whose orchestration builds anticipation without overwhelming it. Known for The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Shape of Water, Desplat balances awe with dread. His sound echoes the musical legacy of John Williams, the composer of the original Jurassic Park theme, while establishing his own identity.

The dinosaurs themselves are inconsistent. Some scenes are charged with presence and personality – particularly a sea-dwelling mosasaur that dominates whenever it surfaces – while others feel oddly sedate. A few creatures appear sluggish or directionless, undermining the suspense in key moments. When they do spring to life, however, the impact is felt.

Scarlett Johansson anchors the cast as a seasoned field operative, joined by Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey. Their performances are strongest during action sequences, where the stakes are physical rather than emotional. Attempts to inject depth through backstory or humour often fall flat, with dialogue leaning on family-friendly banter rather than genuine connection.

Photo courtesy Universal Studios.

Nostalgia is handled with restraint. The original theme is used appropriately, allowing it to land when it matters. A handful of visual nods and sound cues evoke the franchise’s roots without becoming overbearing. The film is rated PG-13, with mildly graphic scenes, but much of the suspense comes from what’s implied rather than shown.

Jurassic World Rebirth is written by David Koepp, returning from the Jurassic Park screenplay, and produced by longtime collaborators Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley. Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer alongside Denis L Stewart and Jim Spencer.

Though the film is somewhat predictable and its narrative wrapped in plot armour thicker than a dinosaur’s hide, it delivers a spectacle-driven experience that brings the franchise back to familiar strengths. It may not push the series in bold new directions, but it knows how to keep an audience firmly in its claws.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.