HCA Gradebook: “The Boys” Season 3
April 28, 2023
HCA Gradebook: “Ms. Marvel”
April 30, 2023
Movie: Jurassic World Dominion
Plot: Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live–and hunt–alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures in a new Era.
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, DeWanda Wise, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Release Date: June 10, 2022
Studio: Universal Pictures
HCA Overall Grade: C-
Aaron Neuwirth says, “There are lesser entries than others, but even if it’s just the primal instinct in me talking, I still get a kick out of watching these very expensive B-movies deliver dino spectacle. Jurassic World Dominion succeeds at that.”
Grade: B
Abbie Bernstein says, “People coming into Jurassic World: Dominion without having seen any of the build-up (if that’s possible) may just feel gratified that the movie makes good use of previously established people and elements. Yes, the connections between plot threads are a little strained in places, but it mostly hangs together, and the components are fun.”
Grade: B
Jill Munroe says, “The Jurassic franchise has been delivering thrills to fans for the last 30 years. Jurassic World Dominion brings back some of our favorite characters plus tosses a few new ones into the mix. The dinosaur action is top-notch.”
Grade: B
Sari Cohen says, “Without comparing the film to its predecessors, it stands on its own in the CGI department, and the action-packed sequences will suck you in. Dominion, quite literally, feels like a ride. As a viewer familiar with the franchise’s history, you can’t help but be invested in the story and its final outcome. Both the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World casts have unfinished business, and as the plot of “good guy” versus “bad guy” unfolds, fans inevitably get rewarded with the closure they want. Each cast, respectively, holds its own.”
Grade: B
Kit Bowen says, “I’ll be the voice here to defend Jurassic World Dominion. While I can see some of the criticism, I thought it is a lot of fun, full-on popcorn fare. Sure, it’s derivative and the plot is kind of over-the-top silly, but I let that all slide for the dinosaurs and the return of the OG cast — Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, especially Goldblum. Being such a fan of the universe for so long, Dominion gives me the emotional feels I wanted.”
Grade: B
David Gonzalez says, “Ultimately, Jurassic World: Dominion is one of the most preposterous, illogical entities I’ve seen all year and that’s not including dinosaurs walking the Earth in 2022. However, I was all in. Dare I say; it’s Dino-mite.”
Grade: B-
Maggie Lovitt says, “The dinosaurs are impressive, though I never did figure out which one was supposed to be the Joker. Most of the more entertaining moments with the dinosaurs were callbacks to the original films—almost shot for shot. There’s a world of untapped potential with dinosaurs, but Jurassic World Dominion just shook the box instead of opening it and finding new toys to play with.”
Grade: B-
James White says, “It’s certainly gratifying to see Neill, Dern and Goldblum share screens again, but they, like everyone else get swallowed up by the spectacle. There is a continued, commendable drive for practical dinosaur effects where possible, but ultimately this ends up feeling like a re-tread more than a bow-tying conclusion to the second trilogy. I certainly had a better time with it than many of my fellow colleagues, but like the characters at the end of Steven Spielberg’s never-matched (even by him in The Lost World), it’s not an experience I can wholeheartedly endorse.”
Grade: B-
Scott Mendelson says, “It spends too little time on the “dinos among us” hook, but ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ is a refreshingly overstuffed movie that feels like a miracle in terms of scope, scale and geographic variety considering how and when it was made.”
Grade: B-
Zoë Rose Bryant says, “If you like your scripts to make sense, you won’t find that with Jurassic World Dominion. Still, if you’re solely coming for a blockbuster dinosaur spectacle, Dominion delivers in spades, additionally earning the audience’s interest with extended screen time for returning cast members Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum.”
Grade: B-
Kathia Woods says, “In this film, Jurassic Park attempted to close all of the chapters. It wasn’t done well, but the action and allure of the dinosaurs made the film worthwhile. It was also great to see DeWanda Wise play such an important role. Overall, it’s a fun ride with a bad plot.”
Grade: B-
Patrick Stoner says, “There are 2 reasons to see it: nostalgia & special effects. Character & plot are 2 reasons not to see it.”
Grade: B+
Kevin Taft says, “Apparently I’m in the minority, but I thought JW: Dominion was a blast. Sure, it has its problems and despite having a global start ends up basically back in a Jurassic park again. But the crazy Bond double-action set-piece is worth the price of admission and the rest of the dino stuff is still a blast. This is a popcorn movie all the way. Don’t overthink it. Also: Laura Dern.”
Grade: B+
Fiona Underhill says, “I can’t be objective about the Jurassic World franchise because my son loves these movies more than life itself. The first half of this movie is better, with plenty of dino action. The way the original trio is used is a waste, however, and the whole giant locust plot does distract far too much. The two new additions – DeWanda Wise and Mamoudou Athie are both great. We watched this in 3D, which worked surprisingly well. I still maintain that Bayona > Trevorrow. But I didn’t hate it as much as most critics seem to. And of course, my kid loved it. I think kids, in general, will love it and it will be a success.”
Grade: C
Daniel Howat says, “Seeing the original cast reunite in Jurassic World: Dominion is wonderful, but the franchise commits to a generic story that’s never compelling. Decent action elevates the bland film, making it enjoyable enough. Making these sequels worldwide stories full of government espionage is just silly. Expanding this world never made sense, and it’s highlighted more and more with each entry. This is truly ridiculous at this point. This isn’t a terrible movie, just so unsatisfying. Another disappointing sequel. Please stop making these now.”
Grade: C
Don Shanahan says, “The Jurassic Park/World universe was built on intelligent, primal wonder. Jurassic World Dominion is all about one chase after another, most of which trample each other, never reach satisfying conclusions, and bury the old wonder deeper than the fossils themselves. How it has been radically spun has lost much of that dramatic anchor. With more patient intention and less reliance on cardiovascular expenditure, they had a hell of a heady concept to explore.”
Grade: C-
Matthew Neglia says, “Jurassic World Dominion is my favorite of the three latest films in the franchise but that’s not saying much. Still mostly lifeless and devoid of any logic despite some thrilling sequences. Even the legacy characters can’t recapture the magic of the original films. DeWanda Wise outshines everyone as a total badass.”
Grade: C-
Michael Lee says, “Jurassic World Dominion is a legacy sequel that bites off more than it can chew. It’s frustrating to watch the sequel try to keep its head above water as it treads flimsy character arcs, a dull plot, and multiple tones. Not sure what they were going for but they missed the mark.”
Grade: C-
Diego Andaluz says, “Jurassic World Dominion is a disjointed and borderline parodic mess. Taking an intriguing set of ideas and wasting them with Colin Trevorrow’s bafflingly aimless execution, it lacks a concrete identity while playing like a generic mishmash of bombastic globetrotting blockbusters.”
Grade: C-
Chris James says, “Not all nostalgia plays are created equally. Jurassic World Dominion brings back the original trio – Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum – which is a treat. All actors clearly have chemistry. Unfortunately, the film becomes predictable and boring in a second half that feels like a retread of earlier films. DeWanda Wise shines as a new franchise addition. The trailers promised us a fun romp about humans and dinosaurs co-existing. What we got was a tired retread lacking in chills and thrills.”
Grade: C-
Joel D. Amos says, “It’s just too often Jurassic World: Dominion trips over itself. There are numerous plates up in the air to juggle and Trevorrow just doesn’t stick the landing, despite everyone’s best efforts. An opportunity was missed here to not just close out the series with a nice (and thrilling) bow, but a statement could have been made about greed and science and how the two should never mingle. Instead, we get… ‘roid-raging locusts.”
Grade: C-
Rodrigo Salem says, “The movie relies on the nostalgia and forgets to create a logical plot and an emotional core. It’s like a bad Fast and Furious film with dinosaurs: the same action sequence repeated over and over.”
Grade: C-
Cleide Klock says, “Dinos are great and the movie works as a fun experience with them. The plot is weak and with so many action scenes it feels like a game that the actors have to go through several stages.”
Grade: C+
Staci Layne Wilson says, “I’ve seen every sequel, requel, half-boot, and reimagining of the Jurassic Park franchise, and while Jurassic World: Dominion is not the best of them, it’s not the worst. At times, it feels like an espionage-heavy James Bond movie meets peril-prone Indiana Jones… with dinosaurs. There are a whole lot of ideas and just as many action-packed cast members. It’s a bit much to take in and not all of it hangs together that well, but I will say there’s never a dull moment. It’s fun to watch while it’s happening, then when you pause to reflect afterward, it’s less so.”
Grade: C+
Francisco Cangiano says, “Better than the previous entry, Dominion entertains when dinosaurs are on-screen, but falters because of a poor convoluted story and the lack of magic or amazement. Having the original cast return is the film’s biggest highlight. Could’ve been great, but ends up being just okay.”
Grade: C+
Anthony Digioia says, “Jurassic World Dominion delivers the expected from a 6th entry in a franchise. A nonsensical plot, plenty of fan service, some cool dino sequences, some forgettable ones, and a fantastic character from Wise who nearly steals the show. It’s no think piece on the relationship between humans and dinosaurs and it’s longer than needed. Yet it’s still an enjoyable couple of hours at the theater.”
Grade: C+
Peggy Marie says, “Jurassic World Dominion could’ve been everything we wanted and more. What it is – is a lot of what we didn’t need and not enough of what we did. Mostly a convoluted ‘let’s throw everything incl. the kitchen sink at them’ and see if it works. Except for 1 or 2 exceptions – it doesn’t.”
Grade: D
Jana N Nagase says, “The best part of Jurassic World: Dominion is seeing all the old favorite cast members together once more! It’s pure nostalgia! DeWanda Wise & Mamoudou Athie are a great addition to the cast! DeWanda killed it! Yet, it’s a weak conclusion to the franchise! It’s a DINOmite drop!”
Grade: D
Ryan McQuade says, “Luckily, Jurassic World Dominion is the last time we have to go back to a tired model of half-baked characters, alongside their unimaginative creators, not learning from the previous entry and continuing to do dull, dim-witted, passionless material with this bountiful concept. Let this property do what it should’ve done a long time ago, remain extinct.”
Grade: D
Scott Menzel says, “Jurassic World Dominion is a MASSIVE disappointment. While the film does feature some incredible dinosaur sequences and it is great to see the original cast back on the big screen, the film fails to deliver on what the previous films promised. The opening of Dominion suggests the audience is finally going to see a world where dinosaurs and humans co-exist but quickly pulls a bait and switch when the story pivots to this asinine story about genetically modified locusts and having to go to yet another island to stop an evil scientist. As the film progresses, almost everything about the two previous entries is glanced over as the writers tell the exact same story that we have all seen before. The film ends without a concrete ending, therefore, leaving the viewer scratching their head and wondering what was the point of what they just watched. Jurassic World Dominion is the worst chapter in the Jurassic franchise and one of the biggest disappointments of the year.”
Grade: D
Nguyen Le says, “In many ways, this film is a buggy entry to the post-Park series. ‘Script’ means fragments. ‘Characters’ are vapors, even those returning. If the scene isn’t a ‘set-piece,’ it’s either flat or charmless. Only a dominion in dreams.”
Grade: D
Rick Bentley says, “Each sequel and incarnation has watered down the brilliance of Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park to the point that the latest – and if there is any justice in the world, the last – offering in the franchise, Jurassic World Dominion is a painful failure. Gone is all of the magic of the original movie having been replaced by a convoluted story, tired characters, and a technology that now seems archaic.”
Grade: D+
John Nguyen says, “I have mixed feelings for Jurassic World: Dominion. On the one hand, I loved seeing all the old favorites together again. On the other, the return of the dino-laser-pointing murder weapon, evil company, human cloning, and uninteresting story left a sour taste.”
Grade: D+
Jeff Ewing says, “Jurassic World Dominion is a jumble of a film. It inexplicably ignores the clever setup of Fallen Kingdom’s finale, dropping the global dinosaur threat to put us back in yet another science facility for dog-sized locusts (of all things). It boasts good shots and the return of legacy characters, but ultimately feels like five very different directors collaborated on the film and only two of them were competent.”
Grade: D+
Demetri Panos says, “Jurassic World: Dominion delivers a movie….It’s just not the movie promised. If you’re expecting a clear conclusion and answer to the question: can humans co-exist with dinosaurs? That’s what this series has been kinda leading up to—right? You’re not going to get it. It’s not all a Tyrannosaurus Wreck. There are some fantastic dino-set pieces, attacks, chases, and escapes! They’re exciting and deliver big-screen popcorn entertainment!“
Grade: F
Jurassic Wold Dominion is playing exclusively in theaters
