The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Sure, the magic of the first Jurassic Park is missing here, but it's important to remember that this is a completely different film. Thriller-ish, darker, blacker, even slightly self-parodic towards the end. But all the time it's a typically playful Spielberg movie, which I finish watching every time, wherever and whenever I see it. (19/09/2007)

The original Jurassic Park has matured into an absolute classic and even the sequel that I originally hated eventually blossomed into a tolerable adventure. Although I still dislike all the selfish-military actions and the final party with Godzilla bothers me greatly, the pleasant, nature-loving message stands out even more. I have finally made peace with The Lost World, but I could easily do without its existence. (02/07/2005)

It’s necessary to taken into account that Steven Spielberg didn’t want to repeat the first Jurassic Park, but instead wanted to film a signficantly darker subject from Arthur Conan Doyle. The sequel’s 130-minute runtime is densely packed with action and adventure, and serves up a Whopper in the last quarter. And the scene with the truck over the chasm takes my breath away every time. With its technically perfect execution and humor, The Lost World is Hollywood entertainment that won’t insult your intelligence. (02/11/2003)

A blockbuster attraction, where digital effects were meant to play the main role, a breathtaking one at that. However, it was films like this one or Emmerich's Godzilla that made some people squirm and wonder if filmmaking might not also be about adapting to some limits. With them, the crew has to work with some pacing, shooting angles, editing; in short, things that are supposed to convince the viewer that the man in the piece of rubber is supposed to arouse some kind of experience in them. With CGI that can depict everything, you just, uh... depict everything. A tyrannosaurus eats a car on a street full of people? Here you go. A tanker has to drive full speed into a harbor? Here you go, head-on frontal view. Schwarzenegger playing King Lear? No problem. All straight-faced, no hiding, and you kind of watch it and wonder if they were truly serious when they made Jeff Goldblum the main character and gave him a daughter whose only active role in the film is to swing from a pole. (13/01/2022)

Spielberg does what he can, but even that is too little for the dumbness of the screenplay. The main thing here is a herd of dinosaurs made of ones and zeros. It’s almost as if this picture has nothing else to offer; and, in fact, that’s true. Apart from three memorable scenes and a herd of unlikeable characters whose slow and painful death is your heart’s desire. Which is a bit too little when compared to episode one. And while the part on the island is at least of watchable quality, the pastiche wannabe Godzilla sequence is unbearable; even in spite of the elephant dose of tongue in cheek. (29/04/2005)