The Flickering Myth team react…
Released upon the world yesterday (a couple of days early no less!), we finally got our first look at Jurassic World. But what did our the Flickering Myth writing and editorial staff think of it?
Kris Wall: Dinosaurs and Chris Pratt – SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY. I’m more than a little bit excited for this, even more so than I am for Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Mike P Williams: Right up there as one of my most anticipated for 2015 – alongside Inside Out and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Simon Columb: This could me a brilliant reinvention for a new audience. The trailer hints at some nice links to the previous films yet there is a touch of Transformers-esque gloss… the story may be trite. Chris Pratt seems solid but his ‘trailer lines’ are a little on the nose. As long as the dinosaurs don’t have guns attached (as was proposed so many years ago) we may be ok. I’m excited for it. More excited than I am for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Anghus Houvouras: That was a fantastic trailer, and this is coming from someone who is instantly sceptical of the cash grab world of sequels, prequels, and reboots. Love the idea that in spite of every stupid tragedy that has befallen anyone who undertook this folly, they still go ahead with the park. That is so wonderfully true. And the idea of having a super dinosaur, a genetically modified predator… loved that as well. The shot with the shark over the pool was a great nod to Jaws, which I hope they try to emulate with this film. Best teaser I’ve seen in ages.
Gary Collinson (Editor-in-Chief): I’ve watched it a few times to make up my mind, and I’m underwhelmed by it. It looks nice, but the story, and the dialogue… Overall, I’d have to say it’s a disappointing trailer for me, as I’m probably looking forward to the film a little less after watching it. It will be great seeing the park open in all its glory though.
Ozzy Armstrong: Without wanting to sound like a Grumpy Gus, I’m not overly impressed. Looks like yet another film that’s been rehashed hoping to cash in on nostalgia. Think I’ll just re-watch the original instead.
Alice Mary Rush: This is the film I’ve been most excited for and after that trailer…wow. For me just hearing that music again and seeing those gates open was chilling. I’m probably more excited just for sentimental reasons but I do really think this film could be great. Chris Pratt is a great casting choice and the idea of taking it a step further with genetic modification seems like a solid basis for the disaster element. To be honest though they could have just shown 10 minutes of wobbling green jelly with that score and I still would be insanely giddy.
Chris Cooper: I was the perfect age for the first film. 29 year old Chris still holds it in the same regard as 8 year old Chris. I’m not silly though, and I’ll be comparing this film to The Lost World and Jurassic Park 3 and from what I’ve seen so far, it compares well. I’ve always shared John Hammond’s dream of a fully operational park and here it is! Do they have a lost and found? They might have my shit as I appear to have lost it. Star-Lord with Raptors!!! Humans do not learn do they?
Luke Owen (Deputy Editor): I loved, loved, LOVED it – until that final shot. I managed to look past the very hokey dialogue and pish story, but that final shot of Pratt and the Velociraptors was no good. The raptors I know and love would have eaten him dead. Maybe the shot is out of context.
With that said, I loved all of the “park is open” stuff. Film looks gorgeous and that Seaworld spoof was superb. Despite some of the trailer’s shortcomings, I am really excited for the movie just because Jurassic Park is one of all-time favourite movies.
Gary Collinson: Maybe Pratt gets Dino-DNA to help him save the day?
Kris Wall: Maybe they’ve genetically modified the behaviour of the raptors as some sort of disaster failsafe?
Chris Cooper: I think Pratt is a behaviourist studying the dinos. Maybe he’s been working with them? Anyone else getting a Jaws 3 vibe? But in a good way?
Anghus Houvouras: Im reading a lot of comparisons to Jaws 3 and Deep Blue Sea, and the only reply I can muster is: HELL YES
Luke Owen: So long as they can have a tie in rap song – with lines about hats like shark fins.
Anghus Houvouras: Luke, that final shot of Pratt with the Velociraptors.. what if they aren’t chasing him. What if he’s leading them into battle?
Tom Jolliffe: “Raptor squad…ATTACK!”
Anghus Houvouras: Bert Macklin… DINO HUNTER!
Chris Cooper: I took it that first time Anghus. Looks like their pack leader.
Luke Owen: That’s how I read it too – and that was what I didn’t like…
Eddy Gardiner: Magnificent…
Helen Murdoch: Really good trailer, nice nod back to the original. Hopefully this can undo the horrific dullfest that was Jurassic Park 3!
Villordsutch: I’m excited for the film, but not because of this trailer which to be honest failed to interest me. Not the most grabbing two minutes we could have been delivered.
Andrew Newton: Loved the slowed down music from the original but not convinced with the genetically engineered ‘New’ dinosaur storyline. Racing velociraptors at the end? Looks interesting but need further convincing.
Tom Jolliffe: Hmmm. Not entirely sure. Parts of this I like, such as the theme park fully running, which has plenty of scope for a good disaster film. Really expansive CGI shots on the other hand aren’t my cup of tea. Whilst the original film pioneered CGI, it also used it sparingly and well mixed with animatronics. There’s not one dino shot in that trailer which looks as good as what they had in the original film, which is now 21 years old. Chris Pratt is a good lead though. It looks fun. Will it match the original? Nope. Will it be better than The Lost World and Jurassic Park 3? Should be.
Tom Jolliffe: I have to say, I already hate Bryce Dallas Howard in this. I hope she gets eaten by a T-Rex whilst she’s sat on a toilet.
Anghus Houvouras: Does anyone actually like Bryce Dallas Howard?
Manny Camacho: The social commentary this will inspire as it pertains to the latest issues with companies like Sea World are almost intentional. It’s pretty much the same thing with new prettier faces in a more action sequence heavy story. The only place to go for this story was to add a park version that is operational, full of patrons.
The original inspired wonder, the 2nd and 3rd capitalized on it and made it feel stupid. The thrill was gone, yet we were clubbed over the head with those sequels and told…”YES! This is thrilling and wondrous damn it!” I withhold judgment until seeing this film, but it is just a reboot of something that was truly amazing. Now, I doubt it is anything more than a full commercial property lacking the passion of the original.
Andrew Naylor: It looks pretty. I like the look of the park bits, but I think what little we know of the storyline looks awful. This will not be a good movie.
Chris Cooper: Wow hope you didn’t pull something carrying all that negativity! We don’t see that much so even if you’re not feeling it at the moment it deserves a chance.
Kris Wall: Andrew, how can you know it won’t be a good film based off of two minutes of footage?
Andrew Naylor: Experience.
Kris Wall: But loads of great films have had bad/underselling first trailers and vice versa, a lot of tat has been incredibly well sold. I thought the trailers for District 9 were terrible but it went on to be one of my favourite films, while Man of Steel looked amazed and is now one of the most crushing disappointments I’ve had the misfortune of seeing.
Will Fane: It’s better looking than I’ve come to expect from the franchise at this point.
Adam Rivett: Looking forward to this. If it remains faithful to the original and disregards the lazy sequels, then I’m in. I can’t help but get the feeling that this will be a retread of the original, but that’s only based on this trailer.
Gary McCurry: For me, the trailer gives you many points anyone familiar with the movie would want. Being such a widely known franchise, this would have been the work of the marketing company to simply get bums on seats as is the objective of any trailer. For me though, the dialogue would look out of place for a two minute clip, although I recognise the point. I’m simply looking forward to the piece as a whole. The music gets me every time though.
Gav Logan: I enjoyed it!
Rohan Morbey: 2 minutes of pandering, clichéd trailer lines and dodgy CGI. Not doing anything for me thus far.
Scott J Davis: Really didn’t do anything for me either. Looks like it could have promise and has everything you would expect, but just didn’t get my blood pumping. But we are a long way away from the release, and hope that it’s a better film than this suggests. Early days…
Rohan Morbey: Take ‘Jurassic’ out of the title everyone goes flaccid.
Anghus Houvouras: Well, I don’t think people would go see a movie called ‘World’.
Luke Owen: Although, isn’t that the point of a franchise Rohan? To lure you in and then get you excited for subsequent entries? Your point is like saying that the next trailer for Mission: Impossible will only get people excited because of the title and nothing else – which does a disservice to the hard work of the previous movies.
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So, fairly mixed feelings from our writing staff. There are some who are still excited, but there are those who are now less enthused than they were before. Will the nostalgia factor help Jurassic World? Or will it be good enough to survive on its own?
What did you make of the trailer for Jurassic World?
