KSL Movie Show review: ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ checks all the boxes, but something is missing

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How can you possibly compete with one of the greatest action-adventure movies of all time? Well, I guess you try and try again.

So on this sixth attempt to out “Jurassic” Jurassic Park, the powers-that-be brought the old gang back together, namely the behind-the-scenes people: writer David Koepp, producer Frank Marshall, executive producer Steven Spielberg and promising director Gareth Edwards.

But bring on a whole new crew in front of the camera. Namely: Scarlett Johansson, as a security consultant named Zora Bennett, being recruited by a pharmaceutical executive, Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), aided by an expert paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) and a ship’s crew made up by team leader Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) and his veteran shipmates.

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The mission is to retrieve DNA samples from three specific dinosaurs that have the potential to reduce the risk of heart disease among humans, which would be a huge medical and lucrative advancement.

Only problem is — it is illegal to travel to the island where most of the remaining, essential dinosaurs have gathered near the Equator. And those that are left there were bio-engineered to be the most advanced, aggressive species remaining, so the risk will be extreme.

On the way to Ile Saint-Hubert, the team receives a distress call from a capsized schooner of the Delgado family, with father Reuben (“Lincoln Lawyer’s” Manuel García-Rulfo), his daughters Teresa and Isabella, along with Teresa’s boyfriend Xavier onboard.

So now besides getting the three samples, they must also try and protect the Delgado family (more or less), which won’t be easy, as cranky dinosaurs will try to separate and eat them all.

The rest is variations of the previous run, jump and swim adventures that we’ve seen in previous iterations with a handful of winks and nods directly related to the original film. Some have called it retreading old ground. I call it a simple homage of respect for what has come before.

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Now here’s where it gets tricky.

In order to fit into those venerable shoes, you have to really, fully invest in these new characters and do it in a way that balances the pacing between the action and the characters equally, so parts don’t drag or action gets too out of hand.

It’s a fine line and obviously not an easy task, since this is the sixth go-around that has had limited success. This one comes pretty close, but chances are, it will never get back to that legendary lightning-in-a-bottle that everyone has been striving for.

Even if one checks all the boxes, that elusive element is not quite there, and yet you can’t for the life of you figure out what is missing. You just know it, when you feel it — and I felt some of it.

“Jurassic World: Rebirth” (B) Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence/action, bloody images, some suggestive references, language and a drug reference. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel García-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono and Audrina Miranda. Directed by Gareth Edwards (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” “The Creator”) – filmed in Thailand, Malta and London. Running time: 133 minutes.

The KSL Movie Show with Andy Farnsworth and Steve Salles airs Fridays on KSL NewsRadio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow the show on Facebook, and join The KSL Movie Show Club for exclusive perks by texting MOVIE to 57500. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to cancel. Message frequency varies.