Dyno Blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is out to take home. Is it packed with all the cool extra features we hoped for? Read Kidzworld’s Blu-ray review.
By: Lynn Barker
In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the volcano on Isla Nublar is active and, if something isn’t done, all the dinos left behind after they “broke out” in the last film will die! A rich businessman wants to relocate them to safety and needs former Jurassic World park operations head Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) to help make this possible. Claire needs animal behaviorist/trainer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to help. They are no longer a couple but can they save the animals?
The volcanic eruption on the islandCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Dino Attack!
The Jurassic World theme park off the coast of Isla Nublar near Costa Rica has been destroyed but a team of mercenaries are in an underwater sphere recovering DNA from the bones of the Indominus Rex which are still at the bottom of the performance lagoon at the wrecked theme park. After getting a bone sample, the team is attacked bigtime by the T-Rex and the huge underwater Mosasaurus which then escapes into the open ocean.
Attack at seaCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Should the Dinos be Saved?
It’s three years later at a congressional hearing on whether the dinos on Isla Nublar should be saved from the coming massive volcanic eruption. Mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) says that Man messed with nature by re-creating the dinos and this is nature correcting the mistake. The dinos have to die. Meanwhile, Claire Dearing, having realized that she had a part in creating these dinos, heads a Dinosaur Protection Group to save them. Working with her are young Paleo-Vet Zia (Daniella Pineda) and computer systems analyst Franklin (Justice Smith).
Claire wants to rescue the dinosCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
A Rescue?
The U.S. Senate rejects the rescue of the dinosaurs and Claire is contacted by Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell), Hammond's old partner in creating dinosaur-cloning technology. He will finance the dino rescue and see that they are relocated to a new island sanctuary, not a theme park. His assistant Mills (Rafe Spall) is concerned that Blue, the last living Velociraptor, won’t be found. Claire has to bring in Owen Grady, Blue’s trainer to make sure she is saved. Meanwhile, we see that Lockwood’s tween granddaughter Maisie (Isabella Serman) is devoted to dinos and is gung ho to save them.
Owen with baby blueCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
On Isla Nublar
Claire and team arrive on Isla Nublar and meet the head mercenary, Ken Wheatley (Ted Levine) hired to actually get the dinos to safety. Claire and Franklin reactivate the park's dinosaur trackers while Owen, Ken, Zia and the mercenaries search for Blue. Owen finds her and is reconnecting with this dino who loves and remembers him but the mercenaries knock her out with too many tranquilizers and a bullet and they shoot Owen with one of the darts as well. What do these guys really want? Back at the Lockwood estate, Maisie overhears that Mills plans to sell the “rescued” dinos to the highest international bidder!
The baddies will auction off the dinosCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Escape and Evil Plans
After narrowly avoiding a huge lava flow, various dino confrontations and a fall into the ocean, the good guy team sneaks aboard the mercenary ship carrying the rescued dinos. The mercenaries have taken Zia to care for the injured Blue. The volcano erupts bigtime and destroys the island. Meanwhile, Maisie learns that Mills and auctioneer Eversol (Toby Jones) also plan to display prototype hybrid dino the Indoraptor which is a mix of Indominus Rex and a Velociraptor. It is smart but can be ordered and thus great for a war weapon! When Owen, Claire and their team are captured by the baddies, they are locked up at the Lockwood estate.
Working with animatronic Blue on setCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Survival?
Will Maisie team up with Owen and Claire to save the remaining dinos from the auction block? Will Blue live? Is there hope for the couple to reunite? Does Maisie harbor a big secret? Where will the “rescued” dinos go if they survive?
Inside the gyrosphereCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Special Extra Features
There are a lot of short but entertaining extras in this Blu-ray/DVD/Digital package, including a fun Interactive Baby Blue augmented reality download that will let you have Blue appear on whatever your phone’s screen “sees”. We can’t rate this one since it isn’t available until the set’s street date of Sept. 18th.
Director with big Indoraptor headCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
A series of short featurettes includes:
- On Set with Chris and Bryce – The actors goof off and have fun chemistry. A cute extra.
- The Kingdom Evolves concentrates on the development of this film as the 2nd in a trilogy and Spielberg talks about basing the very first movie on Michael Crichton’s novel and real science. Bryce and Chris talk about expanding the dino world. Interesting.
- Return to Hawaii and Island Action cover shooting the bunker scene and runaway gyrosphere sequence, using a giant animatronic dino head to interact on set with the actors, a crazy roller coaster ride, lots of running and a scary trapped underwater scene that required Scuba gear. Fun action!
- Aboard the Arcadia focuses on Chris and Bryce getting to interact with a full-sized animatronic, on set T-Rex and the also full-sized injured Blue. Bryce was thrilled to get to “ride” on T-Rex’s back and Chris loved how real Blue looked. I really liked this extra!
On the boat with full-sized T-Rex puppetCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- Birth of the Indoraptor discusses design and both on set and CGI versions of the new, “monster” dinosaur. There was a big claw puppet on set as well as the huge dino head. Cool!
- Start the Bidding covers the dino auction scene in which all heck breaks loose. We see Chris loosening up for his big fight scene and watch the choreography for the fight which Chris lovingly calls “Dancing with the Stars”.
- Death by Dino breaks apart the scene in which the Indoraptor chews off bad guy Wheatley’s arm! The actor playing him talks to him and “pets” the giant head when the cameras aren’t rolling. Funny.
- Monster in a Mansion tells us why director J.A. Bayona wanted to create suspense by filming the Indoraptor prowling around in a big mansion threatening everyone. He was influenced by both the original “Jurassic Park” and the 1979 movie version of “Dracula”. Interesting.
- Rooftop Showdown covers the scene on top of the huge glass room in which the Indoraptor stalks the actors before Blue conquers it. Stunts are shown etc. Sweet!
- Malcolm’s Return gives us beloved actor Jeff Goldblum again playing his original “Jurassic Park” character at the senate hearing. Malcolm is the voice of reason and Jeff says he felt like he never left the movie franchise. Nice.
- VFX Evolved breaks down the CGI and other effects with the staff of ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) effects house. Design and working with Blue and more is discussed. Love it.
- Fallen Kingdom The Conversation is a brief sit down with the lead actors plus Jeff Goldblum, director and producer. Jeff talks his character and Chris talks stunts. Bryce and Chris talk about their kids’ reaction to the film.
- A Song for the Kingdom is young actor Justice Smith (Franklin) on the Hawaii set playing ukulele and singing a song he wrote about working on the movie to Bryce and Chris. Very cute.
- Chris Pratt’s Journal is a series of very short on set interviews Chris does with various crew members. Make-up, hair, sound, stunts, set PA, script supervisor and stunt double are interviewed ending with Bryce interviewing Chris.. informative and funny although short.
- Jurassic Then and Now is a “selling” promo feature in which various similar shots from all of the Jurassic movies are edited together in groups.. Fun to watch.
Owen reconnects with BlueCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Wrapping Up
The Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom Blu-ray/DVD/Digital set looks and sounds amazing. Extras are all fun with Bryce and Chris appearing a lot to make comments. Chris’s are funny and Bryce is funny and charming. Although there is no Blooper Reel outtakes feature, we see enough of the actors goofing off on set to fill that gap. There is no audio commentary. I’d love to have Bryce and Chris’s insider stories as the film plays but almost every aspect of production is covered in all the short featurettes included.
T-Rex and lava threaten OwenCourtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
The film isn’t perfect story or character-wise but it is eye-popping entertainment with very charismatic actors bringing the characters to life. There are some dark and sad moments concerning the dinos but the ending sets up survival for most and launches us toward the final installment of this trilogy. We can give this Blu-ray package 4 stars.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Blu-ray Rating: 
Courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Buy Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in stores now.
What Do You Think?
Are you looking forward to collecting this and all the Jurassic films at home? What did you think of the dinos and story for “Fallen Kingdom”? Would you have done something differently? Write your own review on your profile page and lay down a comment below! We love to hear what you think!
