I had childlike excitement when I first watched the trailer for the new Jurassic World Rebirth movie, and the stellar cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali, added to it.
To be honest, I’ve never been disappointed by any of the movies in the franchise. They’re fun, packed with adventure, chaos, emotional stakes and of course, dinosaurs. Basically, a guaranteed blockbuster formula.
The film kicks off with a lab experiment gone wrong, and honestly… that whole bit could’ve been cut. It didn’t really connect with the rest of the story and felt like it was just there for a Snickers ad placement or something.
Jurassic World: Rebirth is set in modern times where humans and dinosaurs coexist (yep, again). It takes place over 30 years after the island of “mutant dinosaurs” was left to its prehistoric residents, and now it’s illegal for humans to even go near it.
Naturally, a big pharma company led by Rupert Friend, as Martin Krebs, wants DNA from three different dinosaurs to create a new treatment for heart disease.
So they assemble a squad to pull off the mission on the forbidden island. This includes Scarlett Johansson as Zora Bennett, a covert ops queen, Mahershala Ali as Duncan, Ed Skrein as Atwater, Philippine Velge as Nina, Bechir Sylvain as Leclerc, as the rest of her team, and Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Henry Loomis, the science nerd with a cause.
Of course, it’s all illegal, morally questionable, and driven by money (and Henry’s dinosaur obsession).
On the way, they rescue a shipwrecked family – Reuben Delgado, his daughters Teresa and Isabella, and Teresa’s boyfriend Xavier (Cam Cameron from The Summer I Turned Pretty… what are you doing here?). Their inclusion adds heart to the narrative, though their character arcs fall slightly flat towards the end.
The first dinosaur they encounter and obtain DNA from is the Mosasaurus. Huge, terrifying, and absolutely unforgettable. Things go sideways quickly when a group of Spinosaurus team up with it, killing Atwater and Nina.
During that chaos, the Delgados also get separated from the group.
Once they make it to the island, Zora’s team extracts DNA from a Titanosaurus, and the whole scene is visually stunning. The entire sequence is a standout, breathtaking, and surprisingly serene offering, providing a rare moment of calm.
Meanwhile, the Delgado family encounters a small, squirrel-like dinosaur affectionately named Dolores by Isabella. Their T-Rex river chase, and an escape with an inflatable raft and full-scale panic, is classic Jurassic chaos – terrifying and brilliant. The whole T-Rex sequence was so good. The roar, the chaos; it had me grinning like a kid.
Later, the team retrieves a third DNA sample from the egg of a large flying dinosaur (I forgot the name, apologies). The parent? Not happy. It attacks, and Leclerc doesn’t make it.
From here, the action continues to build as both groups reunite at the lab, only to get attacked again; this time by mutated hybrid dinos.
Then, the backup extraction via helicopter is swiftly derailed by a terrifying mutated Rex, who killed Martin in a classic dino-devours-human moment.
Eventually, they escape through an underground tunnel and a boat. Duncan distracts the giant mutant dinosaur with a flare. The ending was wholesome as Zora and Henry decide to make the new meds accessible to all, no patents, just help for those who need it.
Jurassic World: Rebirth had me on the edge of my seat. There was a kid next to me in the cinema who was fully living his best life, laughing, gasping, absolutely loving every second.
I really enjoyed the cast. Scarlett Johansson totally held it down as Zora. She was strong, smart, and it was kind of iconic seeing Black Widow vs. dinosaurs.
Mahershala Ali? Always a standout. Duncan was a perfect character, and Ali brought depth, charm, and heart to the role.
Jonathan Bailey was another favourite. He’s such a great actor, and I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing him again in Wicked: For Good later this year.
The cinematography and CGI were excellent. So many scenes were just beautiful. The Mosasaurus boat chase was definitely a highlight, and that final fight against the mutant Rex had blockbuster energy written all over it.
That said, I wasn’t a fan of how Teresa and Xavier were written. Their characters just felt a little flat; it was as if the writers had forgotten about them. But overall, the movie is fast-paced and never drags. Every scene is entertaining, and the new dinosaur species was super cool.
Oh, and no post-credit scene, in case you’re wondering. I waited. It never came. But honestly? It’s fine. Isabella still has Dolores hidden in her backpack, so…another sequel?
If you’re into dinosaurs, action, or just want a solid time at the movies, this is 100% worth watching. It’s fun, intense, beautifully shot, and delivers exactly what fans came for: chaos, creatures, and pure cinematic spectacle.
Our rating: 3.8/5
P.S. We are fully in our Jonathan Bailey fangirl era at the office – the tiny glasses, the charisma… he can do no wrong. The chemistry between Jonny B and ScarJo, both on-screen and off, hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Fun fact: Jonathan Bailey actually played the clarinet for the film’s score in the part when his character is introduced. Multi-talented is an understatement.
