When I first heard that "JP3" was being made, I said Oh shit, why??? The first one was a classic..." /> FilmJerk.com - Reviews - Jurassic Park 3

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||| Francis Ford Coppola |||
Francis Ford Coppola

Coppola is an amazing talent whose inspiration and influence spans many generations. Virtually the link between the studio system of yesteryear and the independent minded filmmaker of the modern age, Coppola became the first major film director to emerge from a university degree program in filmmaking, thus legitimizing a now common route for many future filmmakers.

This Academy Award winner continues to enjoy an enormous critical and popular success due in large part to Coppola’s ability to break down an epic saga of crime and the struggle for power into the basic story of a father and his sons, punctuating the prevalent theme throughout Coppola’s oeuvre: the importance of family in today’s world. His personal portrait mixed tender moments with harsh brutality and redefined the genre of gangster films.

This intense, yet unassuming thriller has an impact that touches the viewer on a personal level and raises the question of privacy and security in a world of technology – thirty years ago! Coppola’s then virtually unknown cast is a roster of inevitable superstars, including Gene Hackman, Harrison Ford, and Robert Duvall. This Academy Award nominee for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Sound lost out to Coppola’s other great effort of the year, The Godfather: Part II.

Coppola's masterful Vietnam War-updating of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" was the first major motion picture about the infamous “conflict”. This colossal epic was shot on location in the Philippines over the course of more than a year and contains some of the most extraordinary combat footage ever filmed. Unforgettable battle sequences and sterling performances from every cast member (including Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, Scott Glenn, and Martin Sheen) mark this Academy Award-winning drama as a must-see for any true film fanatic.

Recommended by CarrieSpecht

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Jurassic Park 3

By Curmudgeon

July 18th, 2001

NOW HEAR THIS: I HAVE SEEN "JURASSIC PARK 3"... AND IT KICKS ASS!

When I first heard that "JP3" was being made, I said Oh shit, why??? The first one was a classic. I think I damn near soiled my pantaloons during it on several occasions. Then along came "JP2." I like to think of the second installment as a reason to make toys. Thats all. It had no story... no interesting characters... the effects were something we've seen... I mean seriously... after a T-Rex eats 3 people, and the same dinos attack over and over... how much more exciting can it be????


"JP3" answers that question. Actually, "JP3" scares it into you. This film is scary. I shit you not, its frigging out and out SCARY. New director Joe Johnston has decided not to make this enjoyable, pop corn, kiddie summer fun, and thank Christ for small favors. Instead, he opts to pull out all the stops and jams the film with unrelenting action. ACTION. DINOSAURS. ATTACKS. This movie is not pussified. The camera does not cut away when a dino attacks, and we are left with only seeing water turning red. "JP3" does what "JP2" should have done. MAKE YOU AFRAID OF THE GODDAMN 8 TON DINOSAUR. I cannot stress it enough. I'm so pumped right now. The film is an utter rush. Its dark and gritty. It doesn't stop. The effects are top notch...perhaps better than the previous 2 films for one reason... more dinosaurs. The new bad ass, Spinosaurus stands out... and when I say new bad ass, I mean it. Wait till you see this fucker... and his fight with a T Rex.

The stars of the film, I must say, go to the Ptredons... flying dinos. They kick ass. Nasty bastards. Best action sequences in the film belong to the birds... who were greatly ignored in the first two.

Of course, the raptors are back... and, well, they're evolved. They're smarter... bigger... more menacing. Very cool stuff is done with them. I'm sure by now, everyone has seen the previews and know what the premise is, so I wont waste time with plot details. What I will say is that once the group is OVER (Notice I didn't say ON) the island, the action never stops. The group travels through JP, hoping to survive, all the while being stalked by the Spinosaurus (God, he is a BAD ASS).

The actors are top notch. Sam Neill is in top form as Dr. Grant, Bill Macy is terrific as always, playing a character your not sure to like... even Tea Leoni joins the fun and manages to out act her computer counterparts. I especially liked seeing Laura Dern return as Ellie Sattler... it kind of brought back alot of the first film... making "JP3" seem more like home. The thing I liked most though, was the tone. The first film, we got awe. Sure, we got intense suspense, but it mostly achieved by snagging our amazement. In "JP2," we got mindless, summer movie shit. The tone of "JP3" is dark. The dinosaurs take on the role a dinosaur should... a nasty bastard. Big, nasty bastards. They're unforgiving this time out.

Sure, "JP3" is a summer flick. But its a SMART summer flick. This is not mindless entertainment. I promise you, your eyes will be glued to the screen. Not because of what you see, but because of what your afraid to miss.

My rating: A