Director – Steven Spielberg – 1997 – US – PG – 129m
***
UK PAL laserdisc review.
Originally published on London Calling Internet.
Given the original Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993) movie left out some of the best bits of a brilliant book, had a plot so full of holes it was virtually transparent and still elevated itself to the level of technically groundbreaking, cinematic achievement (not to mention making more money than any other movie ever) the quality of any sequel movie was nothing if not uncertain. Michael Crichton’s uninspired follow-up novel, with all the un-Spielberg-y rough edges removed, didn’t bode well and while audiences flocked to see the second film, most critics responded poorly to it. Their main criticism – it has a weak plot. Or scarcely a plot at all.
Basically, having escaped Jurassic Park, chaos theorist Dr. Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), his ideas this time round largely reduced to the repeated phrase “life finds a way”, journeys to the second island to bring back palaeontologist girlfriend Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore), who’s there documenting the dino-wildlife for founding billionaire Hammond (Richard Attenborough) before his nephew Peter Ludlow (Arliss Howard) – who has just wrested control of the InGen company from his uncle – arrives there with an army of men and an arsenal of big game hunting weapons under the command of big game hunter Roland Tembo (Pete Postlethwaite).
As in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, (Steven Spielberg, 1984) Spielberg shows he’s not a great sequel man. If TLWJP’s plot is less great shakes than the original, TLWJP is by no means as bad a film as some have made out. It’s much more satisfying to watch as an addendum to the original than as a film in its own right. It does however contain some superb sequences, to which the wonders of chaptering allow the owners of this disc instant access.
Jump to Chapter 20 Through A Glass Darkly for heroine Moore suspended above a sheer drop resting on a sheet of glass that’s slowly but inevitably becoming criss‑crossed with hairline cracks to recall that Spielberg used to make masterful edge of the seat thrillers like Duel (1971) and Jaws (1975). Check out those nasty little diminutive pack hunting compsognathuses as they attack a little girl (1) – the opening incidentally of the first book, albeit slightly modified here – or the grown Peter Stormare (24). To see those swishing raptor tails above the long grass as multiple characters become raptor supper, head for 27. Or jump to 43 to see a pteranodon fly.
If you want a rerun of the original, there are more T.Rex chases (here with two Rex parents and a baby), more raptor attacks and more kids (though Malcolm’s inexplicably black daughter is a lot less irritating than the two white kids in the original) and more references to dino-movies of yore (a title pinched from Conan Doyle by way of Willis O’Brien, lots of Gwangi-inspired roping, a T.Rex stomping San Diego in a nod to every other dino-movie ever made, a briefly seen theme park recalling the rollercoaster of The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (Eugène Lourié, 1953) and a parent seeking baby dino reminiscent of Gorgo (Eugène Lourié, 1961) – to name but five).
Both transfer and sound are beautiful and while you may occasionally wish the disc were in CAV, as is Pioneer’s more expensive (but well worth it) Jurassic Park CAV disc, it looks lovely throughout. No trailers, but there’s a good little featurette on the end of side three containing lots of interview quips and behind the scenes effects footage that’s worth a look. For dinomaniacs it’s a must, but if you only ever buy one Jurassic Park laserdisc, get the original. However, even though the sequel’s nothing like as good as its predecessor, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy its presentation on Pioneer’s disc.
Film 3/5
Picture 5/5
Sound 5/5
Distributor PIONEER LDCE
Cat No PLFEC 36781
£29.99
Dolby Surround
Widescreen: 1.85:1
Chaptered? Yes (1-14/15-28/29-46)
CLV
3 Sides
Extras featurette