Jurassic World Rebirth Review: Extinction averted? The seventh installment roars louder than expected
With a fresh cast, cleaner storytelling, and a back-to-basics approach, this seventh film in this saga manages to do what its immediate predecessors couldn’t.
Over thirty years after Jurassic Park redefined blockbuster cinema with its groundbreaking dinosaurs and Spielbergian sense of wonder, the franchise returns with Jurassic World Rebirth. Positioned as both a reset and a continuation, this seventh film brings in fresh characters and a new creative team—director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One) and screenwriter David Koepp (returning from the original two films).
The cast includes Scarlett Johansson as hardened covert ops expert Zora Bennett, Jonathan Bailey as thoughtful paleontologist Henry Loomis, and Mahershala Ali as the charismatic sea captain Duncan Kincaid. With no returning characters and a standalone plot, Rebirth is a cleaner, more streamlined ride.
Dinosaurs have largely vanished from the wild after the events of Dominion, but a secluded Caribbean island—Île Saint Hubert—remains home to the last living specimens. A biotech company sees opportunity in their DNA and dispatches a team to retrieve blood samples from three species across land, sea, and air. Leading the operation is Zora Bennett, with Dr. Loomis providing the scientific know-how, and Kincaid ferrying them through dangerous waters. Once on the island, the crew—alongside a stranded family they encounter—faces not only nature’s deadliest survivors, but also a monstrous genetic experiment known as the Distortus Rex. As alliances shift and motivations emerge, the team must navigate not just physical danger, but moral and emotional dilemmas that echo the franchise’s core themes of hubris, greed, and of course, awe.
The good
Rebirth benefits immensely from its cast. Scarlett Johansson plays Zora with steely resolve and minimal exposition; her competence is clear without the need for backstory dumps. Mahershala Ali, as always, elevates every scene he’s in, and his character—grappling with grief and potential redemption—adds surprising emotional depth. Jonathan Bailey’s Loomis is delightfully nerdy, grounding the film’s more chaotic elements with scientific curiosity and a philosophical lens on survival.
Gareth directs with a welcome sense of restraint. Gone are the overly glossy, CG-drenched visuals of Fallen Kingdom and Dominion. Instead, he leans into practical effects, atmospheric lighting, and wide shots that emphasize scale and suspense. One standout sequence involves a Titanosaur herd at dawn, where we watch Loomis react with reverence—a moment reminiscent of Jurassic Park, but filtered through a new character’s perspective. Koepp’s script is cleaner and more character-driven than the last few films, with action sequences that serve the narrative rather than derail it. There’s a genuine sense of danger again, helped by subtle visual cues—dinosaurs lurking in shadows or creeping behind oblivious characters—which create real tension.
The bad
Despite its strengths, Rebirth can’t fully escape the franchise’s formula. The setup—team enters isolated island, corporation has shady motives, people get eaten—feels familiar to the point of predictability. Even the major set pieces, while well-executed, often mirror beats from earlier films. One critical misstep lies in the emotional disconnect during moments meant to evoke awe. A wide aerial shot of a dinosaur herd feels detached, unlike the original’s intimate Brachiosaurus reveal. It’s visually grand, but lacks character perspective, and as a result, emotional weight.
The film also attempts to juggle too many themes—corporate exploitation, ethics of science, survival instinct, grief, familial bonds—and ends up giving each too little room to breathe. While characters like Xavier (David Iacono) are set up for redemption arcs, many of these journeys feel rushed or underdeveloped.
The verdict
Jurassic World Rebirth doesn’t reinvent the franchise, but it does course-correct. With a focused cast, practical thrills, and a more grounded tone, it manages to recapture some of the original film’s magic without succumbing entirely to nostalgia. Gareth Edwards brings visual flair and thematic weight, even if the film doesn’t quite break new ground. Ultimately, the film feels less like a bold new direction and more like a respectful remix. It may not justify further sequels, but as a potential final chapter, it’s a worthy one.
