"'Park' and Ride"
by Scott Mantz

"Jurassic Park III"
Sam Neill, Tea Leoni,
William H. Macy
Directed by Joe Johnston

Leapin' lizards! The T-rex finally meets its match in "Jurassic Park III"

de-evolution (dee' ev e-loo' shen) noun. The theory that groups of Hollywood studio execs green-light films guaranteed to make a lot of money at the box office, so that their sequels can make even more money, even though they are inferior in quality from their predecessors.

Ok, so that explains why "Jurassic Park III" is currently roaring into theaters around the country, but the question still remains: Did we really need a "Jurassic Park III?" While the first movie (1993's "Jurassic Park") was spectacular just based on the special effects alone, the second movie (1997's "The Lost World: Jurassic Park") was a lame, uninspired, and shameless attempt to cash in and make some more dino-dough. Obviously, it worked, and considering that both movies combined took in over $1.5 billion (yes, billion) worldwide, a third movie was inevitable whether we needed one or not.

This time around, Joe Johnston ("Jumanji," "October Sky") takes over the directing reigns from Steven Spielberg (who serves as Executive Producer), and while the concept of dinosaurs interacting with humans has become somewhat passe, the film still turns out to be a pleasant surprise. Thanks to a much shorter running time (91 minutes, compared to over 125 minutes for the first two movies), a more tongue-in-cheek attitude, and, yes, even more groundbreaking special effects, "Jurassic Park III" proves that these dinosaurs still have plenty of tricks left up their prehistoric sleeves.

It's been 8 years since Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) came face-to-face with the genetically engineered dinosaurs at the now-infamous Jurassic Park. Despite his reputation as one of the world's foremost paleontologists, he still can't raise enough money to continue his research on prehistoric fossils. Help comes in the form of Paul (William H. Macy) and Amanda Kirby (Tea Leoni), a wealthy couple looking for a guide to conduct an aerial tour of Isla Sorna, the small island where the dinosaurs are still running free. His initial reluctance is quickly abated when the Kirbys make him an offer he can't refuse, but by the time he learns the truth behind their motive, it's too late. Stranded on the island and surrounded by hoards of hungry--and evolved--dinosaurs, Dr. Grant must find a way to stay alive before he and his team become fresh meat.

Let's face it, good writing and strong characterization aren't exactly staples of the "Jurassic Park" film series, and in that sense, JP3 is more of the same. As with before, once the characters get on the island, there's not much of a story beyond just watching them try to get off. But once you realize that, you can just go with it and treat it like the cinematic theme park ride that it is. It also helps that the movie doesn't take itself so seriously, and if anything, you wind up rooting more for the dinosaurs!

Just when it seemed like all of the gimmicks were used up in the last movie (after all, how to you follow up a T-Rex running amok in San Diego?), there are still a few surprises left in "Jurassic Park III." Thanks to recent discoveries in prehistoric research, the mighty T-Rex is given a run for its money by the even deadlier Spinosaurus. It doesn't take long for the Spinosaurus to track down our heroes, and when it does, you'll never think of cell phones the same way again!

Acting is another thing that never gets mentioned when discussing the "Jurassic Park" movies, but for what it's worth, the performances here serve the purpose of the film just fine. Sam Neill is the backbone who holds the survivors together, while William H. Macy provides a decent amount of comic relief to counterbalance the serious nature of their environment. If anything, only Tea Leoni suffers under the weight of what is basically a nothing role, as her performance as the token screamer is merely an annoyance.

Actually, this may sound kind of crazy, but seeing the dinosaurs again is kind of like seeing a bunch of old friends. Maybe it has something to with recalling the initial excitement that surrounded the release of the first film back in 1993, and even though that sense of awe has long since vanished, "Jurassic Park III" still packs enough of a wallop to qualify as dino-mite summer entertainment.

Oh, one final thing. As we all know, the dinosaurs were the dominant species on the earth until the impact of a meteorite 65 million years ago set off a chain of events that led to their extinction. In the first "Jurassic Park," they were brought back to life, and by the time of the third movie--only eight years later--they were already learning how to "talk." Imagine how it will be down the line, when the dinosaurs progress even further along the evolutionary scale. What will happen when they finally make it off the island? What will happen when they confront human beings in their own environment. Do you suppose that everybody will just...get along, or will it be the universal example of "what goes around, comes around?" Hmm, sounds to me like a good idea for "Jurassic Park 4."

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