When you think 'sci-fi' you might automatically think of spaceships and aliens. But there's a 1993 classic movie, based on Michael Crichton's 1990 novel, that was every bit the sci-fi game-changer upon its release. In Jurassic Park there's technological change. There's peril. There's consequence. And instead of aliens there are dinosaurs.
Since there's been one helluva lot of sequels. Which brings us to Netflix's new number-one movie: 2022's Jurassic World Dominion, which has suddenly jumped in at the streaming service's top spot in the UK. I actually watched this latest JP movie's predecessor, Fallen Kingdom, just the other week on Sky and, while the series clearly isn't treading on Oscar-winning ground, it's still a lot of fun.
Perhaps it's because I, as a fan – the first movie I saw at the cinema without parents (my brother stood in, cheers Dave) was the 1993 original Jurassic Park – just have a soft spot for the franchise. Oh, and Bryce Dallas Howard, obviously! The sixth movie in the series might not shift movie-making pillars in the same way as the original's visual effects (VFX) did, but it's still got some stunning sequences.
Interestingly, Dominion also massively splits opinion. As I type this, the critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes sits at a lowly 29%. That's a bit of a shocker, really, but the audience disagrees – netting the flick a more generous 77% on the very same site. See, Jurassic Park has its fans who are in it for the thrill ride.
If you've not seen Dominion yet then I thoroughly recommend giving it a viewing. It's rated a full-blown 12 rating in the UK by the BBFC – which I find fairly amusing, considering the original was a mere Parental Guidance (PG) somehow! – but I think kids of that age will enjoy the latest escapades and genetically modified dinos (that makes Dominion even more sci-fi, right?).
Regardless of whether you think Jurassic Park Dominion counts as a true sci-fi movie or not, it's clear that the best streaming services are hitting hard when it comes to sci-fi shows and movies. Recently we've had Amazon Prime Video's Fallout series, the Rebel Moon sequel on Netflix, and even Apple TV+ is in on the act. Jurassic Park Dominion certainly has a different vibe, but I can see why viewers are flocking to watch it...
