The press notes for Jurassic Park 3 proudly trumpet the fact that there are as many new dinosaurs in the new sequel as there were in the first two films combined. While that may sound impressive, it simply means that the filmmakers are concerned only with giving viewers more of the same instead of trying something new.  I guess you could say they're sticking to the old "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" adage, considering the first film was, at the time, the highest-grossing picture ever and its first sequel still holds the record for the biggest opening weekend in history.

But bigger budgets and projected box-office grosses don't stop JP3 from being a by-the-numbers action flick with a decent cast and impressive special effects.  A drop-off in quality from the first to the second was noticeable, as it is from the second to the third, but it probably has much more to do with the fact that it's the only film not based on a Michael Crichton novel, rather than Steven Spielberg's move from the director's chair to an executive-producing credit.

Sam Neill (The Dish) reprises his role as Dr. Alan Grant, a dinosaur expert who believes raptors are much smarter than anyone had previously thought, and even believes the creatures are capable of speech (apparently, this guy has never heard an interview with Dell Curry).  With funding for his research project running short, Grant reluctantly accepts a strange offer from a rich, thrill-seeking couple (William H. Macy, State and Main, and Téa Leoni, The Family Man) that wants to fly over Isla Sorna and have Mr. Dinosaur point things out to them.

Guess what?  Things go horribly wrong.  Members of the group are shed like so many layers of clothing (following the Brother Rule, of course) and, before long, JP3 starts with the running and the screaming and the, "Oh, God, it hurts."  Anybody else tired of seeing characters picked off in reverse order of their popularity?  In no way do I recognize Deep Blue Sea as an example of a good action film, but it was pretty damn surprising when Sammy Jackson got swallowed up by that shark.  Don't look for any surprises here.

Grant, his assistant Billy (Alessandro Nivola, Time Code), and the Kirbys are repeatedly split up into various groups, creeping around the island like the Scooby gang before meeting one last time for what appears to be a Cape Fear spoof.  Sure, they've got two new dinosaurs after them – the flying Pteranodon and swimming Spinosaurus – but we know everyone crucial to a possible Jurassic Park 4 will make it off the island with most of their limbs intact.

JP3 is so heavy on action that it didn't really need dialogue.  Thankfully, Grant never utters typical sequel lines, such as anything that came out of Brendan Fraser's mouth in The Mummy Returns or Danny Glover's in any of the Lethal Weapon sequels.  Give that credit to Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor (Election), who polished the script by debut scribe Peter Buchman.

JP3 was directed by October Sky's Joe Johnston, who is no stranger to high-tech films which feature giant creatures (he also helmed the animal-laden Jumanji).  While the film is technically seamless and a great way to blow 90 minutes, its complete lack of story greatly diminishes the effects of JP3's amazing visuals.  Maybe we're spoiled by the technology of the 21st century, but humans running away from dinosaurs isn't nearly as entertaining as it was in the '90s.

1:31 –

for intense sci-fi terror and violence