Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In need of funds for research, Dr. Alan Grant accepts a large sum of money to accompany Paul and Amanda Kirby on an aerial tour of the infamous Isla Sorna. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose and the stranded wayfarers must fight for survival as a host of new -- and even more deadly -- dinosaurs try to make snacks of them.
Jurassic Park III is a lean, stripped-down creature feature that largely abandons the thematic depth of its predecessors in favor of chase sequences. The plot is thin and formulaic — a rescue mission gone wrong on a dinosaur island — with little narrative innovation and some glaring contrivances (the satellite phone gag). Acting is serviceable but underutilized; Sam Neill returns as Grant but is given little to work with, and the Kirby parents are broadly drawn. Cinematography is competent and occasionally effective in its set pieces, particularly the aviary sequence, but rarely rises to the visual ambition of Spielberg's original. Novelty is low — it recycles the series' core premise with minimal fresh ideas, though the Spinosaurus replacing the T-Rex as apex threat and the pterosaur aviary were modest additions. The ending is abrupt and widely criticized as unsatisfying, relying on an implausible military rescue that feels unearned.