The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a fun but flawed sequel that delivers thrills but lacks the magic and depth of the original.
Our series marathon continues! Going into The Lost World: Jurassic Park, I knew it had a tough act to follow. The first Jurassic Park was a near-perfect blend of wonder, suspense and adventure, so naturally, expectations were sky-high for the sequel. While The Lost World delivers plenty of thrilling dinosaur action, it doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original. Instead, it leans heavily into chaotic spectacle, sometimes at the expense of character and story. That said, I still had a good time watching it, just in a different way than I did with the first film.
This time, the story follows Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), who heads to a second island full of dinosaurs to rescue his girlfriend, Dr. Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore). Right from the start, it feels different from the first film. There’s no slow build-up, no real sense of awe - just straight into the action. Malcolm, who was a scene-stealer in Jurassic Park, is now the main character but he’s lost some of his charm. Most of the new characters are forgettable, though I did enjoy Pete Postlethwaite as Roland Tembo, a tough-as-nails big-game hunter who honestly should have had more screen time.
Of course, the dinosaurs are the real stars and visually, the film still holds up. Spielberg knows how to stage an intense action sequence and there are some fantastic ones here like the raptors stalking through the tall grass etc. And then there’s the last act, where a T. rex goes on a rampage in San Diego. It’s fun in a ridiculous way but it feels like it belongs in a completely different film.
My biggest gripe with The Lost World is the writing. Characters make baffling decisions like rescuing a baby T. rex and bringing it right into camp (what could possibly go wrong?). The environmental themes feel half-baked and while there’s an attempt to explore human interference in nature, it never really lands. Instead, it just keeps throwing more dinosaurs and destruction at us. It’s entertaining, sure but it doesn’t leave much to think about afterward.
Smash Hit Score: 6.5/10
At the end of the day, The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a mixed bag. It’s got solid action, impressive effects and a handful of standout moments but it never reaches the heights of the original. If you go in expecting an exciting but somewhat mindless adventure, there’s plenty of fun to be had. Just don’t expect the same level of magic or storytelling depth.
