‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ First Reactions Range From a ‘Roaring Triumph’ to ‘Blah’: Is It a ‘Winner’ or a ‘String of Forgettable Scenes’?

“Jurassic World Rebirth” has finally been unveiled to members of the film press, and the first reactions on social media appear to be mixed positive on the return of the 32-year-old dinosaur franchise. From “Rogue One” and “Godzilla” director Gareth Edwards, “Rebirth” is headlined by Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali.

“‘Jurassic Word Rebirth’ is a roaring triumph and perfect entry into the franchise,” Variety’s Jazz Tangcay wrote on X. “Loved all the new dinosaurs and boy, are some scary. Get ready to fall in love with Dolores. Loved it and what a beautiful homage to the original.”

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Perri Nemiroff called “Rebirth” a “winner” in her reaction, adding: “Gareth Edwards knew just how to bring a ‘Jurassic’ story to screen. I adore the practical movie magic of the original film. Over the years, the franchise has embraced more CGI. Rebirth is indeed loaded with effects-heavy set pieces, but those digital elements work especially well here because Edwards knew exactly how to ensure the film still had that reach-out-and-touch-it texture — particularly by choosing to film in real locations and shoot the movie on film.”

But YouTube’s “The Flick Pick” host John Flickinger was more negative on the film, writing that despite “a solid concept” the movie “just feels blah.” He added: “It’s a string of forgettable scenes that go nowhere. The characters are dull, there’s zero chemistry, and I found myself rooting for the dinosaurs just to feel something. The story plays out like a studio checklist—nothing gets explored, and there’s no heart in it.”

Set five years after the events of 2022’s “Jurassic World Dominion,” “Rebirth” centers on a group of mercenaries and scientists who venture to a forbidden island on a mission to retrieve dinosaur blood that could lead to the cure for heart disease. The new installment notably features a script from David Koepp, who penned Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” (1993) and “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (1997).

Johansson said in an interview with Vanity Fair last year that she spent years chasing down a role in the “Jurassic” franchise, explaining: “I was really crazy about the [original] film, and I slept in a ‘Jurassic Park’ pup tent in my bedroom I shared with my sister for a year. Anytime the trades would report a new ‘Jurassic’ movie, I would forward to my agents like, ‘Hey, I’m available.’”

“Jurassic World Rebirth” opens in theaters July 2 from Universal Pictures. Check out more first reactions below.

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