When Dinosaurs Walked Again: The Many Layers of Jurassic World
When Jurassic World was released in 2015, it did not just release a new franchise, it released a new memory to the viewer. The first trailer with its sweeping drone shots of Isla Nublar and a hauntingly soft piano version of John Williams’ theme was not just showing dinosaurs, it was showing nostalgia. Jurassic Park fans had their own children and were able to pass it on to the next generation. The times were no longer extinct, they had evolved.
Most of the films in a franchise contain an in depth story, and Jurassic World was no different. The film was not just about dinosaurs, it was about the mirroring of what happens to wonder when it becomes a commodity, and control replaces anticipation. It was spectacle, and in many ways it was about the reality of the people and their intrusive cameras. The audience of the film had awe, while the reality was moving in the opposite direction. The actors had no footing and the directors were left battling with a film legacy.A Park Reopened, and So Did Old Wounds
Set 20 years after the disasters of the original park, Jurassic World begins with the dream finally realized: dinosaurs peacefully inhabiting a fully functional theme park. But the dream is hollow. The park is no longer about discovery—the focus is now on greed, marketing, and corporate vanity.
This is a transformation of the park’s entertainment. The modified dinosaurs, now genetically altered for marketing and entertainment value, chase the industry’s obsession with “bigger, louder, newer.” The creation of the Indominus Rex is more than a creature gone wrong, it speaks to the corruption of raw creativity under the pressure to outdo the competition.
Reportedly, Colin Trevorrow, then a relative new comer and a Steven Spielberg selection, envisioned the film to feel “like a movie about making Jurassic World.” Many scenes feel uncomfortably meta. The corporate executives fighting, the scientists selling their ideas, the audience—all spell the same obsession: excess. The chaos of the film is a direct play on Hollywood’s excess.
Claire Dearing: The Woman Who Forgot to Feel
Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire begins as the park’s operations manager — a woman defined by order, numbers, and schedules. Her sleek white outfit and emotionless efficiency are deliberate symbols: she’s the modern professional who’s forgotten what the park was supposed to mean. But as the story unfolds, and the park descends into chaos, she’s forced to confront her humanity again.
Howard herself connected deeply with that arc. At the time, she was returning to major studio projects after years of smaller films and motherhood. She spoke in interviews about identifying with Claire’s rediscovery of emotion — how professional ambition can sometimes numb you to wonder. “I think Claire’s story is about control,” Howard once said, “and realizing that control is an illusion.”
There’s even symbolism in her most debated costume choice: running through the jungle in high heels. What many fans initially mocked became, ironically, an image of resilience — femininity refusing to break even in the wild.
Owen Grady: New Everyman With Old-Fashioned Heart
Owen Grady is different from Claire in that he is described as an ex-Navy animal behaviorist who relies more on instinct than on protocol. His relationship with the raptors illustrates the loss of the bridge between humanity and nature that the park had severed. He does not control the raptors; he appreciates them. Pratt’s role in the film completed the transition in his career from a comedic actor in a supporting role in “Parks and Recreation” to an action movie superstar. Although he had starred in “Guardians of the Galaxy” shortly before “Jurassic World,” the latter film was the one that firmly established his image as the rugged and relatable action hero. Pratt’s own life story of overcoming adversity and loss before gaining fame added authenticity to the humility and grit he brought to the role of Owen.
A cinematic moment many cherish occurs when Pratt, in full Raptor Motorbike Squad persona, rides with raptors in the jungle. This passage is about the coexistence of humans and nature, with an emphasis on riding along with, as opposed to riding over, nature. For many, this was the “We’re Back” trailer moment.
For many, the emotional heart of the film centers on Claire’s young nephews, Zach and Gray. They represent the audience’s emotional and innocent wonder as they traverse the film’s island, ultimately engaging in a pilgrimage of rediscovery. In a powerful rediscovery of the film’s history, they reveal the ruins of the original park and a “When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth” banner. They capture the spirit of history by dusting off the relic.
For the older audience, the relic of history hit harder than any dinosaur chase. In interviews, Trevorrow described the scene as “an emotional time machine” and, indeed, the scene invites the nostalgia of a generation that defined movie magic along with the children in the audience as well as in the scene.
Building the Beasts, Reviving the Magic
Filming posed an enormous challenge. Restoring the palpable realism of Spielberg’s original required the construction of over 20 animatronics and an extensive amount of CGI. The crew studied the 1993 filming techniques, including camera angles and lighting, to recreate and preserve the nostalgia.
Production, however, had its issues. The tight schedule, coupled with the balance of visual effects and practical shooting within Hawaii’s unpredictable weather, resulted in many delays. Pratt joked about the dinosaurs being “divas” due to their unpredictable and temperamental nature which required constant retaking of shots.
The balance of tone was perhaps the boldest decision. Rather than leaning solely into horror or family adventure, Trevorrow maintained both, allowing humor, sentiment, and terror to coexist. As a result, the film was unmistakably self-aware and thrilling without being cynical.
The Meaning Beneath the Roar
Jurassic World isn’t about dinosaurs. At its core, the film speaks of humanity’s craving for dominance. The park’s visitors, snapping selfies with genetically modified predators, are spectators who consume wonder until it becomes routine.
The Indominus Rex serves as testament to the consequences of unchecked ambition. It kills not to survive but rather to satisfy sadistic urges. It is pure evil. When Owen and Claire finally conquer the beast on the island—with the aid of the genetically engineered T. Rex and Blue the raptor—it feels like the balance of nature is restored. The old world (the T. Rex) and the new (the genetically engineered Indominus Rex) meet, and chaos, not control, is once again the ruler of the land.
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