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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 19 June 2018
'Jurassic World 2' leans on nostalgia, contrivances

By LINDSEY BAHR Masie Lockwood (Isabella
Associated Press Sermon).
Here's the good news: Perhaps the most
"Jurassic World: Fallen unexpected thing about
Kingdom " is more fun than "Fallen Kingdom" is that the
"Jurassic World." It's not "escape from the volcano"
exactly a high bar, but still plot is just the first set-
a welcome surprise. In the piece. It's all a precursor
hands of a new director, J.A. to the dinos coming to the
Bayona, with Chris Pratt's mainland.
high-wattage charisma on If you're thinking, "I've seen
full blast and a fair amount this movie before," just
of self-aware humor intact, wait, it get so much more
there are certainly worse derivative than you would
ways to spend a couple ever imagine possible.
hours in the air-conditioned Bayona, who also directed
multiplex this summer. "The Impossible" and "A
Mind you, this movie is Monster Calls," is good
pretty ridiculous and the enough to pull it off. It's the
script (from Colin Trevorrow main reason why "Fallen
and Derek Connolly) is Kingdom" is entertaining
not very clever — I found This image released by Universal Pictures shows Bryce Dallas Howard, left, and Justice Smith in a despite itself, but it is a
myself rolling my eyes scene from the upcoming "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom." shameless strategy that
almost as frequently as I Associated Press can only work so many
found myself smiling with times. Also, can we retire
genuine delight. "Jurassic vastly overestimated. a national debate and own Noah's Ark with the the "objects in the mirror are
World: Fallen Kingdom" will After a very solid, and Bryce Dallas Howard's dinos and transport as closer than they appear"
not stand up to rigorous scary, beginning, with Claire is leading the charge many species as possible joke at this point?
scrutiny, and yet, it's kind of pouring rain and genuine to try to save the animals. to a sanctuary island. They Life finds a way, and so
an enjoyable, preposterous suspense as some scientists As a not-so-subtle nod to need her to tap into the do franchises that make
and thrilling ride that ticks venture back into the that other national debate park's security system, and ungodly amounts of
through nostalgia beats like defunct Jurassic World to about Claire's choice also to convince Owen money. "Jurassic World:
a shopping list. retrieve a dinosaur bone, a of footwear in "Jurassic (Pratt) to come along and Fallen Kingdom" gets
It's a little sad how in this helpful newscaster orients World," our first shot of her get close to the raptor Blue, away with its unoriginality
era of industrial franchise the audience with a whole is her feet in sky high heels his old pal who has become for the most part, but this
filmmaking a three year lot of exposition: It's been (the hiking boots she wears so anthropomorphized franchise's desperation is
gap between films actually three years since Jurassic later for all the action get it's actually surprising she starting to show.
feels like quite a bit of World closed; $800 million in their own loving close-up doesn't just start talking. It's time to evolve or go
time — or maybe it's just a damages have been paid too). There are some more extinct.
testament to how grueling out; and, most importantly, Essentially, and this is new characters added "Jurassic World: Fallen
the past few years have a dormant volcano has where the contrivances too: A skittish computer Kingdom," a Universal
been — but, hey, it did at come back to life on the start, a wealthy, dying guy, Franklin (Justice Pictures release, is rated
least seem like the right island and is about to man, Benjamin Lockwood Smith), and a doctor Zia PG-13 by the Motion Picture
time to check in with cause an "extinction level (James Cromwell), who (Daniella Pineda), who Association of America for
those dinosaurs again, event" that will wipe out all is somehow connected come along on the journey "for intense sequences of
although I worry that our the remaining dinosaurs. to John Hammond, and for some comedic relief; science-fiction violence
emotional investment in The question of whether his associate Eli Mills (Rafe a mercenary military and peril." Running time:
Owen's connection with or not to let the dinos go Spall) pitch Claire on an guy (Ted Levine); and a 128 minutes. Two and a
a velociraptor has been extinct again has become expedition to stage their cute dino-obsessed girl, half stars out of four.q

'The Anomaly' slowly simmers as story groundwork is set up

By JEFF AYERS mysteries without actually successful in proving one as the groundwork is set
Associated Press solving anything. With his of the conspiracy theories up. The exploration is also
"The Anomaly: a Novel" team of cameramen and that his show promotes. a bit slow going as well to
(Grand Central Publishing), experts for the region, What they discover at first keep the reader guessing
by Michael Rutger Nolan decides to see if they seems a bit odd, as the as to what is honestly going
Rumors have swirled that can find this strange cave things they see differ from on inside this cave. When
early in the 20th century an and prove the wild claims the historical account. The the big reveal happens, it
explorer on the Colorado from that earlier time. more they explore, the more comes with a dose of horror,
River discovered a cavern The trip starts off mysterious it gets. From all violence and complex
high up in the rocks of the uneventfully for the team appearances, someone science. Rutger has crafted
Grand Canyon. The stories of of men and women, but tried to conceal the cave. an intriguing and, at times,
what he found are fantastic when they spot what might While they discover the somewhat graphic tale
and hard to believe, which be the cave they are truth behind the cave, they that's never predictable This cover image released
is perfect for Nolan Moore, seeking, they immediately will wish they had never and will appeal to fans of by Grand Central Publishing
an archaeologist who hosts see the possibility of fame found it. exploration and survival shows "The Anomaly," a novel
a conspiracy theory show and fortune. For Moore, Michael Rutger's "The along with "The X-Files" by Michael Rutger.
Associated Press
that explores historical it's a chance to finally be Anomaly" slowly simmers crowd.q