The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
★★★ — The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
Spielberg returned to the franchise he had arguably been most reluctant to leave, adapting Michael Crichton's 1995 sequel novel just four years after the original Jurassic Park had become one of the highest-grossing films ever made. The production arrived at an interesting moment in Spielberg's career, sitting between the sombre weight of Schindler's List and Amistad and the later Saving Private Ryan, making it something of a commercial obligation sandwiched between more personal work. Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm, a supporting player in the first film, is promoted to lead here, with Julianne Moore and British character actor Pete Postlethwaite rounding out a capable if less iconic ensemble. Filming took place across California locations including the Eureka area of the Humboldt coast, standing in for the fictional Site B.
Honestly? Not that bad. Sure, it’s nowhere near the original in terms of magic or tension, but it has its moments. The idea of dinosaurs making it to the mainland especially that T-Rex stomping around suburban LA felt wild and fresh at the time, even if it went a bit Godzilla-lite. The cast’s a bit weaker, and it definitely drags in parts, but there’s a decent enough adventure buried in here. I actually preferred Jurassic Park III, but Lost World still has a bit of that Spielberg flair. Solid, if unspectacular.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1997 | Watched: 2025-04-14
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Steven Spielberg: Duel (1971) · Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) · E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) · Jurassic Park (1993)
More with Jeff Goldblum: Independence Day (1996) · Jurassic Park (1993)
More from the 1990s: Lessons of Darkness (1992) · Shinjuku Boys (1995) · Blue (1993) · Cemetery Man (1994)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
