This is not a reboot, not even a soft one. This is set exactly where it's supposed to be, 20 years after the events we all came to love. And the creators found just the right mixture of references and nostalgia and refreshing new ideas to make this all work. To be honest, the first big shot of the park together with John William's classic theme is already worth the price of the movie ticket. Thankfully, that's not the last time the film puts a smile on your face.

Of course, there is some setting-up to do before the shit can hit the fan thanks to humans making grave mistakes and it's fun to see the park fully functional as an attraction everyone would love to visit before things go south. Again, all that is nicely timed and sets up plenty of characters, some of which you already know won't make it. Chris Pratt does not play another Star Lord, his animal handler is not without wit, but a little more serious. Good to see that the rising star is not a one-trick pony. Thankfully, the female lead also turns out much more-dimensional than initially thought.

Then we're suddenly in monster movie territory and there are plenty of scares, gory deaths and chase scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat. In the end, without giving anything away, the awesome showdown delivers exactly what you wanted to see in such a film.

Of course, there is some suspension of disbelief needed here. The trailers already gave away that genetic manipulation created the big bad and how raptors are trained to hunt with their human Alpha. No need to worry, though. Both aspects work better than expected and are not entirely as clear-cut as the trailers suggested. Fans of man vs. beast films in beautiful settings while referencing a childhood favorite can't go wrong here. Of course all doors for a new couple of films remain open in the end. After this massively entertaining and fun summer flick, that's great news.

8 out of 10 Mosasaurus