Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)

Jurassic World: Rebirth attempts to relaunch the franchise with a fresh cast and setting, but it ends up feeling like a commercial in search of a plot.

Directed by Gareth Edwards, known for Rogue One and Godzilla, the film is filled with baffling creative choices. There’s product placement in almost every scene, and most of the action sequences are over-edited and underwhelming. Edwards seems more interested in drone shots and branding than tension or logic.

Written by David Koepp, who once gave us Jurassic Park and Mission: Impossible, the script is shockingly clumsy. The dialogue is flat, the pacing is off, and the characters regularly make decisions that would embarrass even the worst horror movie victims. It’s hard to believe the same writer once helped build this universe. The film is basically Aliens but with dinosaurs.

Scarlett Johansson, known for Marriage Story and Black Widow, stars but seems like she’s checked out. Her performance lacks the spark she once had. She moves through the film like someone fulfilling a contract, not leading a blockbuster.

Mahershala Ali, known for Moonlight and Green Book, is the best actor in the cast. He brings gravity to every scene he’s in, even when the material is beneath him. He deserves better, but he still elevates every line he delivers.

Luna Blaise, known for Manifest, plays one of the teen leads and is joined by another newcomer, David Iacono, but both performances are annoying. The teen subplot drags the film down with forced drama and nonstop whining. There’s no charm, just noise.

Big, loud, and empty. A joyless cash-in that forgot what made the original exciting. Result: D

Comments

Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie (2026)

Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie is another cookie-cutter entry in the Paw Patrol franchise, so there isn't much to say about the story itself. This time, the focus is on Marshall, the team's resident firefighter, or perhaps "firedog" in this case. The movie is wholesome and delivers exactly what you'd expect from a Paw Patrol film, even if it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the previous entries. Mckenna Grace voices Skye, although you would never know it from the performance. Her voice is so normal for the character that Grace's usual presence is virtually unrecognizable. Terry Crews , on the other hand, voices Alistair Stonewall, and you can definitely tell it's him. His recognizable voice and personality come through clearly and make the character more memorable. Snoop Dogg also makes a fun cameo as Dave, the owner of a yacht who enjoys fishing. It's a small role, but his recognizable voice and personality make it a welcome surprise. T...

Sleepwalker (2026)

Sleepwalker is a horror thriller written and directed by Brandon Auman , who quickly reminds us why his career has primarily been in television rather than feature films. Writing for children's television can sometimes get away with simplistic dialogue and storytelling, but those weaknesses become glaring when stretched into a feature-length horror movie. The screenplay is filled with clunky dialogue and predictable horror beats, while the jump scares rarely land. Instead of creating tension, the film repeatedly left me sighing in boredom. Hayden Panettiere delivers a strong performance despite the material she's been given. It's clear that many of her lines weren't written with much care, but she does what she can to make the character feel believable. Knowing this is her final film makes the performance bittersweet, especially because she deserved a much better script to go out on. Fortunately, her performance here doesn't diminish the work she's done in bet...

The End of Oak Street (2026)

The End of Oak Street starts with Anne Hathaway immediately establishing herself as the film's strongest performer, especially when compared to the wooden performance from Ewan McGregor . The premise of a writer struggling with an unsupportive spouse hits close to home for me. The split-focus direction from David Robert Mitchell isn't particularly new or uniquely executed. Instead, it often feels disorienting without accomplishing what I assume was the intention. Mitchell also struggles with the screenplay, as the dialogue can be atrocious at times and boring the rest of the time. This isn't his first failed attempt at writing interesting characters, which makes it understandable why he hasn't written or directed anything in eight years. Anne Hathaway is easily the best part of the film. She brings enough personality and emotional weight to keep the movie watchable despite the material surrounding her. Unfortunately, even Hathaway can't carry the entire film. Ew...

Movies, Film, and Chili

Search This Blog