Category: Opinion Piece

‘Jurassic World: The Evolution of Claire’ Review – the Universe Expands with This Exciting Prequel Novel!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Releasing in stores and online today, the Jurassic World Universe officially expands with ‘The Evolution of Claire’ – a prequel novel following Claire Dearing during her first months on Isla Nublar.

The Evolution of Claire is a Young Adult novel set within the Jurassic universe by author Tess Sharpe (Barbed Wire Heart, Far From You), and is her first foray into licensed fiction. The story is a personal journey for Claire, written in the first person perspective, overflowing with adventure, spunk, and mystery – the content is wholly Jurassic, while the tone and style embraces its young adult audience.

The story opens with Claire Dearing in 2004 at age 19 returning back home after her first year at college. We’re rapidly introduced to a very different Claire from the films, though she is equally motivated with a clear sense of confidence and decisiveness. She’s not eager to spend much time at home, and is driven to strike out her own life, however she is clearly close with her parents, her sister Karen, and nephew Zach.

Her personal motivations contrast to that of her business focused mind in World: her interests are political, with the goal of championing animal rights. She’s not just interested in their rights from afar, but is an animal lover with a pet lizard and dog, and has a history of becoming involved with the welfare of animals around her. She’s an optimist, believing there is always a morally better option, and it should be the one taken.

It’s soon revealed Claire’s animal interests go deeper than just typical extant animals, and she like many others is deeply enamored by dinosaurs. This is only furthered by the infamous San Diego incident, which revealed to her and the world that the prehistoric creatures existed once again. So when she’s offered an internship by the renowned Masrani Global corporation to spend her summer working at the not yet open Jurassic World – a place shrouded in so much mystery furthered by Simon Masrani’s eccentric marketing that Willy Wonka would be jealous – she of course jumps at the chance.

Claire is galvanized. An internship with one of the most influential individuals and corporations in the world is perhaps the window of opportunity to fortify a position of power in a cutthroat world. She knows how important money is in politics, and is eager to make her dreams a reality for the betterment of animals.

As Claire journeys to Isla Nublar alongside numerous interns of similar ages, she is thrust into a personal journey of growth, camaraderie, and independence. Her challenges involve impressing her hosts at the park, making new friends with her peers, dealing with romantic inclinations, and dealing with the occasional condescending bigot who tries to devalue her and her female peers simply due to their sex. Not to mentions dealing with dinosaurs – from distressed young Triceratops, overly playful Brachiosaurs, and of course, it wouldn’t be Jurassic Park without a Velociraptor.

Tess Sharpe introduces Claire and readers to the nuanced inner workings of Jurassic World, made more complex by the fact the park remains under construction. Claire’s intern duties range from shoveling dino-dung, enthusiastically going hands on with the wild dinos, to working in the Hammond Creation Lab itself alongside the one and only Dr. Henry Wu. Dr. Wu is one of the highlights of the novel, a supporting character who is as intriguing as he can be stern. Dr. Wu is not a villain by a long-shot, but rather a complex and intelligent character who helps shape and inspire Claire during her stay on the island. This surprisingly fleshed out development of Wu makes his seemingly one dimensional villain like portrayal in the World films all the more curious – could his motivations in the films be less sinister than we’re led to believe? This book fully cements that there is more to his story, as while his large hubris remains in tact, he also seems to have a strong moral compass.

Further, Simon Masrani himself features in the novel, and takes a personal interest in Claire’s education and career path. While he is his entirely eccentric and optimistic self, we’re also given a closer look at his capitalistic side, and are given glimpses into how far he is willing to go to bring his dinosaur park and John Hammond’s dream to life. With Claire’s noble steerings, she internally finds herself at odds with many of the choices the park management makes on a day to day basis – the very types of choices we see her making in the 2015 film.

Her internship at Jurassic World goes beyond its intended strains, as she becomes fully engrossed in a rumor of conspiracy and cover up which unravels around her the further she digs. In true Jurassic fashion, hardship is bred from greed, moral boundaries are crossed for a multitude of reasons, eventually leading to the inevitable end: chaos.

As the novel often says: Jurassic World is a place of contradictions, and it is perhaps that very concept which makes the more endearing Dr. Wu, colder Simon Masrani, and adventurous Claire Dearing all the more fascinating. These characters are as complex and unpredictable as the quickly evolving world around them. Control vs chaos, nature vs technology, human idealism vs realism all play out in a sandbox of science and occasional teen drama.

While the young adult leanings of the novel may be more prevalent than some older fans would like, the book naturally finds its place in the Jurassic world. Claire is a strong female character and role model for fans of all ages, and this novel is a much needed reminder: dinosaurs aren’t just for boys. It’s rare to find a large licensed property such as Jurassic so ready and willing to embrace a prevalent female perspective, and Tess Sharpe fully utilize this opportunity to create something unique, relevant, and needed.

The book is engrossing, valid and believable – my largest (small) critique being the interns were allowed to video call their families unmonitored – considering no real footage had leaked from the park, and secrecy was an important and required ingredient prior to the parks opening, this stood out to me. Coupled with the fact that the interns were so young, it’s amazing that no footage hit the world during the events of the novel.

The story itself is a complete arc, neatly revolving around a mystery that furthers Claire’s growth. By the end of the novel, which takes place over a few short months, Claire is changed – however she is not yet the Claire from Jurassic World. There are 10 years of stories and growth that lead her there, and this novel fully leaves room for future installments – and leaves some threads open, pointing to another book on the horizon.

For the canon connoisseurs, this novel is an absolute delight. (Mild spoilers ahead:) It digs into the science of Jurassic World, explaining its enhanced flora growth, prehistoric plants, and dinosaurs nutritional science. We learn that much of the technology of the park is proprietary and groundbreaking, and Masrani Global is working closely without outside sources to enable their use in medical and military applications (such as the Gyrospheres unique and nearly indestructible composition, or organically synthesized fusion bandages).

Though Claire never ventures to Site B, Isla Sorna is alive and kicking in the novel, as dinosaurs are occasionally transported from the island to the park on Isla Nublar. During the events of this novel, all dinosaurs in the park are survivors from Hammond’s time, born or created on Nublar or Sorna during the Jurassic Park era. The entirety of Sorna’s fate is left open, and Claire even comments that Masrani Global is more secretive about that island than Nublar (perhaps a hint there is more to Sorna’s story even now). While the lab is hard at work to create new animals, it seems they’re taking their time, in no hurry to introduce animals unfit for the soon to open resort.

This is perhaps influenced by a medical mystery that has begun to effect some of the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar, forcing the lab to take precautions to prevent the mystery ailment from spreading. This approach involves injecting medication directly into developing eggs, including strong doses of steroids, and I can’t help but muse if that’s why Jurassic World’s dinosaurs seem stumpier and angrier than their Park and real world counterparts.

There is one inconsistency with the lore: all the dinosaurs in the book are referred to as female, however as we know, life found a way. The Park era dinosaurs were both sexes despite the attempted population control, and were breeding on both islands. Perhaps the female terminology was a liberty taken by World staff, referring to them all as female, or an misnomer cultivated by a simple misunderstanding by the some employees that they were in fact female, despite being both sexes. Colin Trevorrow recently took to Twitter recently to further clarify that the dinosaurs of Jurassic World are both male and female, and other forms of population control were enforced.

Considering the novel never unequivocally states all the dinosaurs are female with evidence, this contradiction can be easily explained away in a multitude of ways, and it never undermines the story at play. The only real hiccup that is objectively wrong is the Velociraptor on the cover, a red eyed male of the second subspecies found on Sorna. The novel definitively states the raptor is a female, and has yellow eyes: this would be the female subspecies introduced in Jurassic Park 3, as the classic female variant has green eyes, its male counterpart yellow. This is not a fault of the novel, but rather a small canonical stumble on the part of the otherwise phenomenal jacket art adorning the book.

At nearly 1500 words I’ve barely scratched the surface of what ‘The Evolution of Claire’ has to offer in its 32 chapters spread over 390 pages. Tess Sharpe has smartly crafted an adventure within the Jurassic universe, brought a new life to Claire Dearing, and reawakened the possibilities held within a page, something we haven’t had since Michael Crichton wrote the original novels from which the first two Park films were created. Stories told in novel form is ingrained into the DNA of Jurassic, and this new chapter brings the story to life in excellent form.

No matter your age or interest, I can happily recommend the book, which is a fun and unique romp within a whole new Jurassic World. I hope to read more from Tess in the future, and fully believe this proves the potential for other stories within the growing expanded universe.

The Evolution of Claire is available in stores now at retailers such as Amazon and Target – be sure to pick up your copy today, and sound off in the comments below with your thoughts! As always, stay tuned for everything Jurassic – including our upcoming deep dive interview with the author herself!

Let’s Talk About That New Hilariously Awkward ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ Poster

Posted on by Jurassic Outpost

Sometimes it’s not just the thought that counts, but the Photoshop ability. Sadly, it seems the latter is missing when it comes to Jurassic World.

Hitting a day before the new trailer, the Jurassic World social media accounts shared a explosive new Fallen Kingdom poster with the grim new tagline “The Park is Gone” (though with how small the ‘Fallen Kingdom’ on the logo is, it almost looks like that is the title of the film).

That aside, let’s talk about the composition of the new poster:

The concept of this poster is very solid, and everything including the colors and backdrop are really well done. The Tyrannosaurus looks approriately fearsome, the logo placed strategically with the volcanic explosion. The colors are warm and inviting, but certainly allude to danger (strangely the poster removes the teal color grade from the film many complained about) – that is all aesthetically pleasing.

But then you look to the bottom left, and it all falls apart. The characters are so poorly composited into the shot, you’d be forgiven to think it was a internet meme, placing them in locations they don’t belong. They do not blend with the environment, and the photoshop is clear as day – further, why can you not see what’s behind the glass of the Gyrosphere? Speaking of the Gyrosphere, it’s missing its bottom part, which was to be filled in by CG in the movie, and the glass just blends into the ground.

Also, the eyelines of the characters – where are they even looking? This might seem like nitpicking, but all of these are graphic design staples, and they standout tenfold due to the obvious cut and paste comp.

Of course, it’s not a first for Jurassic – don’t forget the new Blu-ray covers revealed a few months back:

As with the poster, these could have been great, but needed more thought put into the assets used plus better composition.

For a palette cleanse, we’ll leave you with a few fan posters which get the job done:


It’s worth remembering we’re all fans here, and cannot wait for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, but sometimes things need a good candid roasting, and it’s usually in good fun!

What are your thoughts on the new poster, and are you a professional graphic designer? If so, you may want to pass your contact information to Universal Pictures, and whip something up with the quality this series deserves.

Source: Jurassic World Offical Twitter


Do-You-Think-He-Sue-Us? A Legal Analysis of the Jurassic Park Disaster

Posted on by Corey Anderson

The Jurassic universe does not have a fondness for members of the legal community. This comes as somewhat of a shock since most of the InGen antics undoubtedly have far-reaching legal ramifications, and there are likely dozens of attorneys with the sole purpose of keeping the company out of too much trouble. After diving into the intricacies surrounding the legalities surrounding Jurassic Park, it is honestly difficult to decide who had the harder job, the geneticists or the lawyers. As an attorney myself, my goal here is to expound briefly on what liabilities Jurassic Park likely faced upon its implosion and of course, avoid being eaten on a toilet.

For this article, we are going to have to make a few big assumptions. First assumption: the laws of the United States apply. Most smart companies with assets in foreign countries will establish a subsidiary in the country where those assets reside. The benefit of the subsidiary means that any lawsuits brought against the company can utilize the foreign country’s laws and court system. Some companies elect to do this if they see that the foreign country’s laws are more favorable in a particular area where they are at risk of a lawsuit. Even though InGen was headquartered in California, Jurassic Park was built on Costa Rican soil. I cannot find any reference to an InGen subsidiary in Costa Rica in any of the canon, and since classifying InGen as a “smart” company gives me pause, it is entirely possible that lawsuits filed by American paleontologists, chaoticians, and tourists back in the United States could follow U.S. laws.

But assuming the United States law governs, what kind of disastrous bill is InGen in store for? Well, we know they were on the verge of Chapter 11 bankruptcy following the events of Jurassic Park, but what put them there? In California, where Jurassic Park was originally supposed to be built, the laws surrounding actual zoos are no laughing matter. Regulations control nearly every aspect of the park, from the specifications of building enclosures, right down to posting correct signage. In the eyes of the law, housing and maintaining a wild animal is virtually the same as working with uranium or using explosives. It is known as an “ultrahazardous activity.” Conducting these types of activities in California comes with a harsh legal consequence – the party conducting the activity is strictly liable for any injuries these animals cause to park patrons. In other words, even the most careful of zoos are likely to be held accountable for visitors wounded by the animals. Basically, even the countless miles of Jurassic Park electrified fences would not be able to hold back the costly verdict from an injured park-goer.

While the concept of a Jurassic Park may be fiction, the situation of an escaped wild animal in a zoo is certainly not. In 2011, a 300-pound gorilla named “Little Joe” escaped from his enclosure at the New England Zoo. After the gorilla attacked a two-year-old child, a jury found that the zoo failed to use reasonable care to keep the gorilla confined and awarded the child’s family a verdict of $175,000. Eerily enough, the most similar incident to Jurassic Park took place in the same state where the original park was supposed to be built. In 2007, a Siberian tiger jumped out of its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo and ran amok inside the park. Before being subdued, the tiger killed one boy and injured two brothers. The surviving brothers sued the zoo and settled for a costly $900,000 sum before trial.

With the deaths seen in Jurassic Park, it would not be unthinkable for a jury to award family members of the victims an even greater amount. Many factors are taken into consideration for a wrongful death suit. These can include the victim’s pre-death pain and suffering, funeral and burial cost, loss of income, loss of love and companionship, and value of services the victim could have provided, among many others. These concepts are purposefully abstract and let a jury determine an appropriate amount based on their own thoughts and experiences. A jury presented with a wrongful death case involving a mauling from an escaped velociraptor could run wild with these figures. While it is hard to speculate on an exact number, think upwards of a potential $1.5 million per victim if there’s no cap on the amount of damages a victim can receive.

Just as a side note, as expensive as the Jurassic Park incident would have been, it would not hold a candle to the expense of battling the lawsuits from the injured park-goers of Jurassic World. There is no doubt that the numerous attendees would have brought a class action lawsuit, and California law nearly assures that such an action has to be brought in California. If the Jurassic Park incident nearly put InGen into bankruptcy, the Jurassic World incident should have obliterated the Masrani Company. In the words of Claire Dearing, “We’d never reopen.”

This brings up assumption number two: InGen did not make the visiting dinosaur experts sign any waivers of liability. While such a waiver would not likely bar the injured guests from recovering money for their damages, it could put a cap on how much they could recover. In addition, it might force the victim to give up their right to a jury trial and mandate they attend arbitration instead. Arbitration is an alternate form of dispute resolution that divorces the issue from the government court systems. Rules can be more relaxed, and this can work in favor of the company in some cases. Most theme parks today include language on the back of their ticket stubs that stipulate arbitration as a mandatory requirement of enjoying the park. Next time you head to a big theme park, or even a sports event, check your ticket for what you are actually signing up for.

What are your thoughts on InGen being held accountable for their actions? Are costly settlements enough or should InGen execs just all be subjected to the same fate as Gennaro? Sound off with your opinions in the comments below.

Source: Gomez Law Firm, ABC News San Francisco, Boston Herald

OPINION: Robert Muldoon’s Undeserved Death

Posted on by Marcus McCowin

The socks. The hat. The accent. What did Robert Muldoon have in Jurassic Park that you don’t recall immediately? The game warden from Kenya was a man of high intellect. He had seen raptors at their most curious stages (for example, testing the electric fences for weaknesses), and I’m sure at their most admirable stages as well. He was taken out of the franchise too soon, and although I’m honestly not sure where else he would have fit in down the road, I think the possibility to see him again could have been there.

What Steven Spielberg did with Bob Peck’s outstanding character is genius. Sadly, on April 4th this year, it will have been 19 years since Bob Peck passed away from cancer. To honor his memory, let’s briefly discuss the stellar job he did with this character and why Robert Muldoon is a JP legend.

A common theme throughout most of the JP franchise is that good guys live and bad ones meet their ultimate demise. In fact, sometimes you don’t have to be a “bad guy” to seal your fate in this series — all you need is a lack of respect for the power of dinosaurs. If you see them as assets or look at them with dollar signs (I’m thinking of you, toilet boy), then you’re most likely as good as dead. Nedry, Genaro, Ludlow, Hoskins, Dieter Stark (with a particularly brutal and prolonged death); all met ends that seemed to make sense. They all had agendas that looked past the fact that these were big, powerful and living animals that deserved to be treated with more respect. One of them in particular, Dieter Stark, had a well-deserved death — death by what seemed to be a thousand compys eating him alive for zapping one of their own with a taser for no reason.

Other deaths came as a slight surprise. The character wasn’t money hungry, he or she didn’t not respect the animals. They were simply expendable, I guess. Think of Eddie Carr, Udesky and Zara. Eddie went out a hero, trying to save his new friends. I find his death to be one of the more depressing endings of a character in the JP universe. Udesky was just trying to help find a child. The worst thing Zara did was not pay better attention to her boss’ nephews. There are more of these types of deaths out there, but those are the ones that come to my mind first.

One of the reasons that Jurassic Park got this franchise started on such a powerful note is because some things happened that you never saw coming, including the death of Muldoon. You may have guessed that Genaro would die — but by being plucked off the toilet? Not many could have guessed that, I’m sure. When Nedry met his end (which I still find to be a particularly disturbing scene, bravo Mr. Spielberg), I knew it had to be done. He had caused so much destruction and loss of life due to his greed. But when he got back in his Jeep, I thought he had bought himself just a little more time. I was wrong. And who could have predicted Ray Arnold’s arm giving Ellie the surprise of her life?

And then there’s Muldoon. Muldoon had so much respect for these animals. It gives me shivers when he is crouching past the raptor enclosure with Ellie and he sees that they’ve escaped. The terror in his eyes and voice is unforgettable. Never once did we ever get the slightest hint that he cared about money. He didn’t want to see harm inflicted on a single person. He was genuinely angry that locking mechanisms had not yet been put on the vehicle doors, as an example of that. In the end, he gave his life to save Ellie’s and ultimately, the rest of the survivors. I still even find myself wondering if he was serious or sarcastic when he told the main group, “they should all be destroyed,” referring to the raptors. He watched Jophery die. He knew what these creatures were capable of and didn’t deserve what he was given.

With Muldoon, Spielberg had to make his audience understand that in this universe no one was truly safe. Respectful or not, these animals were vicious, cutthroat and your attitude towards them meant nothing in the end. The way he died was perfectly executed; he went out in a legendary way. The comfort that JP fans can take in his death is that he looked his predator in the eyes. He even got to acknowledge her intelligence and her hunting ability. In essence, when he gave us his last line, “clever girl,” he was basically saying, “Well done girl, you got me. Respect.” After that point, it’s best to not listen, because the JP legend goes down in a horrifying and undeserved way.

Jurassic Park is a fierce franchise with even more to come. Henry Wu is going to have a grisly end, you can bet on that. The theme of the first movie carries over through every installment of the series. That theme is that just because you made them, doesn’t mean these living creatures are mindless assets. Mills, Wheaton and others in Fallen Kingdom, like Hoskins, don’t get that. It’s probably a safe bet that they won’t make it out either. As Owen once said, “They’re alive. They’re thinkin’.. I gotta eat. I gotta hunt,” and, well, you know the rest.

What do you think? Do you think of Muldoon as a legendary JP character? Let us know your thoughts below!

If you’d like to discuss any and all thing JP with me, follow me on Twitter!

Mattel Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Thrash N Throw T Rex Video Review!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Mattel have spared no expense.

That is the resounding impression I have been left with after going hands on with their Jurassic World line at New York Toy Fair, and now with my very own here at home. I knew the toys were good when I saw them on display – but could they really stand on their own, were the paint applications really that good – you never know until you have the final item.

As it turns out, there was no smoke and mirrors. The toys have continued to impress with their outstanding quality, and innovative and fun play features. The new Thrash N Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex perhaps is the most innovative of the bunch, taking the typical large biting Rex toy and throwing in a new range of motion for exciting, and lifelike movement.

Check out the video review below, and read on for more specific impressions.

About the toy:

Relive the Big Screen Action-Adventure! Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! Relive captivating movie moments and exciting scenes with this line of film-inspired products featuring authentic detail, amazing design and incredible value fans will love!

Authentic Sculpting & Decoration
In the style of the fan-favorite character from the original Jurassic Park, Thrash ‘N Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex™ is back and better than ever with exciting action features, authentic sculpting and decoration.

Chomping & Stomping Sound Effects
In addition to authentic sculpt and decoration, Thrash ‘N Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex™ has sound effect features like chomping and stomping, an impressive roar and a HUGE bite.

Thrash & Throw Tail Activation
Thrash ‘N Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex™ can use her tail activation to open her mouth and pick up other human and dinosaur action figures, and then thrash and throw them across the room just like epic dinosaur action scenes from the movie!

Ages 3+
SRP $39.99
Releases April 16th, 2018

The Thrash N Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex measures about 21 inches long, stands on its own, and can roar, bite, stomp, and thrash its head with a total of 7 sounds. You can control the motions by moving its tail up and down, as well as left and right, which translates to the inverse motion on the head. The more you play, the more you can find ways to fine tune her movements, which can be surprisingly lifelike.

With the biting feature, you can have the T. rex lunge downward, biting and picking up other dinosaurs or humans that sit below her – from there you can thrash her body and head back and forth, until throwing the dino-food, much like the scenes in the Jurassic Park films.

The toy is large and detailed, with the most film accurate sculpt the series has seen! Not only does she have the bumps and scales she’s famous for, she has her scars from the end battles of Jurassic Park and World, easily making the toy a must for kids and collectors.

A fun new feature of this toy line is the Jurassic Facts App – each dino has a DNA strand QR code on their foot, which unlocks them within the app. As of the time of filming this review, the app was not yet available, however it has since launched on IOS. Check out our article here!

Also check out our reviews for the Action Attack Carnotaurus and Stegosaurus, plus a wide range of the Mattel Jurassic World toys from our Toy Fair 2018 gallery on Facebook here!


Video Review: Mattel Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Action Attack Stegosaurus!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Hot off the heels of our Action Attack Carnotaurus review, we have the striking Stegosaurus from Mattel!

It’s no secret the 2015 Jurassic World toys from Hasbro weren’t what fans were looking for, with a genuine lapse of quality that effected play factor for kids. Thankfully Mattel heard the comments of fans and parents alike, and answered with a toy line that has eclipsed our admittedly tough expectations.

Innovative features, competitive pricing, and fantastic quality have brought the dinosaurs to life with an incredibly diverse array of play patterns with an attention to details fans are sure to love.

Check out the video review of the Action Attack Stegosaurus review below!

About this toy:

Relive the Big Screen Action-Adventure! Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! Relive captivating movie moments and exciting scenes with this line of film-inspired products featuring authentic detail, amazing design and incredible value fans will love!

Authentic Sculpting & Decoration
Jurassic World Action Attack™ dinosaur figures feature realistic sculpting and authentic decoration that make these dinosaurs come to life ready for attack action!

Action Attack Features!
Get ready for the ultimate movie action with Action Attack™ Carnotaurus (press a button to make the head strike forward and jaws chomp) and Action Attack™ Stegosaurus (press a spine plate to trigger the tail swipe). It’s dinosaur attack moves and Jurassic World movie action in one!

Ages 4+
SRP $19.99
Available April 16th, 2018

The Mattel Jurassic World toys are made to properly size with one another, using the 3.75″ human action figures as the base scale – the Tyrannosaurs are appropriately large, towering over the smaller species like Dilophosaurus. The Stegosaurus is a large toy, measuring about 15 inches long, and features numerous points of articulation and a button activated tail swinging mechanism. As part of the Action Attack SKU, it is available alongside the Carnotaurus with a Suchomimus coming later this year.

While the toy is painted differently than the Stegosaurus of the film, the color and paint application used is quite aesthetically pleasing, and the sculpt is certainly accurate. The sculpt has lots of detail, and is quite sizey, making it easy and fun to play with, or great looking to display on a desk or shelf. The Action Attack feature is fun, and simply requires a firm press down on the rear plate for a fluid swinging motion.

As Mattel continues to roll out new toys, this Stegosaurus will remain much sought after, as for the time being, it’s the largest herbivore they’re offering. However, there are plenty of medium-large herbivores coming, in the form of the Roarivores Triceratops, Ankylosaurus, and Pachyrhinosaurus.

Check out a wide range of the Mattel Jurassic World toys, including the Action Attack Suchomimus, from our Toy Fair 2018 gallery on Facebook here!

A fun new feature of this toy line is the Jurassic Facts App – each dino has a DNA strand QR code on their foot, which unlocks them within the app. As of the time of this review, the app was not yet available, but we will cover it once it goes online! Stay tuned- we have more reviews of the Mattel toys coming soon, including the incredibly fun Thrash N’ Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex!


Claire Dearing is Unrepentant in New Dinosaur Protection Group Updates

Posted on by Chris Pugh

When Jurassic World released, the online discussion was mired with debate and controversy – sometimes forced, othertimes earned.

One of the talking points that stuck (other than high heels and Zara’s death) was Clarie Dearing’s (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) ownership of blame for the Jurassic World incident, which led to many civilian, staff, dinosaur, and private military deaths. As the parks Operations Manager, audiences questioned why the movie didn’t end with her being jailed – an argument that at the time I felt was weak, with no real gravitas.

The movie goes out of its way to show that InGen and Simon Masrani were running the show when it came to genetic research plus security controls, and that many less than savory characters were able to back channel their own projects due to Masrani’s eccentric aloofness. Claire’s responsibilities essentially fell into making their workings flow as an entertaining resort for guests and a profitable endeavor for their shareholders. Yes, she was part of the discussions that led to the Indominus Rex, and therefore owns some of the blame of the events that followed – however, she was second fiddle to many higher on the chain of command, and was not a Hammond like entrepreneur and owner.

So when people often called for to be jailed, I found myself going to bat for her character. It seemed most people arguing for her to be behind bars simply didn’t like her as a character, and were using this as an excuse to write her off. I don’t love Owen or Claire, as I felt both played out like comic book heroes, rather than real world people – but I don’t hate them, and feel that there is a story to be told from both players, with Claire offering more humanity than people gave credit.

So why is it that with every Dinosaur Protection Group update, I’m becoming less and less a fan of Claire’s?

In a new happy go lucky video from the DPG, Claire Dearing calls for your support in saving the dinosaurs. Much like the website of the advocacy group, it focuses on a friendly vibe, and pulls on the heartstrings of viewers of their nostalgic dinosaur encounters. While this is reflective of many forms of grassroots activism, it seems to sidestep many pertinent controversies and conflicts, burying them beneath a few layers of friendly gloss.

In the video above, Claire doesn’t remind viewers of the role she played in exploiting these animals herself – something I am readily able to forgive, should she take more ownership. In fact, the entire website paints the DPG as a naive organization, not ready to fully discuss the impact and implications resurrected prehistoric life has on the greater ecosystem. I suppose what really irks me, is that Claire and the DPG seem more interested in preserving the experience of the world being able to enjoy dinosaurs, rather than their value as a lifeform damned by mankinds actions.

The imminent eruption of Mount Sibo appears to be a convenient rallying call, but not the the core ethical dilemma driving the seemingly well meaning, but out of touch organization.

The inability to truly accept responsibility, nor deal with the greater implications and impact her past has had on animal rights was double downed upon with today’s update. In a faux newspaper article titled ‘OPINION: DINOSAUR RIGHTS – BIRTH OF AN ACTIVIST’, the foundation is set upon where the film will pick up. The debate on whether the dinosaurs of Isla Nublar have rights or if their corporate property rages on, and many are pointing fingers.

Perhaps most surprings is that Claire isn’t owning up to her role in the events that came before as way to earn authority over the talking points being presented, but rather shifts blame to Dr. Henry Wu only, painting him as a seedy villain for the press to focus upon. Perhaps Dr. Wu is a villain, or perhaps his role in the events of the past and future are more nuanced – while he certainly has a lot to answer for, Claire pushing that argument so strongly only acts to delegitmize any claim she attempts to showcase that she accepts any responsibility, and has grown as a person because of it.

As a viewer, I want to support the DPG. I want to feel that the organization is able to tackle the larger elements at play, and offer an actual intellectual argument for their cause. Animal rights are important, even within fiction, and the theme behind this film offers a nuanced ethical dilemma playing as the backdrop of the dino carnage that no doubt will play out. However, at this point, it seems the DPG are not prepared for the endeavor they’ve put themselves at forefront of – and perhaps that is an element within the film.

Will the DPG’s well meaning, but ill approached antics be exploited and lead to the death of more people, and the mistreatment of even more prehistoric fauna? It seems likely. I just hope Claire accepts more blame than the website currently implies, as her likability of a character, and believability of growth depends on it.

“Some of the worst things imaginable have been done with the best intentions.” – Dr. Alan Grant

There is a line in the sand between clear actions of good and evil, but most real world events and individuals never come close to a definitive side, operating unknowingly in a blurred grey area. What makes Jurassic Park so special is its focus and embrace of that concept. As of now, it seems the DPG is attempting to paint Claire as purely good, and Dr. Wu as a malicious counterweight – something that doesn’t sit right with me as a fan of films, nor do I feel the onscreen evidence entirely supports this.

Perhaps I’m asking for more nuance – or perhaps we’re given a peek into the DPG’s bias and Claire’s personality, who still has room to learn and grow. All will be answered this June with the release of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.

Agree – disagree – debate and share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned for the latest news!

Source: Dinosaur Protection Group

Video Review: Mattel Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Action Attack Carnotaurus!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Jurassic Park has a new definitive Carnotaurus toy.

Ahead of their release, we were lucky to get a hold of some of the upcoming new Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom toys from Mattel! Fans have eagerly anticipated this toy line, as it’s Mattel’s first foray into Jurassic Park, after winning the license from Hasbro (who had it since 1993 via Kenner).

After the disappointing 2015 toys by Hasbro, there was nowhere to go but up. Thankfully, Mattel didn’t settle for average and have exceeded expectations, delivering a fantastic toy line for kids and collectors, with innovative play features, competitive pricing, and fantastic quality. These toys have brought the dinosaurs to life with an incredibly fun array of play patterns with an attention to details fans are sure to love.

Check out this video review of the Action Attack Carnotaurus, where we start with an unboxing and go over it in detail, comparing it to some classic Jurassic toys for size and quality reference.

About this toy:

Relive the Big Screen Action-Adventure! Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! Relive captivating movie moments and exciting scenes with this line of film-inspired products featuring authentic detail, amazing design and incredible value fans will love!

Authentic Sculpting & Decoration
Jurassic World Action Attack™ dinosaur figures feature realistic sculpting and authentic decoration that make these dinosaurs come to life ready for attack action!

Action Attack Features!
Get ready for the ultimate movie action with Action Attack™ Carnotaurus (press a button to make the head strike forward and jaws chomp) and Action Attack™ Stegosaurus (press a spine plate to trigger the tail swipe). It’s dinosaur attack moves and Jurassic World movie action in one!

Ages 4+
SRP $19.99
Available April 16th, 2018

The Mattel Jurassic World toys are made to properly size with one another, using the 3.75″ human action figures as the base scale – the Tyrannosaurs are appropriately large, towering over the smaller species like Dilophosaurus. The Carnotaurus is a large toy, measuring about 15 inches long, and features numerous points of articulation and a button activated biting mechanism. As part of the Action Attack SKU, it is available alongside the Stegosaurus with a Suchomimus coming later this year.

Check out a wide range of the Mattel Jurassic World toys, including the Action Attack Suchomimus, from our Toy Fair 2018 gallery on Facebook here!

A fun new feature of this toy line is the Jurassic Facts App – each dino has a DNA strand QR code on their foot, which unlocks them within the app. As of the time of this review, the app was not yet available, but we will cover it once it goes online! Stay tuned- we have more reviews of the Mattel toys coming soon, including the Action Attack Stegosaurus and incredibly fun Thrash N’ Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex!

What Mattel Jurassic World toy are you most looking forward to? Sound off in the comments below!


Opinion: Jurassic Park 3’s Importance to the Franchise

Posted on by Marcus McCowin

I was eight years old when Jurassic Park III was released.

I can vividly remember jumping in the car with my mom and dad and heading to the theater. It was hard to believe they had made a 3rd movie. Dinosaurs and the Jurassic franchise were my thing. My sister had Disney princesses, my brother had NASCAR —I had dinosaurs. I loved JP 3. I still do. For a long time after the movie’s release, it was by far my favorite of the three in the franchise. I can remember opening a huge (but very light) box on Christmas morning in 2001 to find that silver VHS. I couldn’t have been happier.

Over the years I began to love each of the three films equally, because I love the individual personalities that they bring to the screen. Jurassic Park brings wonder and awe of these amazing animals. The Lost World brings a feeling of wilderness and safari while exploring the dinosaur universe. Then Jurassic Park III came along and delivered a type of big-action, jungle vibe that was altogether different from the first two. I’m not saying that any of these three films are perfect. There are flaws in them as there are in every movie. However, they are darn good and entertaining. The question still stands — was Jurassic Park III a good stand-alone movie and solid addition to this franchise at the time? Maybe not. What is awesome, however, is that with the addition of a new trilogy and backstory, fans may want to take another look at it and its newfound place in the Jurassic universe.

Once I became more in touch with the internet as I got older, I realized something that both surprised and bothered me. There was some serious hate (and still is) being thrown JP 3’s way. I couldn’t believe it and had no idea why. Once I dug further, I realized it came from two main sources — Spinosaurs killing a T-rex (not even our beloved Rexy,) and the Kirbys.

The fight between the Spinosaurus and T-rex is something that will live in Jurassic infamy for fans. At that point in paleontology, Spino was considered the biggest and most ferocious animal to walk the Earth. I don’t think everyone properly understood at the time, but the T-rex in JP 3 is young. This information comes from the Wiki information of the Jurassic franchise, as well as the dinosaur size charts for the films. This rex was more than likely an inexperienced fighter as well. This fight could have absolutely been handled better by the screenwriters. But to hate the movie over a fight? That doesn’t make sense to me.

Dr. Grant said that Spinosaurus “wasn’t on InGen’s list,” and it made him wonder what else they were up to. Flash forward 14 years to Jurassic World — we can now venture a guess as to what InGen may have been dabbling in at that time. When Grant said that in JP 3, no one had any idea that the franchise was going to carry on, and the movie ended with hardly any other mention of InGen. We now know the origin of Spinosaurus, thanks to the Dinosaur Protection Group (DPG). Spino was one of several secret experiments by InGen, which began after Masrani acquired them in the late 90’s. DPG gave extra meaning to JP 3 by explaining where its main antagonist came from. No longer do we need to be confused as to why this beast seemingly fell from the sky.

Dr. Grant also gives a chilling warning in JP3 that now seems to foreshadow Jurassic World. He tells Billy “some of the worst things imaginable have been done with the best intentions.” In Jurassic World, Vic Hoskins makes me believe that he has good intentions, even though his end game is more than likely making big money from his Indoraptor idea. In the end he loses his life, but before that, a large part of his concern is saving the lives of soldiers via militarized raptors. Grant’s words can really resonate with you when you see clips of the Indominus and Indoraptor wreaking havoc. In fact, I would get chills if they inserted his quote into the Fallen Kingdom trailer.

If the new Jurassic World trilogy did not exist now, would you care whatsoever about what InGen was up to back in the early 2000’s? Or care to wonder where Spinosaurus came from? Most likely not. If you look back at the movie now and listen to the confusion in Grant’s voice, it’s interesting to think (and now know) what Masrani’s acquired InGen team was working on somewhere in the world.

Jurassic fans should be happy with how much raptor intelligence was explored in the third film. We learned about their communication, their ability to set traps and their fierce loyalty to keeping their young in their possession. Jurassic Park let us know the preliminary information on these animals, but JP 3 really dove in. For this reason, it allowed me to be able to buy into the fact that they can be trained. Raptors are supposed to be brilliantly smart creatures. If dolphins, gorillas and whales can be trained, why couldn’t raptors? This is especially true when they come in contact with their alpha from birth, just like Owen. I totally bought into the idea that raptors could be trained, and a large part of that reason was because of how smart they were portrayed to be in JP 3.

In the movie, the Kirbys may have been slightly annoying, but at the end of the day they’re supposed to be parents scared to death that their son is dead. Amanda also did something that had a roundabout effect on what is going on in the Jurassic universe today. When escaping from the Pteranodon enclosure, she doesn’t take the time to fully shut the door. This allows the Pteranodons to escape their cage and flee from the island. It is now a known fact that those Pteranodons ended up in Canada. Who was tasked with the job of corralling them up? Vic Hoskins. And because of the excellent job and manner in which he presented his team in Canada, he was hired by Simon Masrani. A few years later, with his job at InGen, Hoskins would be plotting with Henry Wu to make an ultimate weapon of war — the Indoraptor.

It’s my theory that Hoskins and Wu worked to come up with something like the Indominus. They made it. They wanted it to escape. And when it did, Hoskins knew that he could exploit Owen’s raptors’ intelligence and tracking ability to hunt it. Then after their success, he could really push the idea of a shrunken Indominus without the T-rex DNA to use for war.

So now go back to Amanda running from the Pteranodon enclosure. If she stops to shut that door properly, does any of this ever take place? I think that’s a fair question. Would there be hybrid dinosaurs? Probably. In the late 1990’s, Wu was successfully creating hybrid plants. I think it would have only been a matter of time before he went to hybrid dinosaurs. However, would he have been corrupted in the way he was after Hoskins got to him? Hard to say for certain.

Is Jurassic Park III perfect? No. But, I find it highly entertaining, with great-looking dinos and fantastic graphics. Standing as a third and potentially final installment of the franchise, I would say this movie is lackluster. However, being the middle piece of the puzzle that fills in some gaps gives it meaning and value. When you watch this movie today, you can relate it to the future of the Jurassic franchise much better than you could have for the last 17 years. Today, its dialogue and premise makes sense and should be appreciated more for what it is.

What are your thoughts on what Jurassic Park 3 adds to the franchise? Sound off in the comments below!

Opinion: Who Should Direct Jurassic World 3?

Posted on by Maggie Rachael


It’s official: we now have a release date for the third film in the Jurassic World franchise! Set to be released on June 11, 2021, this third film has fans everywhere excited. However, the announcement of a third film begs one very large, very important question:

Who’s going to direct it?

Who can bring about those classic Jurassic Park sensibilities and inject those intense elements that fans love so dearly, while still putting their own mark on the film? By no means is directing a franchise of such a large caliber an easy job, but there are many directors out there who have proved that they are more than capable of reining in a few wayward dinos (and a few more wayward actors).

But, it takes something special to create a truly unique film that appeals to everybody, and with the clear sign that diverse movies sell well, it’s high time that the directors and stars of a franchise as big as Jurassic World change to reflect the vast fanbase.

So, we present (in no particular order), a list of five diverse, talented people I believe would serve the Jurassic franchise well:

(Source: IMDb)

Ava DuVernay

Arguably the biggest name on this list, DuVernay is one of the spearheads of a new era of Hollywood blockbusters: those that are diverse, and tell diverse stories. And that’s exactly what the Jurassic franchise needs. While we’ve always had women at the forefronts of these tales, and they’re certainly not just there to look pretty, bringing someone like DuVernay in could open up endless opportunities to put people of color in the spotlight in one of the biggest film franchises in history. From the success of films like Black Panther, it’s clear that diverse films sell, and it feels like it’s time for the Jurassic franchise to catch up.

Projects like Selma prove that DuVernay has the determination and the intense ardor needed to create a great film, as well as tell a story that it is far more than what it seems to be on the surface. DuVernay is devoted to creating a n entire experience within her films – an admirable quality that gives her a seat at the table of Hollywood’s best contemporary directors.

And of course, the director’s previous work shows excellent examples of the whimsy and nostalgia that everyone feels when they watch (or rewatch) the original Jurassic Park – just look at what we’re expecting to see from A Wrinkle in Time. DuVernay tells very human stories while balancing it with the magic we all want to feel, and could bring something totally different to Jurassic World 3 that would change the game entirely.

(Source: IMDb)

Karyn Kusama

Having won awards from both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals for her films, Karyn Kusama certainly has the experience necessary to helm a Jurassic film with the poise and determination it takes to make a great film.

Her work on the horror-comedy Jennifer’s Body is highly underrated, and like DuVernay, Kusama is a woman of color who could bring a much-needed lens of diversity to the film. (When making her debut, Girlfight, she insisted that the protagonist be Latina rather than whitewashed to become a white actress’ star vehicle.) And, in addition to that, Kusama’s roots in horror with works like Jennifer’s Body and The Invitation can lend an unsettling quality to the Jurassic films – one that could bring the grit back around that Crichton’s original novels offer so effectively.

Kusama’s work with female-centric works like Girlfight, her breakout film, and the all-female horror anthology XX, also indicate a perspective that the Jurassic franchise could use. The idea of strong, independent, Sexy Lamp Test-passing females has been a staple of the films for the past twenty-five years, but we could always use more. Third film’s the charm, right?

(Source: IMDb)

Ana Lily Amirpour

Amirpour is perhaps best known for her 2014 vampire drama, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, as well as 2016’s The Bad Batch, a post-apocalyptic story featuring Keanu Reeves, Jason Momoa, and a one-armed Suki Waterhouse. She’s straight and to-the-point with her storytelling – there’s no creatively masking violence or insecurity, and the directness helps to build the brave new worlds her characters exist in and interact with.

Her work is delightfully bizarre, but also carries with it a heavy sense of sharpness and honesty that few other filmmakers can display in such intense genre films. She tells compelling stories using the bare minimum amount elements, and it’s clear that she knows exactly what she’s trying to achieve with each new project.

Amirpour only has two feature-length credits to her name – plus a directing credit on an upcoming episode of Legion – but other franchises have had clear success pulling directors from small, indie film backgrounds (see: Taika Waititi’s successful turn directing Thor: Ragnarok) and Amirpour’s style is perhaps exactly what the franchise needs. A bit strange, more than a bit dramatic, and pointedly different.

(Source: IMDb)

Sarah Adina Smith

Sarah Adina Smith is a woman known for her off-the-wall takes on the human psyche and the human experience. These tales have won several awards, including multiple Best Film awards for 2014’s The Midnight Swim, the story of three women unable to let go of the death of their mother. Off-the-wall is precisely what the Jurassic films need to continue pushing the envelope of the sci-fi genre, so why not put Smith in the driver’s seat?

Like Amirpour, Smith is also directing an upcoming episode of Legion, suggesting her propensity for stretching the limits of audiences’ imaginations to create an unbelievable world of sci-fi and fantasy – much like Michael Crichton did when he originally published Jurassic Park.

The indie director says that her approach to film is not intentionally unconventional – in an interview with Daily Dead, she said that “it’s all about listening and seeing what [the] movie wants to be, and letting the movie have a life of its own, and letting it dictate where it wants to go, and being less controlling about the process”. What would happen if she were made head of a large film like Jurassic World 3? Perhaps the story would go in a direction that no one ever imagined it could go, slipping down a rabbit hole that could reinvigorate the entire franchise with something fresh and different.

(Source: IMDb)

Julia Ducournau

Many of the women on this list are those who work in horror and have no qualms with getting their hands dirty to make a good film. Julia Ducournau has perhaps the dirtiest, bloodiest history of any of these directors, diving straight into body-horror with her first film. But, that type of blood, sweat, and tears in her work betrays a true, deep humanity that could lend incredibly well to the characters in Jurassic World, making them more than simply characters in an action film.

Her breakout film, Raw, examines the human condition through a very inhuman lens, taking the audience to new extremes to discuss something very close to them. Ducournau’s narrative of a teenage cannibal at veterinary school deconstructs the way people – specifically women – are looked at and how society treats them, turning a genre film from simply something that makes viewers faint to a dark commentary on social politics.

Cannibalism and dinosaurs aren’t exactly the same thing, but Ducournau’s method of storytelling is one that could apply well to the Jurassic franchise. The politics of genetic cloning and animals rights are being hotly debated in today’s society, and offering someone like Ducournau the opportunity to take the reins of a big budget sci-fi franchise could take audiences down a yellow brick road of genre horror – replacing the glitter on the audience’s ruby slippers with a bit of blood, of course.

What do you think? Who are your picks to direct the third Jurassic World installment? Let us know in the comments below!