July 18, 2001

By Veronica Mixon

I'm sure there are some critics who wanted the filmmakers of JURASSIC PARK III to heed Sam Neill's warning "You can't land the plane!" But, I'm not one of them! As a fan of the first two "Jurassic Park" films, I was curious what Spielberg and Company could come up with to continue this imaginative series. Well, they've invented 'super' dinosaurs far scarier than the Velociraptors and they're screaming good fun to watch.

JURASSIC PARK III opens with a reckless man treating a young boy, Eric (Trevor Morgan) to an illegal kite ride over the dinosaur island, Isla Nublar located near Costa Rica. Cut to Dr. Alan Grant (Neill)struggling to raise funds for his new theory of Velociraptor Intelligence but no one is interested. It's eight years since Grant first visited John Hammond's engineered theme park and funding has simply dried up. So, when a rich adventurer Paul Kirby (William Macy) and his wife, Amanda (Téa Leoni) approach him about flying low over Isla Nublar, Grant gives in to their request. He and his dedicated assistant, Billy (Alessandro Nivola) accompanies the Kirbys to the island with a couple of pilots, Udesky (Michael Jeter) and Nash (Bruce A. Young), and a mysterious man in shades called Cooper (John Diehl). Of course, the unthinkable happens as Grant yells, "Don't land the plane!"

Grant discovers he's been double-crossed because the Kirbys are searching for their son, Eric and the entire party are totally unprepared for the enormous killer dinosaurs. They are fast, intelligent and they have a ferocious appetite. Grant realizes that they've not only multiplied but they are as intelligent as he imagined.

JURASSIC PARK III is a breathtaking romp that will pin you to the edge of your seat. There are dinosaurs everywhere - on land, in the sea and in the air and it's exhilarating! Spielberg and director Joe Johnston ("Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, "Jumanji" and "October Sky") also introduce a new dinosaur, someone more powerful than the T-rex and he is Spinosaurus. He's bigger, with a long toothy jaw and he has a sail shaped back. 'Spino' was the biggest meat-eater and he menaces the group throughout the film. The filmmakers even give him a funny way of announcing his presence - a ringing cell phone from one of his victims.

Like the previous "Jurassic Park" films, this one includes touches of domestic conflict: a fighting divorced couple, adults with money problems and adults dealing with overblown ambition. And, of course, there is the other staple of these great adventures: a smart kid. Eric played marvelously by Trevor Morgan has fresh survival instincts and like the kid from "Aliens," he's able to lend his intelligence to the group's escape plan. Morgan, who was last seen with Mel Gibson in "The Patriot," is the gifted actor who portrayed a kid battling cancer on TV's "ER" a few seasons back. He's quite good here and his character easily bonds with Grant.

The rest of the ensemble cast is perfect, too. Alessandro Nivola ("Boys Don't Cry") is earnest as the ambitious protégé and of course, Sam Neill, the star of the first "Jurassic Park," has appeared in "The Horse Whisperer," "Restoration," "The Hunt for Red October" and "Dead Calm." He's smart and steadfast as Grant. We laugh out loud as the search party ignores his advice and then suffer the consequences.

Both William H. Macy ("Fargo," "State and Main") and Téa Leoni ("The Family Man," "Deep Impact") are excellent as the battling parents. Leoni is the brittle mother who can't admit that she's at fault for placing her son in danger and Macy is the quiet, unassuming dad who proves his mettle.

As family entertainment, the "Jurassic Park" films have always explored the idea of man's ego and greed, his fancy ideas about playing God and interfering with nature and the vile agenda of international corporations. These are all interesting things to consider as you're watching an entertaining popcorn movie. Spielberg and Company have always been criticized for producing mindless special effects movies but I've never found that to be the case. JURASSIC PARK III, like the previous two films, touches on some intriguing social issues, while giving its audience a glorious visual ride.