“Jurassic World Rebirth” follows a team of operatives who aim to secure genetic material from dinosaurs on an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park. 

I’m not going to sugarcoat it – the first hour of “Jurassic World Rebirth” had me wishing the franchise had gone extinct.

A Lifeless Main Cast

The film spends a large chunk of the early runtime introducing its characters. Despite an ensemble of talented actors, every single performance is… bland. 

Scarlett Johansson (Zora), Mahershala Ali (Duncan), Jonathan Bailey (Dr. Henry Loomis) and Rupert Friend (Martin) bring plenty of star power. But none of it helps when the characters feel this hollow. The entire lead cast delivers lifeless performances, weighed down by flat writing and thin characterization.

While some might argue that people don’t watch “Jurassic” movies for the characters, that’s not entirely true. This is a franchise built on iconic figures like Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm. “Rebirth” doesn’t follow suit, instead offering a roster of uninspired, one-note characters.

The Real Stars are the Side Characters

It’s the supporting players who steal the show. David Iacono (Xavier), Luna Blaise (Teresa), Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (Reuben) and Audrina Miranda (Isabella) inject much-needed energy and humor into the film.

These four light up the screen whenever they appear. Iacono, in particular, adds a welcome comedic spark that outshines the flick’s leads. 

Brief Sparks of Dinosaur Magic

For brief instances, “Jurassic World Rebirth” captures the magic this series was built on. Sometimes in calmness, others in chaos, the film taps into that awe, wonder and fear that dinosaurs bring. Two scenes in particular, show the steep contrast between the beauty and terror that these creatures represent. 

Sadly, those moments are few and far between.

Much like the previous “Jurassic World” films, “Rebirth” struggles to provide a fully immersive experience. The over-reliance on CGI is apparent, and this film, especially, loses its sense of surrealism. 

It’s not entirely doom and gloom, though. The back half of “Jurassic World Rebirth” finds a pulse, delivering enough dinosaur-fueled chaos to partially redeem the first hour’s disaster. The payoff arrives – just a bit too late.

It’s clear that the “Jurassic” franchise isn’t going away anytime soon. “Jurassic World Rebirth” will print money at the box office, but the movie itself is another step in the wrong direction.

The dinosaurs deserve better… and so do we.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5