Jurassic World: Rebirth

My View:  Jurassic World: Rebirth  (2025)  PG-13  In Jurassic World: Rebirth, scientists are on the brink of a groundbreaking medical breakthrough. The only problem is that they need DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures that are living on an isolated and forbidden island. Zora (Scarlett Johansson), a mercenary-for-hire, is tapped to lead a group of scientists to obtain the samples. I am going to call this film “Island of the Misfit Dinos.” While I think this is a better film than the last two Jurassic World pics (Fallen Kingdom, Dominion), primarily because of the action sequences, the plot is razor thin, with the film telling us that dinosaurs were genetically cross-bred to give the viewing public more exciting and thrilling dinosaurs to stare at (or get killed by when things go wrong) as if Raptors and T-Rex weren’t scary enough! The film blends two groups of people: one, a family out on a sailboat trip (along with one lazy boyfriend) and a group of mercenaries hired to take a paleontologist (Jonathan Bailey) to an island to get DNA samples from three gigantic dinosaurs to make a heart cure that will save millions and make even more money. The two groups come together when some dinos decide that they don’t like boats or people trying to take their DNA. The film makes numerous callbacks to the original film, but the sense of wonderment and stunning visuals we experienced then are not matched by this film. There is a lot of needless setup, mostly to let us know that the pharmaceutical rep Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) is a bad dude and that some of our heroes have lost people in the recent past. Adding to the fun is a family that, in most films, would be chomped by the dinosaurs in the first few minutes because they keep doing really stupid stuff. And don’t get me started on the dinosaurs, some of which are genetically modified creatures, including the big, bad dinosaur that we are supposed to be terrified of at the end of the film. The problem is that its head looked a lot like Sloth from The Goonies, and it looked to me to keep changing sizes in the last fifteen minutes of the film. There are some fun action sequences, and there is some good chemistry between Johansson and Bailey. However, Jurassic World: Rebirth takes too long to get going and then throws in lots of nostalgic vibes while also introducing numerous dinosaurs that we know nothing about.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Jurassic World: Rebirth Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View:  The Old Guard 2  (2025)   R  The Old Guard 2 is about Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors who continue on their mission to fight evil and protect humanity. They have to face a formidable new foe who threatens the very fabric of the Old Guard and, at the same time, deal with the return of an immortal thought to be long lost. Just one catch.  Andy is now mortal, and so the stakes are much higher. In my review of the first film, I mentioned I wouldn’t mind seeing the gang from The Old Guard make another film. I got my wish, but it would have been nice to have been here sooner. If you haven’t seen The Old Guard film or only saw it when it was released in 2020, I recommend watching it before seeing this film. I didn’t rewatch the film, and I will admit that I was lost for about the first fifteen minutes before I got my bearings and figured out what was happening. The film features two new principal characters: one, played by Veronica Ngo, is from Andy’s past and may be out for revenge, and the other, a new villain in Discord, is played by Uma Thurman. While not as enjoyable as the first film, as it forgets how good the banter and chemistry was between the gang of immortals, the action sequences still are kick-ass, and Theron doesn’t disappoint with her star power in commanding a scene. Add in the fact that we get to see a couple of nasty battles between Thurman and Theron’s characters, and it still makes it an enjoyable film to watch. A bit of warning: there is a setup at the end of the film for a third movie to follow.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Old Guard 2 Website    Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Heads of State  (2025)   PG-13   In Heads of State, the UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and US President Will Derringer (John Cena), who don’t like each other, must form an alliance when they escape from a terrorist attack and are stuck out in the world where they are targets of a powerful enemy. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world if they can just get along. This is a fun comedy/action film reminiscent of the buddy cop action films of the 1980s and 1990s. It’s a film where two characters don’t like or respect each other but are forced to work together for the good of keeping the world safe from evil forces. Cena is perfect as Will Derringer, a former action star who, because of his popularity and nice-guy persona, has been elected President of the United States. Idris Elba plays Sam Clarke, a career politician who openly supported Derringer’s opponent, and resents the fact that Will’s idea of politics is what he used to do up on the screen. Added to the mix is Priyanka Chopra Jones, playing a British MI6 agent who shares a past with Sam. I wish I had seen this film on the big screen instead of my TV as the action sequences are fun and thrilling, with a great opening sequence when Noel and her agents take on the bad guys during the La Tomatina festival in Spain, where everyone joins in a tomato throwing battle that turns into a real fight. When President Derringer and Prime Minister Clarke barely escape an assassination plot, they are forced to band together and try to find their way back to safety, but the bad guys aren’t far behind. I will admit the banter between the two leads gets a little overdone, with some lines feeling forced. However, the action sequences are fun and exciting, with an outstanding car chase sequence that is thrilling to watch. Heads of State is a fun action film to watch with the family over a weekend, accompanied by lots of popcorn and maybe a bit of fish and chips for an after-movie dinner.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Heads of State Website   Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

My View:  40 Acres  (2025)  R  40 Acres takes place in a famine-decimated future where Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) and her family are the last remnants of African American farmers who settled in rural Canada in 1875. Their descendants survived the first Civil War, and now the Freemans must make their own stand against those intent on taking their home. Danielle Deadwyler gives a spellbinding performance of a single-minded leader of a family who she constantly drills into her family that they can’t let their guard down in order to ensure their safety in a world where the only thing they can depend on is each other. Right from the opening sequence, when we see Hailey and her family take down an invading force with skill and precision, without remorse or hesitation, it becomes clear that this is a very different world in which the family is living in. It’s a world where everyone wants what the Freeman family has: a farm that provides them with food. What sets this film apart from other recent horror films is that the invaders coming aren’t zombies, but ordinary people desperate to take what the Freemans have. The film constantly ups the tension, fueled by Hailey’s constant paranoia as she keeps watch from the outside world invading her beloved farm. 40 Acres features some outstanding twists and turns, some of which I didn’t see coming, culminating in a final sequence that offers heart-pounding action sequences that will have you wondering if you can survive this movie, much less if the Freeman family can.   My Rating: Full Price  40 Acres Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  North Country  (2005)  R  Josey Aimes (Charlize Theron) takes her two kids, leaves her abusive boyfriend, and moves back to her hometown in Minnesota. Josey takes a job as a miner, but she is not welcome by the men in the mine, as she has ‘taken a job from a man.” There are other women miners in the company, but most keep their heads down and suffer from harassment and obscenities hurled at them. Josey is picked on because she is new and because she shares a past with her supervisor, Bobby (Jeremy Renner), who wants her to quit. Her only ally is a union rep, Glory (Frances McDormand), who tells her the only way is not to confront the men. Josey can’t take it anymore and hires a local lawyer (Woody Harrelson) to take the owners of the mine to court. Based on a true story, North Country is anchored by two Academy Award-nominated performances by Theron and McDormand. It is a movie that will make you mad and cheer when Josey gets the better of the men and the mine owners. It’s a moving film that packs a powerful punch. My Rating: Full Price  North Country Info   The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Jurassic World: Rebirth:  Personal Hair to Miss Johansson 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Weapons  (2025)  R   One morning, at 2:17 am, every child except one from Mrs. Gandy's class woke up and left their homes, never to be seen again. What happened to the seventeen children, and how can a community discover their fate? The cast includes Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, and June Diane Raphael. Weapons is from filmmaker Zach Cregger, known for his award-winning 2023 film Barbarian.  Weapons Website The movie is in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 8, 2025. 

Until Next Time!