It's out in theaters Friday: Is "Renaissance" the best "Jurassic Park" since Spielberg? Here's what we think
Cedric Coppola Published on 07/01/2025 at 8:20 p.m., updated on 07/01/2025 at 8:20 p.m.
Five years after Jurassic World: The World After , the planet's environment has proven hostile to most dinosaurs. Those that remain live in isolated equatorial zones, in conditions close to those of their origin. Among these terrifying creatures, three specimens may hold the key to a cure capable of changing the fate of humanity...
Spectacular and emotional sequencesGareth Edwards has a gift: that of appropriating cult blockbusters without distorting the essence of the franchises. This is evidenced by his Rogue One , a suicide mission in the Star Wars universe, and therefore this Renaissance which stands out as the best Jurassic Park opus since those directed by Steven Spielberg. All his strength lies in his ability to offer sequences that are both spectacular and emotional. We will notably mention this inspired passage in which a young girl tries to go unnoticed by a sleeping T-Rex, but that the slightest noise could wake. Previously, the audience will have been treated to a memorable attack at sea, which perfectly illustrates the smallness of man in the face of these colossal beasts.
With its successful special effects, its ability to capture the force of nature – a recurring theme in Edwards's cinema – and its performances by Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and the revelation Jonathan Bailey who, without losing any virility, "deconstructs" the image of the action movie superhero, the blockbuster establishes itself as a summer entertainment. And this, despite an initial pitch based on a scientific quest that only serves as a pretext to multiply the thrills and a more conventional unfolding than hoped.
BY GARETH EDWARDS (United States), with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali... Action. 2h13. Our rating: 4/5.
Gareth Edwards sought to capture the essence of survival stories by playing on the unpredictability of adventurers faced with dinosaurs: "Children love them because they awaken a primal instinct, this fear that a monster is hiding under the bed or in the shadows. Even if, as we grow up, we forget this fear, a film like this revives it, because it feels right, even in its absurdity." This narrative approach is based on the idea that dinosaurs embody a universal threat, anchored in our DNA.
From Godzilla to the dinosComparing his experience on Godzilla to Jurassic World: Renaissance , Edwards points out the difference in creature dynamics: "With Godzilla, it's a force of nature, like a hurricane, destroying buildings without hunting individually. Dinosaurs, on the other hand, stalk their prey, which allows for moments of tension and escape." The smaller scale offered creative freedom: "It was a real relief to work with creatures that can walk into a room, allowing for dynamic chase sequences, like a roller-coaster ride."
Dolores, a character apartDolores, the small Aqualops dinosaur, described as cute in the script, was a challenge for Edwards, who wanted to avoid over-sentimentalism: "I don't like animals that are too cute in movies. We treated the Aqualops like a real animal, without anthropomorphizing it." To ensure its authenticity, the team relied on real-life references: "We asked the animators to keep the unexpected behaviors, like those of a cat, so that the Aqualops seemed out of control, like a real animal."
In the footsteps of SpielbergA striking scene, in which a young girl walks past a sleeping T-Rex, is inspired by stories such as Jack and the Beanstalk : "The studios were worried that a T-Rex wouldn't wake up if someone was that close, but that's what makes it a scary moment, and it harks back to tales of challenging a giant." Interestingly, Edwards discovered that this sequence came from the script of the first Jurassic Park : "When I learned it was in the original script for Spielberg's film, I saw it as an exciting challenge to achieve what he hadn't been able to do at the time due to budgetary reasons."
Nature at the heart of the storyThe theme of nature is central to the film: "Blockbusters are modern myths, journeys to strange lands where we confront creatures." The choice to shoot in Thailand, at Phang Nga Bay, reinforces this immersion: "These landscapes, with their spectacular rock formations, gave authenticity to the performances. The actors really felt the sweat and fatigue, far from the green screen studios," comments the filmmaker.
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