“Celebrate one of the biggest movie franchises of all time with Jurassic Park 25^th Anniversary Collection! From Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park), Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park III) and Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World), dinosaurs once again roam the Earth in an amazing theme park on a remote island. The action-packed adventures find man up against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking filmmaking, these epic films are sheer moviemaking magic which were 65 million years in the making. Welcome to Jurassic Park.”

Jurassic Park

The Jurassic Park films need no introduction. They are a staple of many a childhood, the inspiration of a generation that are still entertaining audiences 25 years later. Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park is easily the definition of movie magic. As a kid seeing it for the first time in theatres I was transfixed by it all, seeing the film multiple times and I’m sure like many others, became fascinated with dinosaurs in an entirely new level. Spielberg has captured that magic before and many times since, but Jurassic Park for me easily tops them all.

To this day, the film holds up these 25 years later, which is very impressive given the ground-breaking effects that were used. Originally wanting to do full animatronic and stop-motion animation, Spielberg was shown a sample and made the right decision to bet on the special effects. Even though the technology has grown by leaps and bounds, Jurassic Park still looks very impressive, which can be attributed largely to the great care and consideration for the film as it emerges from format to format.

Video

Jurassic Park is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 with HDR10. While the film certainly looks amazing in its brilliant display and wide range of color, there are a few technical issues that were more evident thanks to the clearer picture. Several blemishes were visible in certain scenes, as well as a kind of halo effect in some of the darker scenes. Although this doesn’t plague the disc throughout the entire film, it can be a bit distracting to those who notice those types of things. For the most part, however, the film can display moments of brilliant clarity with a perfect balance of color. Grain is kept consistent and manageable throughout the film as well.

The Blu-Ray disc included in the set comes in at 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 and is the same release as the previous set previously released.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS:X and I believe to be one of the best things about the disc. The track is amazingly powerful, with a truly great balance between the surrounds and center channel. When you hear the T-Rex roar for the first time, or the piercing screeches of the Velociraptors, you’ll feel like they’re in the room with you. The film is then graced with the music of John Williams which has never sounded better.

Special Features

The extras are located on the Blu-Ray disc, and as I mentioned is the same as the previously released version containing the same extras, which include:

• Return to Jurassic Park: Dawn of a New Era
• Return to Jurassic Park: Making Prehistory
• Return to Jurassic Park: The Next Step in Evolution
• Archival Featurettes
• Behind the Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer
• Jurassic Park: Making the Game

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Spielberg’s second film, The Lost World: Jurassic Park adds a fascinating new storyline of a second island where the dinosaurs are genetically created, bred, and nurtured until they are big enough to move to the main island. Added on also are a number of great new characters, as well as returning characters of Ian Malcom, and small amounts of John Hammond and his grandchildren Lex and Tim. It’s a thrilling race against the clock as Hammond’s company Ingen has been taken from him, and have sent their own team to take dinosaurs off the island in order to try to make a profit and save the company from ruin.

What I enjoyed most about the film was how different it was from the first in certain ways. We get a broader display of the reaction from the rest of the world of this fantastical feat of genetic engineering, with the majority unbelieving of the tales that dinosaurs have been brought back from extinction. Conservation is another large theme they explore, as the company seeks to capture and own these creatures to display, the flip side wants to leave the animals to flourish on their own with mankind staying out of their way.

Although overall I have always loved the film, I think the general consensus is that the film takes an odd turn when what you could call a fourth act comes up as they take a sedated T-Rex off the island and it escapes on the mainland. Not only is it marred with plot holes due to the fact the film had to be cut down (i.e. the dead crew), but its only real purpose seems to be to really hit the nail on the head that interfering with the natural evolution of things is a bad idea. It has always felt out of place to me, almost like a tacked on ending that was meant to be very different.

Video

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 with HDR10. The 4k presentation seems to be a much better transfer than the first, with none of the halo effects in the darker scenes noticed. In fact, the majority of the film looks fantastic, dark scenes and all, with the HDR really making those colors pop, especially the greens that are prominent throughout the film.

The Blu-Ray disc included in the set comes in at 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 and is the same release as the previous set previously released.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS:X, and like the first film the audio track is simply amazing. Levels sound great as usual, with the dinosaur roars sounding like you’re there with them. The score is equally impressive, although John Williams can’t top his original theme, there are some very worthy pieces to be considered.

Special Features

The extras are located on the Blu-Ray disc which includes:

• Deleted Scenes
• Return to Jurassic Park: Finding The Lost World
• Return to Jurassic Park: Something Survived
• Archival Featurettes
• Behind the Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Jurassic Park III

Jurassic Park III again brings back a pivotal character from the original, Alan Grant, and finds a way to get him to Isla Sorna, the setting of the second film, while trying to rescue a boy who became lost while parasailing nearby. Trying to do something a little different, they introduced a new bigger and meaner dinosaur, the Spinosaurus, to make the T-Rex pale in comparison, which didn’t sit well with a lot of fans, as the king of the dinosaurs is easily beaten early on in the film.

I may be in the minority that actually really enjoys Jurassic Park III, which definitely takes a darker turn both in tone and in the story. Focusing more on the genetic monstrosities that InGen created, the story, and Alan Grant specifically, adamantly proclaim these creations not to be dinosaurs but monsters created in a lab. These experiments are lightly touched upon, with the Spinosaurus being the larger of the experiments. I’ll admit that the magic of the first film is gone when it comes to smaller children; some of the scenes are actually downright frightening. The Pterodactyl scene in itself is something straight out of a horror film as it comes out of the fog. However, when you naturally explore the evolution of the theme of genetic power and the right to wield it, it’s hard not to show the worst possible outcomes that power may take us in the wrong hands.

Video

Jurassic Park III is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 with HDR10. While this certainly isn’t the best looking of the set, the transfer looks clear and detailed throughout most of the film. The film overall is much darker tonally as I mentioned, but also reflects that in the lighting throughout. There aren’t any defects or blemishes of note, but the darker tone of the film seems to hinder some of the potential of the HDR in delivering some very brilliant brights.

The Blu-Ray disc included in the set comes in at 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 and is the same release as the previous set previously released

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS:X and again is perhaps one of the best things about this new disc. Audio levels are well balanced, never overpowering the center channel with the roars and directional effects. Although we lose John Williams excellent work, the original score sounds good, very reminiscent from the previous films but adds a nice touch of originality.

Special Features

The extras are located on the Blu-Ray disc which includes:

• Return to Jurassic Park: The Third Adventure
• Archival Featurettes
• Behind the Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Jurassic World

During a time when Hollywood seeks to reboot franchises and recycle old material, I was skeptical to say the least, not letting myself get excited, especially after the trailer prominently features Chris Pratt riding a motorcycle with Raptors. I was thrilled to see my skepticism was misplaced this time, as the story pays homage to the previous films and doesn’t seek to replace or reboot them, but to evolve the story yet again with these themes of genetic power and responsibility as our technology continuously progresses.

Jurassic World plays off this theme much more prominently than the other films. Bringing back Dr. Henry Wu from the first film as an antagonist is really able to flesh out this theme as he creates bigger and scarier monsters, admitting that he’s not creating dinosaurs, but monsters with more teeth to cater to the masses who crave more. The ending of the film definitely promotes further creations for sequels yet to come.

A concept idea I remember reading about years and years ago about dinosaurs being used in futuristic wars was thankfully abandoned, but they do keep a bit of that original concept which definitely makes sense that the government and institutions would seek to weaponize these creatures. As silly as I thought the scene with Chris Pratt riding alongside Raptors was in the trailer, they actually do this quite well so it isn’t as silly as it seems. It’s another theme that seem as though it will continue to play throughout the sequel.

Video

Jurassic World is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.00:1 with HDR10. This transfer is easily, and understandably, the best of the set. Incredibly clear with no blemishes or defects of note, the HDR makes the colors look fantastic, bringing the brilliant bright colors of the park, dinosaurs and scenery to life.

The Blu-Ray disc included in the set comes in at 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 and is the same release as the previous set previously released

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS:X. As with the other films, the track sounds excellent, with good balance between the surrounds and center channel. There are some very impressive sequences with directional effects from the surrounds that will be sure to immerse you in the film, and a great booming score to accompany the film.

Special Features

The extras are located on the Blu-Ray disc which includes:

• Deleted Scenes
• Chris & Colin Take on the World
• Welcome to Jurassic World
• Dinosaurs Roam Once Again
• Jurassic World: All-Access Pass
• Innovation Center Tour with Chris Pratt
• Jurassic’s Closest Shaves

There aren’t many films I’d chose to continually purchase when new formats come around, but the Jurassic Park set is definitely one of them. With beautiful packaging to compliment this fantastic set, the 25^th Anniversary Collection is set at a great price to own all four films in 4k and Blu-Ray.