The Jurassic World: Rebirth review reveals why this 2025 action thriller breathes new life into the beloved dinosaur franchise. Gareth Edwards’ masterful direction delivers spectacular creature encounters that transform familiar territory into something genuinely thrilling.
What happens when you combine cutting-edge visual effects with the primal terror of prehistoric predators? You get blockbuster perfection. Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025), directed by Gareth Edwards, stands as one of the most visually stunning entries in the Jurassic franchise. This action-packed thriller follows covert operations expert Zora Bennett as she leads a dangerous mission to extract DNA from three massive dinosaurs for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough. While the film operates on familiar monster movie territory, it succeeds because it never loses sight of human stakes—every encounter with these ancient creatures feels genuinely life-threatening.
Synopsis
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.
Skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure the genetic material. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
Plot & Themes
Jurassic World: Rebirth operates on a deceptively complex premise: sometimes the greatest discoveries come with the highest costs. The DNA extraction mission serves as a framework for exploring deeper questions about humanity’s relationship with nature, the ethics of genetic manipulation, and the price of scientific progress.
The film’s genius lies in its commitment to practical consequences. When Zora’s team encounters the massive prehistoric creatures, the movie never treats these moments as mere spectacle. Instead, it recognizes that every decision carries life-or-death weight for both the human characters and the dinosaurs themselves.
Thematically, the movie explores the delicate balance between exploitation and conservation. Zora’s mission isn’t just about securing genetic material—it’s about confronting humanity’s responsibility to the creatures we’ve brought back from extinction.
Cinematography & Visuals
Director of photography captures the lush tropical environments with breathtaking visual scope that serves the action perfectly. The cinematography emphasizes the scale differential between humans and dinosaurs, using creative angles and framing to make every creature encounter feel genuinely overwhelming.
The film excels in building tension through environmental storytelling. The sequences showing the team’s infiltration of dinosaur territory demonstrate masterful use of natural lighting and atmospheric effects. The camera work holds on suspenseful moments just long enough to create genuine anxiety without sacrificing pacing.
Creature design rewards multiple viewings. During the massive dinosaur sequences, eagle-eyed viewers will spot numerous anatomical details that showcase the film’s commitment to paleontological accuracy within its fantastical premise.
Acting & Characters
Scarlett Johansson delivers a commanding performance as Zora Bennett. Her portrayal of military professionalism under extreme pressure transforms potentially generic action dialogue into genuinely compelling character moments. Johansson’s ability to convey both tactical expertise and human vulnerability makes every dangerous encounter feel personal.
Mahershala Ali brings gravitas to his supporting role, providing intellectual weight that grounds the film’s more fantastical elements. His scenes discussing the ethical implications of the mission add depth without slowing the narrative momentum.
Jonathan Bailey offers excellent comic relief and emotional heart as part of the stranded civilian family. His performance ensures that the human drama never gets overshadowed by the spectacular creature encounters.
Rupert Friend and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo round out the tactical team with distinct personalities that make each team member’s survival feel genuinely important to the audience.
Direction & Screenplay
Gareth Edwards’ direction maintains perfect action pacing throughout the film’s runtime. Coming from acclaimed monster movies like Godzilla and Rogue One, Edwards understood that creature features require precise balance between spectacle and character development. Every dinosaur encounter is given proper build-up without sacrificing the relentless forward momentum.
The screenplay by David Koepp layers tension at multiple levels:
- Character development that builds naturally from established franchise lore
- Action sequences that escalate logically without becoming repetitive
- Scientific concepts that feel authentic rather than technobabble
- Environmental themes that enhance rather than overwhelm the adventure story
The script’s structure follows blockbuster conventions while subverting them through genuine character stakes. This creates familiarity that makes the unexpected creature encounters land with maximum impact.
Sound & Music
The film’s score perfectly balances John Williams’ iconic Jurassic themes with fresh musical ideas that serve the new storyline. The music enhances rather than overwhelms the natural drama of human-dinosaur encounters, creating an audio landscape that feels both nostalgic and contemporary.
Sound design plays a crucial role in establishing creature presence. The way footsteps and vocalizations build tension before visual reveals creates an immersive experience that places viewers directly into the characters’ terrifying situations.
The use of silence deserves particular recognition. Key moments of suspense are allowed to breathe without musical interference, trusting audiences to feel the tension through environmental sounds and stellar sound mixing alone.
Conclusion & Verdict
Jurassic World: Rebirth succeeds because it respects both the franchise legacy and audience intelligence. Every element—from creature design to human drama to environmental themes—works in service of thrilling entertainment without sacrificing technical excellence.
Strengths:
- Scarlett Johansson’s strong lead performance that anchors every action sequence
- Spectacular creature encounters that feel genuinely threatening
- Excellent pacing that builds to satisfying climactic confrontations
- Strong visual effects that bring prehistoric creatures to convincing life
Minor Weaknesses:
- Some plot elements feel familiar to longtime franchise fans
- Occasional reliance on coincidental timing during action sequences
This film remains essential viewing for action adventure fans and anyone who appreciates expertly crafted creature features. Jurassic World: Rebirth works for audiences who enjoyed Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, or the original Jurassic Park.
Rating: 8.5/10
Director: Gareth Edwards
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence/action, bloody images, some suggestive references, language and a drug reference)
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein
For more action adventure reviews, check out our analysis of other blockbuster monster movies. You can also explore the film’s groundbreaking visual effects at the Internet Movie Database.
