"Shoot Her"

I think it is about time I get back to reviewing on Critically Correct (what a novel concept, huh?). I recently saw Jurassic Park 3D, so here you go: the first review on Critically Correct in months.

In the past four years there have been hundreds of 3D films flooded onto the movie market in an attempt to get people back into theaters. Of those hundreds of films (totaling billions of dollars in total costs), I would honestly say that two are worthwhile in 3D for any good reason. Avatar was a storytelling turd but a graphical powerhouse, and overall worth the price of admission. Ladies and gentlemen, the second is clearly one that should not have been so well done in 3D: Jurassic Park.

The groundbreaking 1993 film ushered in the popular use of CGI in modern cinema, perhaps the single most important development in the industry since Technicolor or sound. While the movie certainly has its issues (that weak ending still hurts), Jurassic Park is ultimately a no-holds-barred summer action flick that is just as fun in 2013 as it was in 1993. While today's kids may not be as enchanted by the dinosaurs and visual treats as my generation was twenty years ago (thanks, ironically, to modern day CGI), the film still packs a punch with a well-paced story, subtle humor, and plenty of imagination.

Most surprising is the jump to 3D. Unlike Avatar and other high-end modern films, Jurassic Park was not shot in native 3D, instead going through a very labor-intensive conversion process from the 2D original. Incredibly, the film was otherwise left alone. No new CGI, no new effects, no editing to clean up the rough edges of the story. What we get, then, is a chance to see Jurassic Park on the big screen once again, this time with the bonus of super-effective 3D. Never obtuse, never unnecessary, the 3D elements of the film work wonders to put viewers in the middle of the action. The thick forest growth of Isle Nublar and lunging dinosaurs of the runaway park add subtle depth in places that really help carve out the physical space of the film. Characters move around objects, through doorways, and avoid dangers in ways that feel completely natural with the addition of 3D.

So many things could have gone wrong in converting a beloved classic to 3D. First and foremost, it just did not need to happen. But it did happen, and it was done with extraordinary care. And for that, it is easily one of the best 3D films yet.

B3 out.