Scarlett Johansson Shines in Jurassic World Rebirth

Forget what you thought you knew about Jurassic sequels, Rebirth rips up the rulebook and drops us into a primal, pulse-pounding survival mission that’s more Apocalypse Now than amusement park. Scarlett Johansson trades spandex for grit as Zora Bennett, leading a covert crew into a dinosaur death zone to score DNA that could save millions (and make a few billion).

Director Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) dials up the sweat, scale, and suspense, shooting on gritty 35mm that gives the whole film a throwback edge. Mahershala Ali brings serious swagger, Jonathan Bailey adds brains and banter, and yeah, there’s a baby dino named Dolores that’ll melt even the coldest heart.

This isn’t just CGI eye candy. It’s slick, smart, and full of big-swing action that actually lands. Real locations, practical effects, and dinos that feel dangerous again.

Bottom line:Rebirth is the rare reboot that actually evolves. Watch it in IMAX, bring a flask, and prepare to sweat.

Verdict: ★★★★☆
Mood: Jungle boots. No rules. All heart. 
Photos Credit: Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

Fore more…

The Plot (aka Why They’re on This Death Trip)
Dinosaurs are dying out—again. Turns out Earth’s not so comfy for creatures built for the Mesozoic Era. But deep in the DNA of the last few mega-beasts — Titanosaurs, Quetzalcoatlus, and that deep-sea jump scare called the Mosasaurus — lies the key to curing heart disease. Yes, you read that right: prehistoric creatures as a pharmaceutical goldmine.

Enter Zora Bennett, played with perfect deadpan heat by Scarlett Johansson. She’s an ex-black-ops legend turned bio-mercenary, brought back in for one last job (isn’t it always?). Backing her up: Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid, a chill but haunted seafarer who lives in a bar decorated with a stuffed plesiosaur, and Jonathan Bailey as a charmingly nerdy paleontologist who fanboys over fossils like they’re rock stars.

They’re hired by Big Pharma’s suavest devil, Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend, chewing scenery in perfectly tailored tactical wear), to sneak into a forgotten island—think Jurassic Park’s sketchier cousin — and harvest the DNA. Naturally, nothing goes to plan. Add in a shipwrecked family, an abandoned InGen lab full of mutant horrors, and velociraptors that look like they’ve been juicing, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a cocktail.

The Vibe (aka What Makes It Different)
Director Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) ditches the sanitized gloss of the last World movies and leans hard into danger, texture, and 90s-era Spielberg tension. This thing was shot on 35mm film, and you feel it. It’s hot. It’s grainy. It’s got that lived-in look that digital just can’t fake.

Also: the production design is chef’s kiss. From the mossy ruins of the InGen facility to the rusted gas station where a T. rex might pop out of aisle six, everything looks tactile, dangerous, and weirdly beautiful. The Essex—a gray-camouflaged military patrol boat run by Kincaid’s crew of sarcastic soldiers — is basically a floating clubhouse for the world’s coolest mercs. Think Jason Momoa’s wardrobe meets The Big Lebowski, complete with flip-flops and friendship bracelets (no joke).

And the dino set pieces? Legit jaw-droppers. There’s a flooded cave chase. A sequence with a Quetzalcoatlus in a cliffside temple that gives serious Temple of Doom energy. And a callback to the T. rex lagoon from Michael Crichton’s original novel that’s pure nightmare fuel. These scenes don’t just go big—they go weird, in the best possible way.

The Cast (aka Who’s Killing It)
Scarlett Johansson [Her hotness makes us overlook her whacked political views; something we’re accustomed to doing with a few of the Kandy girls] brings real grit and humanity to Zora. She’s tough, sure—but also broken, searching, and strangely tender. Her chemistry with Bailey’s sweet scientist and Mahershala’s wounded warrior gives the movie its emotional heartbeat. And let’s be real: seeing ScarJo rappel off a waterfall into a dinosaur rookery while cracking wise? Worth the ticket alone.

Mahershala Ali, meanwhile, is giving Big Dad Energy in the coolest way. His Duncan Kincaid is the kind of character you want to drink whiskey with. Dude plays cards in a Suriname bar under a mounted dinosaur skull, then jumps into action when things go sideways. He even gets a mini-redemption arc involving a shipwrecked family and a seriously adorable little girl (played by Audrina Miranda) who “adopts” a baby dino named Dolores.

Speaking of the family subplot: it shouldn’t work, but it does. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as the dad? Heartfelt. Luna Blaise as the angsty older daughter? Total scene-stealer. David Iacono (aka her boyfriend) gives great “unexpectedly competent Gen-Z himbo.” They ground the chaos with real emotional stakes.

The Looks (aka Why You’ll Want Zora’s Fit)
The costume game here is strong. Zora’s tactical-but-weathered gear looks straight out of a survivalist Instagram. Duncan sports Hawaiian shirts over military fatigues like it’s a mood. Even the paleontologist rocks desert boots, a retro backpack, and Grant’s heirloom trowel like it’s a flex. Bonus points to the Essex crew for giving off “elite unit meets pirate radio” energy.

The Bottom Line
Jurassic World Rebirth isn’t just another dino movie. It’s a sweaty, sexy, surprisingly emotional throwback to when summer blockbusters had grit, guts, and real stakes. It’s a movie that remembers why we fell in love with Spielberg’s Jurassic Park in the first place — but it’s not afraid to push the franchise into bolder, gnarlier territory.

So yeah, you’ll get your T. rex roar and your John Williams cue, but you’ll also get practical animatronics, batshit set pieces, and a cast that looks like they’re having the time of their lives. This is what happens when you give a franchise CPR and hand the defibrillator to people who actually care.

See it in theaters. Bring someone who can handle you yelling “HOLY SH*T” mid-movie. Then immediately Google “how to get a baby Aquilops.”

Rating: 4.5 / 5
Vibe Check: Retro survival thriller meets modern monster mayhem
Best Paired With: A tequila soda, tactical boots, and your favorite faded concert tee
Worth It For: Johansson’s heat, the Essex crew’s banter, and a seafaring Mosasaur attack

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