Warning: Contains potential SPOILERS for Jurassic World Dominion
Notwithstanding a decidedly lukewarm critical reception, Jurassic World Dominion has proved once again that dinosaurs are an enormous box office draw. The movie made an impressive $143.37M across a three-day opening, making it the biggest non-superhero release since 2019. This is despite a mediocre Rotten Tomatoes score of 30% – the worst score for any movie in the Jurassic franchise. Given the discrepancy between the reviews and audience interest, it's no wonder many are asking exactly why the film seems to be defying the naysayers.
As the final entry in the Jurassic World trilogy, Dominion explores and concludes several of the narrative arcs established in the two previous films. Alongside contemporary characters like Bryce Dallas Howard's Claire Dearing and Chris Pratt's Owen Grady, Dominion boasts the most explicit connection to the original Jurassic Park trilogy yet thanks to the much-vaunted return of Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern. Both old and new characters come together to tackle a global crisis as dinosaurs spread across the world, following the events of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom. This takes the dinosaur action away from the old islands of Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna, providing a fresh perspective for the saga.
Although Dominion represents a development, there's no doubt that many of the changes have not been received positively. Many critics have taken issue with the film's plot and narrative, while simultaneously criticizing toothless and low-stakes action sequences. For most films, such negativity would doom the release to failure. Yet, thanks to factors like the Jurassic Park brand, returning iconic original characters and the enduring appeal of dinosaurs as a big-screen draw, Jurassic World Dominion is proving that critical adulation isn't the only way to ensure commercial success.
Why Jurassic World Dominion's Reviews Are So Bad
It's rarely the case that a critical turkey only has one major flaw, and so it has proved with Jurassic World Dominion. On the whole, most negative responses have highlighted the complicated plot, which features several different strands across multiple character groups. This is particularly obvious as the film attempts to integrate the stories of Neill, Dern and Goldblum with Pratt and Dallas Howard, leading to a confused and messy finale that leaves several questions unanswered.
Several prominent reviewers have also pointed to the fact that the entire Jurassic World franchise now feels labored and out of ideas. Especially when compared to the vitality and originality of the first film – with its emphasis on chaos theory as well as visual grandeur – many critics feel that the World trilogy has felt increasingly directionless and too focused on spectacle over story. Although, on the surface, the stakes have changed significantly since the first Jurassic World, many have been left with the feeling that the film solely exists as a vehicle for increasingly disordered action sequences, rather than providing any wider commentary on what the return of dinosaurs says about our society.
Perhaps even more surprisingly, several reviewers have also taken issue with the quality of the special effects – especially considering the legacy of the original Jurassic Park. As Observer writer and famed British critic Mark Kermode put it, "The effects, which once again mix animatronics with computer graphics, are serviceable if unremarkable, lacking the awe (and indeed the heft) that made Spielberg’s original such a nail-biting game-changer". Failing on this front is a genuine disappointment for film that should, at the very least, be able to convincingly render its scaly stars on screen. This letdown, along with all the other issues, explains why Jurassic World Dominion has failed to impress the critics.
How Jurassic World Dominion's Box Office Beat The Bad Reviews
For all its faults, there are several key reasons why Jurassic World Dominion was always unlikely to be a total failure – whatever direction director Colin Trevorrow decided to take. The first, and probably most practical of these is that the movie is part of one of the most revered and popular franchises in history. Being able to draw upon the legacy of such an iconic and successful part of cinema is a huge advantage for any film – as evidenced by the dominance of franchise films across the board in recent years. Coupled with the fact that both previous Jurassic World movies made over a billion dollars at the box office, it's clear that Dominion had sturdy foundations upon which to build.
Beyond the established franchise, another major factor in Dominion's success is its subject matter. Dinosaurs continue to have huge cultural appeal, making influential appearances across the media landscape. The prospect of seeing these charismatic, long-dead animals brought back to life on the big screen has always been hugely appealing for audiences of all ages, explaining why a big-budget movie of even passing quality will almost always tempt cinema-goers.
The third major consideration behind Jurassic World Dominion's strong box office is the return of several iconic legacy characters. Much like Star Wars and Spider-Man: No Way Home before it, Dominion focuses on old characters as much as new faces, feeding off the goodwill from long-term series fans. While the utility or the necessity of these returning characters is up for debate, the prospect of seeing Drs. Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm together again is an understandable draw. Coupled with the other compelling aspects of the sequel, it's easy to see why Jurassic World Dominion is defying the critics.
How Much Money Will Jurassic World Dominion Make?
While it's difficult to be precise with predictions, it's safe to assume – based upon the strength of its opening – that Dominion will continue to rake in big box office dollars. However, it does seem as though the movie may not be as lucrative as its billion-dollar predecessors. The first Jurassic World made over $208 million in its opening weekend, before eventually finishing up at around $1.6B. Similarly, 2022 Marvel release Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opened to a whopping $187M, but is yet to clear the billion-dollar mark. This suggests that the prognosis for the $143M Dominion may not be as healthy as it seems.
However, there are reasons for producers Universal to be cheerful. For starters, Dominion's opening is not far off Fallen Kingdom's $148M domestic debut. Considering that Fallen Kingdom comfortably cleared a billion dollars by the end of its run, Dominion may yet reach that landmark. Beyond this, there's little indication that the critical negativity is having a negative impact, with Deadline Hollywood calling its performance "amazing" in the face of the onslaught. As such, there seems to be a good chance that another billion-dollar Jurassic movie may be on the cards.
What Dominion's Box Office & Bad Reviews Mean For Jurassic World 4
Although financial success is usually the most important consideration when greenlighting a sequel, in the case of Jurassic World Dominion there may be other factors at play. Narratively, the film functions as a definitive conclusion to the sequel trilogy, meaning that any follow-up would almost certainly have to kickstart its own story. Not only does the Jurassic World Dominion ending provide a fitting conclusion for the series' legacy characters, but it also finishes Owen Grady and Claire Dearing's arcs, while largely resolving the movie's central "roaming dinosaur" problem.
That said, there are several reasons to believe this isn't the end for the series. As one of the most lucrative IPs in Hollywood, it's unlikely that Universal will be willing to simply let Jurassic Park stagnate for too long. Coupled with comments from producer Frank Marshall (who has previously said Jurassic World 4 is a possibility), it seems as though there may be a genuine appetite to continue the story in some form. The end of Jurassic World Dominion, with many dinosaurs living peacefully in Biosyn Valley, also means that there is potential to revisit the animals in a different context further down the line. In any case, while it may not be imminent, there remains a genuine possibility that the movie is not the end of the Jurassic Park franchise.