Jurassic Park 3D

Stars: Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Samuel L Jackson, B D Wong, Wayne Knight, Martin Ferrero, Miguel Sandoval, Cameron Thor

Director: Steven Spielberg

Now even scarier in 3D, Spielberg's film is a testament to the saying 'Be careful what you wish for' and a sly comment on scientists pushing the boundaries of development too far too soon.

After a long and slow lead-in period, the director's famous dinosaur thriller explodes into the kind of action we've all been waiting for, as the genetically engineered prehistoric animals at the title attraction go berserk after a renegade employee conveniently turns off all the electric fences penning them in, on their island home.

It's at this stage that 90 per cent of the Jurassic Park staff seem to disappear, leaving only the principal players to flee the predators and try to turn the current back on.

But you can ignore the plot, such as it is, since not much of it makes any sort of sense that you can grasp.

Neill and Dern, along with kids Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello, give vigorous performances dodging the dinos, while Attenborough (as the park's well-meaning curator) and Goldblum offer rather actorly performances on the fringe of things. The dinosaurs of course, are the real stars and they're marvellous - terrifyingly awesome and almost totally convincing. Enough to make even E.T. phone home.

David Quinlan

USA 1993. UK Distributor: Universal. Eastman Colour.
126 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: PG.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 23 Aug 2013