Plot: What’s it about?
It seems as though John Hammond’s (Richard Attenborough) dream of a dinosaur based theme park has gone extinct, but does that mean the end of dinosaurs in our time? As Hammond explains to Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), the island they visited was just the last stop for the dinosaurs, not their actual place of birth. Another island, “Site B” was used to experiment with the dinosaurs and make sure everything worked out, then they’d ship the dinosaurs over to the park to roam and someday, entertain. Whenever the park went down, Hammond kept quiet about Site B and allowed the dinosaurs to live and breed in the wild. It seems to be working out well, since after a few years the population is thriving and the ecosystem is in near perfect harmony. But now that harmony is about to be shattered by outside forces and unless Hammond can document the animals and their behavior, the island will be heading toward a fate much like the park. Ian refuses to join the team at first, but when he learns his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) has already been sent, he changes the research trek into a rescue mission. So now Ian must face the dinosaurs once again and this time, there are no fences or security barriers between he and them.
This review is for the DTS version of The Lost World: Jurassic Park and aside from the audio format, there is also some other things different about this disc. The Dolby Digital 5.1 version contains additional bonus features such deleted scenes, storyboards, concept paintings, production photos, and more whereas this version has the documentary and little else. The audio is better on this version to be sure, but the edge is slight and as such, my recommendation goes to the Dolby Digital option in this case. I am sure DTS addicts will disagree with me, but I feel a substantial amount of extras is worth more than a slight edge in audio performance. I do however feel that either disc is well worth the money, so whichever you choose will not fail to please you. As for the film itself, I am forced to disagree with those claim this is an inferior sequel. The film makes more attempt at character development than the first and also adds much more of the stuff we want, like action, suspense, and of course, dinosaurs. The hunting & trapping sequence is awesome and the T-Rex once again proves he can tame any environment. I know I am in the minority on this one, but I prefer this film to the original, though I will own both of course. I give this film a high recommendation and the disc as well, but make sure you give some thought to which audio format (and selection of extras) you prefer.
Once again we’ve got a cast loaded with talent, but they’re outshined and overshadowed at almost each turn. That’s right, the dinosaurs once again demand centerstage and this time around, there’s even more of them and many more kinds as well. Whereas the raptors stole much of the spotlight in the first film, this one belongs to the T-Rex and even out of their element, no one has any doubts about who rules the jungle, where tropical or concrete. But we also meet a wide variety of new friends in this sequel, including the cute and bouncy compys, whom the kids love. As impressive as the dinosaurs were in the first film, Stan Winston and ILM have improved by leaps and bounds in this movie. The creatures look sleeker and more realistic and the movements are nothing short of amazing, these are a true sight to behold. I was even more impressed after I saw how they were made in the documentary, which is included on this very disc. Jeff Goldblum (The Fly) reprises his role as Ian Malcolm and a few other faces pop in from the original, but for the most part this is an all new cast. It includes Richard Schiff (Heaven), Vince Vaughn (Swingers), Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights), Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket), and Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects).
Video: How does it look?
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Unlike Jurassic Park, which had some small flaws evident in the visual transfer, this one is nothing short of reference quality. The image is sharp and polished, with no source print issues and not even a hint of compression slips. I expect some problems with all the fog & mist in this film, but no such problems emerge in the least. The colors seem bold and vivid, but take a back seat when they’re called on and flesh tones look warm and natural also. Just as impressive is the contrast, which boasts accurate shadow depth and no visible detail loss at all. Jurassic Park looked very good, but The Lost World looks perfect.
Audio: How does it sound?
This review covers the DTS version of this film, so if you need the rundown on the Dolby Digital version please refer to that review on this site. This disc includes a thunderous DTS 5.1 tracks that brings all the power of the Dolby Digital option, plus a few extra hits and there. The Dolby Digital version sounds very, very good, but this one has a slight edge in the end. It isn’t a leaps and bounds issue, but you can tell a difference at times. The surrounds see plenty of action and never seem forced, which can happen sometimes with these audio heavy films. Whether the effect is the booming roar of a dinosaur or the subtle crinkle of dry grass, you’ll hear it all in this terrific mix. All the speakers will be given a nice workout and even the subwoofer will be working double time to keep up. Also though, the vocals emerge in crisp, distinct form too, so no worries in that department either. This disc also includes an English Dolby Digital surround track, English captions, and subtitles in French & Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A lot of the extras were trimmed from the Dolby Digital version, but you’ll still find a few nice supplements. The disc includes theatrical trailers for all three Jurassic Park films, the same dinosaur encyclopedia from the first film’s disc, detailed production notes, and talent files. The main extra is The Making Of The Lost World, a fifty-two minute excellent documentary on how the film was made. From preproduction to postproduction, this piece gives you the inside scoop on how this movie was created and finished. Extensive interviews with Stan Winston and Michael Lantieri on the special effects have been included, as well as many other interviews and pieces of behind the scenes footage. This is one of the better documentaries I’ve seen and Universal should be commended for making sure it was included on all version of the film.
