Dennis D. McDonald (ddmcd@ddmcd.com) consults from Alexandria Virginia. His services include writing & research, proposal development, and project management.

Colin Trevorrow's JURASSIC WORLD

Colin Trevorrow's JURASSIC WORLD

By Dennis D. McDonald. Follow me on Linkedin, Twitter, and Google+.

I have very fond memories of the original Jurassic Park. The second film in the series was dumb, but I did enjoy the third.

I was really looking forward to this edition in the series, not because I knew the special effects would be top-notch — we’ve come to expect that — but because I like dinosaurs and wondered what new wonders would be on display.

This was a major disappointment. Plot and character seem drawn from a second rate TV series. Characterization is thin, conflict is trite, and there are very few surprises.

What is on display here is a technocratic approach to filmmaking driven by a checklist of sights, events, and characters that a committee decided need to be on display. The result is a by-the-book snoozefest that disappointingly misuses available talent and creativity. What happened, Mr. Spielberg?

Review copyright (c) 2016 by Dennis D. McDonald. My interests include project, program, and data management; market research, digital strategy, and program planning; change management; technology adoption; books, movies, & photography. Current focus: big data project planning & management and, for Edaptive Systems, test data governance for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Selected documents and document collections in .pdf format are here. Follow me on Linkedin, Twitter, and Google+. Email me at ddmcd@outlook.com.

Neill Blomkamp's CHAPPiE

Neill Blomkamp's CHAPPiE

J.J. Abrams' STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

J.J. Abrams' STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS