The Lost World: Jurassic Park (PG-13)

Nastier beasts. Nastier people.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
3
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Universal Studios
  • Directed By: Steven Spielberg
  • Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore
  • Running Time: 137 minutes
  • Release Date: 10/10/2000
  • Genre: Action/adventure
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: intense sci-fi terror and violence

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie is not for sensitive kids. Viewers will see plenty of nail-biting chase sequences, several of which culminate in deaths. The violence goes both ways: the humans hunt the dinosaurs while the beasts devour the humans. The human body count is high -- and includes the death of good, bad, and simply unfortunate characters. After some particularly nasty killings, water runs red with blood. A character is picked up, tossed about, and then eaten by two T-Rexes. Terrified characters may make for some terrified viewers. Suspenseful scenes of the hunted kids are particularly intense. And while the genetic theory content is thought provoking, it is mostly science fiction; viewers do learn interesting facts about dinosaurs and get an introduction to chaos theory.

Families can talk about sequels. In horror movies, the body count is higher the next time around. Why is this movie so much more gruesome than Jurassic Park? Is this simply an easy way to pump up the action (instead of working on a more compelling script, for example) -- or can you think of another reason?

Message

Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

The big game hunting and abuse of the dinosaurs is traumatic -- a baby dinosaur's leg is broken. Plenty of nail-biting chase sequences, several of which culminate in deaths. Some gruesomely depicted killings. A character is picked up, tossed about, and then eaten by two T-Rexes

Sex

Language

Occasional mild profanities.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Randy White

In The Lost World, hunters come to poach a dinosaur and bring it to the mainland for a theme park. When Malcolm's (Jeff Goldblum) team rescues the injured baby T-Rex, the angry parents go on a rampage. The group becomes a moveable feast as it tries to escape from the island. The group is rescued, only to discover that the corporation planning the theme park has returned a live T-Rex to the mainland. Mayhem ensues when the dinosaur escapes into downtown Los Angeles, and Tyrannosaurus Rex is front and center. Its attacks on the armored trailer and on the city of Los Angeles are the action highlights of the movie; the enormous heads in the trailer window are especially thrilling.

Is it any good?

3
THE LOST WORLD has better dinosaurs, and chase sequences that are just as intense as they were in Jurassic Park. Teenagers will more than likely love the thrills and the magnificent beasts.

But lack of character development, disjointed editing, and unnecessarily gruesome deaths somewhat lessen the movies' appeal. And, this is a much nastier movie than Jurassic Park. Dr. Hammond was simply naive and misguided in the original; here, the capitalist forces are utterly immoral. And if the first movie featured several upsetting deaths, nothing is as gruesome as the munching of kind-hearted Eddy -- the graphic deaths feel gratuitous.

Other choices

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 7 reviews.

4


Posted on 07/21/08 by anoconda11 Kid contributor, age 12

a great movie 4 stars

not as good as the original but still very good i love it when the little boy says "mommy there's a dinosaur out back" and the parents think he's having nightmares
Age 11+
2


Posted on 01/30/08 by Tsion Adult contributor

A Tired and Overhyped Sequel...Amazing Visual Effects, but that's about it.

JURASSIC PARK was a phenomenon. It broke through many film boundaries, in both visual effects and story. Audiences and critics adored it. You can't really say as much for the sequel, THE LOST WORLD. Spielberg tries. He really tries, and he deserves some credit. But this film falls flat on its face. Pros: Stunning visual effects. The dinos look even better than in the first. Also, there's an awesome suspense sequence about 30 minutes into the film, with the characters suspended over a cliff in a car. Cons: Weak, weak, and weak. This film hardly has a story. The first Jurassic Park film was focused on making people believe in the characters and the circumstances, then using the visuals to scare them. THE LOST WORLD is nonstop violence and dino action. The effects are enticing at first, then it just gets old. The film takes a turn for Godzilla at the end with a ho-hum climax that places a T-rex in San Francisco. The violence is alarming. While not too gory, it's constant and realistic. Language is moderate, but, thankfully, there's no sex. Pass this sequel. You might try it if you're a die-hard fan, but I don't reccommend it.
5


Posted on 06/24/07 by book_lover411 Kid contributor, age 11

a great movie

i luved it not a bad movie but not 4 every1
Age 11+
4


Posted on 05/22/07 by garfield2711 Adult contributor

A little more violent than the first.

A Great Movie. A Guy is split in half. Guy is stepped on by a T-Rex.
Age 11+
2


Posted on 07/23/06 by G3 Adult contributor

First ones better!

3


Posted on 06/07/06 by bubbo Kid contributor, age 13

Fairly Bad Sequel

If I had the choice, I would have given the Lost World two and a half stars. It wasn't a horrible movie. It had some great suspenseful scenes and the dinosaurs were still cool. But the incredibly stupid characters do dumb things and Steven Spielberg tries to see if we care, and it is stupidly gruesome. The filmmakers forgot how to make real suspense, so resorted to pointless violence. And the ending is super cheesy. Really bad when compared to the original. Good for kids 11+
3

Posted on 10/29/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 11

good,but not as good as the first

The Lost World is more gruesome than Jurassic Park.

See all 7 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

Age 11+
2


Posted on 01/30/08 by Tsion Adult contributor

A Tired and Overhyped Sequel...Amazing Visual Effects, but that's about it.

JURASSIC PARK was a phenomenon. It broke through many film boundaries, in both visual effects and story. Audiences and critics adored it. You can't really say as much for the sequel, THE LOST WORLD. Spielberg tries. He really tries, and he deserves some credit. But this film falls flat on its face. Pros: Stunning visual effects. The dinos look even better than in the first. Also, there's an awesome suspense sequence about 30 minutes into the film, with the characters suspended over a cliff in a car. Cons: Weak, weak, and weak. This film hardly has a story. The first Jurassic Park film was focused on making people believe in the characters and the circumstances, then using the visuals to scare them. THE LOST WORLD is nonstop violence and dino action. The effects are enticing at first, then it just gets old. The film takes a turn for Godzilla at the end with a ho-hum climax that places a T-rex in San Francisco. The violence is alarming. While not too gory, it's constant and realistic. Language is moderate, but, thankfully, there's no sex. Pass this sequel. You might try it if you're a die-hard fan, but I don't reccommend it.
Age 11+
4


Posted on 05/22/07 by garfield2711 Adult contributor

A little more violent than the first.

A Great Movie. A Guy is split in half. Guy is stepped on by a T-Rex.
Age 11+
2


Posted on 07/23/06 by G3 Adult contributor

First ones better!

Kids Reviews

There are 4 reviews.

4


Posted on 07/21/08 by anoconda11 Kid contributor, age 12

a great movie 4 stars

not as good as the original but still very good i love it when the little boy says "mommy there's a dinosaur out back" and the parents think he's having nightmares
5


Posted on 06/24/07 by book_lover411 Kid contributor, age 11

a great movie

i luved it not a bad movie but not 4 every1
3


Posted on 06/07/06 by bubbo Kid contributor, age 13

Fairly Bad Sequel

If I had the choice, I would have given the Lost World two and a half stars. It wasn't a horrible movie. It had some great suspenseful scenes and the dinosaurs were still cool. But the incredibly stupid characters do dumb things and Steven Spielberg tries to see if we care, and it is stupidly gruesome. The filmmakers forgot how to make real suspense, so resorted to pointless violence. And the ending is super cheesy. Really bad when compared to the original. Good for kids 11+
3

Posted on 10/29/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 11

good,but not as good as the first

The Lost World is more gruesome than Jurassic Park.
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