Parents' Guide to

Jurassic World

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Reboot is fun but scarier, more violent than the original.

Movie PG-13 2015 124 minutes
Jurassic World Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 87 parent reviews

lets try this again
lets try this again Adult
July 18, 2022
age 5+
I showed my kid this at 5 years old. He LOVED it! He was not even scared of it! He didn't even care about the blood and gore
2 people found this helpful.
green girl april
green girl april Parent of 8-year-old
February 4, 2023
age 8+

Actions builds up - strong characters & storyline.

Watched with my 8.5 year old son, have previously watched Jurassic Park 1-3 & were wary of watching this due to some reviews - but it is REALLY GOOD & we would watch it again! My son really liked the character Owen who has a respect for the dinosaurs, & I liked how the relationship between the two brothers developed. Also liked how it maintained the theme from the original film - don’t mess with nature ‘nature always finds a way!’ We didn’t dislike anything - there are definitely more onscreen deaths than in 1-3 (& one kiss) but this didn’t effect our enjoyment of the film ;)
1 person found this helpful.
See all 87 parent reviews

What's the Story?

At the start of JURASSIC WORLD, a mom (Judy Greer) sends her two sons -- teen Zach (Nick Robinson) and tween Gray (Ty Simpkins) -- to visit their Aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), an executive at JURASSIC WORLD, the exclusive dinosaur theme park off the coast of Costa Rica. As the boys enjoy their VIP experience, Claire deals with an escalating set of emergencies surrounding the park's newest "asset," a huge hybrid dino dubbed Indominus Rex. Jurassic World owner Masrani (Irrfan Khan) asks Claire to bring in security consultant/velociraptor wrangler Owen (Chris Pratt) to inspect the Indominus; things suddenly spiral out of control when the angry, isolated beast breaks loose and wreaks havoc, killing every dinosaur and person in its way. Owen and Claire must team up to rescue her nephews and take down the Indominus as quickly as possible.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (87):
Kids say (271):

Jurassic World may not meet the expectations set by Steven Spielberg's original, but it does surpass the underwhelming sequels. And it has enough visual thrills, humor, and memorable performances to make for a fun (if occasionally terrifying) franchise reboot. Director Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) smartly doesn't try to mimic Spielberg, but he does stay true to the master's ability to make the movie's moments of suspense even more terrifying than the actual people-eating. Pratt plays Owen like Star Lord mixed with a Navy SEAL -- funny, clever, courageous. His chemistry with Howard's Claire is breezy and full of banter (and not nearly as sexist as some critics were worried about).

This is definitely a big-budget blockbuster: It's loud, thrilling, and full of intense sequences that will make viewers jump -- or possibly cower, depending on their age. Indominus is a mean, scary, killing machine, and the devastation she leaves in her wake makes the original movie's death toll look positively tame by comparison. The boys are both accomplished young actors, and they poignantly and realistically portray kids who are alternately impulsive, courageous, and frightened out of their minds. It's not groundbreaking in the same way Jurassic Park was, but if you're looking for heart-quickening fun, Jurassic World clearly delivers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the amount of violence in Jurassic World. How does it compare to what you expected? Did some of the scenes of violence affect you more than others? Why? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • What makes Jurassic World scary? What's the difference between horror and suspense? Which has more impact on you, and why? When are kids ready for horror movies?

  • How does Jurassic World compare to the other films in the Jurassic Park franchise? Do you think it's a good franchise reboot? Have movies become more violent over the years?

  • Do you think there should be a sequel? What elements of the story were left open-ended?

Movie Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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