At the head of an ever-growing line, my dad and I could barely stand the anticipation: 20 feet in front of us stood the door between mundane reality and a flourishing world filled with ferocious dinosaurs. However, after two hours of staring at the screen, I trudged out of the theater with mixed emotions about the production.

14 years after the last Jurassic Park sequel, Jurassic World rushes into theaters, boasting an impressive cast with A-list actors such as Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Vincent D’Onofrio. However, the plot is painfully predictable and unoriginal. The new sequel follows the events that occur after a team of scientists and a business tycoon revitalize the original Jurassic Park island and turn it into a burgeoning theme park. In charge of maintaining the public’s interest in the park, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) authorizes a team of scientists to create a lethal dinosaur hybrid called “Indominus Rex.” Unfortunately, the hybrid escapes captivity and wreaks havoc on the island, leaving it up to velociraptor behavioral analyst Owen (Chris Pratt), park manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard, and brothers Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) to save the day. Apart from small discrepancies, such as the inclusion of state-of-the-art technology, the plot is almost identical to that of its three predecessors: humans think they are infallible and meddle with large animals, dinosaurs slaughter the self-righteous humans (except for the main characters, of course), a strange chain of luck results in the realistically impossible death of the main antagonistic dinosaur, and the humans happily return to their lives as if nothing ever happened. Simply put, this sequel presents no interesting plot twists or originality other than a new species of dinosaur.

Despite its immensely disappointing plot structure, Jurassic World implements the best in modern computer-generated imagery (CGI). The digital design department outdid itself, producing menacing and realistic creatures far beyond the level of quality from the original Jurassic Park. From believable movements to organic appearances, every dinosaur brings an enrapturing quality to the movie that pulls the viewer into a new world. However, the presence of the Indominus Rex leaves much to be desired. Apart from having a slightly whiter skin color and much longer arms, the hybrid looks identical to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. While the effort on the conventional dinosaurs is greatly appreciated, one would expect a more creative or menacing frame for the star dinosaur hybrid other than minor physical changes. Overall, the film’s special effects and CGI are beyond comparison to the likes of earlier productions in the Jurassic Park franchise and serve as the highlight of the modern thriller.

On a more literary note, Jurassic World serves as a reminder of mankind’s limits. In a world where DNA manipulation and cloning are becoming prevalent ethical debates, the production satirizes the negative repercussions of humans’ relentless desire to change the natural world in which we exist. After all, witnessing dinosaur-instigated massacres forces audiences to think twice about the future of mankind’s escalating technological advancements.

As an independent film, Jurassic World would serve as an action-packed, enjoyable summer blockbuster.

Unfortunately, however, the film is a sequel, and as such, must be held to higher standards based on its predecessors. When Jurassic Park graced the silver screen, it brought an original storyline to a plateauing culture. However, relying on special effects and almost no originality, Jurassic World seems as though it exists as a strained effort to continue to capitalize on previous ingenuity, proving that sequels very seldom outmatch the original.