"An adventure 65 million years in the making ..." says the tagline on the poster for Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park." And for once, the ads don't lie. Decades later, this groundbreaking dinosaur adventure remains a masterclass in blockbuster filmmaking, with enough power, thrills, and wit to rival -- and in many ways surpass -- modern summer blockbusters, including the franchise's latest, "Jurassic World: Rebirth." (Hint: they should've stopped after one.)
Spielberg helms "Jurassic Park" with the
same class and grace as his more serious pictures. Sure, it only goes about a foot deep in terms of its story and characters -- played by Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum -- but there's a sense of wonder percolating throughout, and plenty of weight given to the extravagant action scenes. Grown men practically weep at the sight of a Triceratops, and when a Tyrannosaurus rex attacks, its victims are paralyzed by terror and amazement.
Few directors combine visceral horror with family-friendly adventure like Spielberg, though several have tried and come pretty darn close. What can we say? Life finds a way. Here are 15 of the best movies like "Jurassic Park."
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Jaws (1975)
Obviously, we have to start with "Jaws." For one, it's directed by Steven Spielberg, and two, the Beard himself has often cited "Jurassic Park" as the spiritual sequel to his shark classic. Structurally, both films are practically identical -- an attack opens the picture and sets the tone, experts are brought in to investigate, our characters are enamored by their monstrous foe, and then pandemonium ensues, culminating in a last-second save. Also, both pics clock in at a perfect two hours and a little change -- tight, efficient storytelling. (As for the behind-the-scenes drama, let's just say Spielberg let this one get a little out of hand.)
Like "Jurassic Park," "Jaws" toes the line between rousing family spectacle and hardcore (often bloody) horror. It's a film everyone can enjoy -- provided the youngsters cover their eyes during the grislier parts: Quint's death, the detached leg, the Kintner kid's demise, etc. While "Jaws" likely stands as the better film due to its stronger roster of characters, both films represent the pinnacle of blockbuster cinema; packed with intense action, meticulously crafted suspense, dazzling effects, and just enough brains to keep viewers invested when the monsters aren't onscreen.
Oh, and "Jaws" also features one of John Williams' greatest scores. What's not to love?
King Kong (2005)
Early in "Jurassic Park," our heroes arrive at a massive gate marking the entrance to the great dinosaur park. Jeff Goldblum's character, Ian Malcolm, takes note of the structure and quips, "What do they got in there, King Kong?" Well, yeah.
For all its wide-eyed wonder and scientific pontification, "Jurassic Park" is, first and foremost, a creature feature clearly inspired by the 1933 classic "King Kong," in which people visit an island and get chased around by dinosaurs and a giant ape. Steven Spielberg doesn't shy away from the comparisons either, going so far as to unleash a Tyrannosaurus rex on the mainland in "The Lost World: Jurassic Park."
As such, it's only fair to include "King Kong" on this list, specifically Peter Jackson's stellar (though bloated) 2005 remake. The film delivers grand spectacle, stunning effects, and plenty of dino-fueled action. In one memorable sequence, Jackson's monstrous gorilla battles three Rexes -- dubbed Vastatosaurus rex, or V-rex -- in a clear attempt to knock Spielberg's picture from atop the pantheon of dinosaur epics. He doesn't quite succeed, but "King Kong" still provides a wealth of high-stakes excitement.
The Mummy (1999)
Stephen Sommers' "The Mummy" is one of a handful that captures the zeal and excitement of early Spielberg pictures -- think "Raiders of the Lost Ark" meets "Jurassic Park." That may sound like an overenthusiastic take, but "The Mummy" captured the imaginations of thrill-seeking audiences who happily turned the 1999 summer release into box office gold.
Starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, this rip-roaring action extravaganza follows the Indiana Jones-inspired Rick O'Connell (Fraser) as he teams up with a plucky British librarian (Weisz) and her bumbling brother (John Hannah) to retrieve a priceless artifact from Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. In doing so, they unwittingly unleash Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), mummified and cursed centuries earlier for his treachery. Armed with the Biblical plagues of Egypt, the resurrected priest sets out to destroy the world, prompting a frantic race to stop him.
The key to the film's success lies in its playful, tongue-in-cheek tone. No one involved takes the material too seriously, letting audiences simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Godzilla (2014)
Gareth Edwards -- who, ironically, would go on to direct "Jurassic World: Rebirth" -- must have spent weeks studying Steven Spielberg when crafting 2014's "Godzilla." Character names -- most notably Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Ford Brody -- and plot beats pay homage to the maestro's filmography, going so far as to keep the monsters off-screen for a majority of the runtime.
Indeed, the best thing about "Godzilla" is its restraint. This isn't another soulless CGI fest. Rather, Edwards allows his picture to breathe, leaning on tension and suspense rather than rock-em-sock-em spectacle.
Paired with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, Edwards knows how to make a seemingly mundane sequence pop. A standout moment sees a group of paratroopers drop into the middle of Godzilla's battle with some MUTOs in San Francisco, a stunning visual treat that's almost worth the price of admission alone. It may not hold a candle to Spielberg's epic, but "Godzilla" periodically captures a bit of that "Jurassic Park" magic and paved the way for so much more.
Tremors (1990)
"Tremors" shouldn't work. Everything about the film screams mid-grade B-movie. Yet somehow, director Ron Underwood and his devoted cast -- Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Michael Gross, and Reba McEntire -- transform a silly premise into one of the great pleasures of the 1990s.
When a trio of deadly worms attacks the small desert town of Perfection, Nevada, a group of roughnecks must band together to stop the invasion. The twist? These monsters travel underground and possess impeccable hearing, allowing them to sneak up on their prey and suck them into the earth before they have a chance to escape.
Featuring some surprisingly wicked effects for a small-budget production, "Tremors" arrived several years before "Jurassic Park" but strangely feels like an early rough draft for Spielberg's soaring adventure, right down to the casting of little Ariana Richards. Underwood employs the same high-stakes action and sly humor that would make "Jurassic Park" a global phenomenon. And while "Tremors" was only a modest hit, it still inspired a rather lucrative direct-to-DVD series and a few TV shows. Who saw that coming -- certainly not the worms.
Cloverfield (2008)
In 2008, found-footage flicks were all the rage, and director Matt Reeves took full advantage with his monster epic "Cloverfield." Now, this may seem like an odd pairing with "Jurassic Park," but Reeves' film shares more in common with Steven Spielberg's classic than you might expect.
For starters, both movies excel at building tension and keeping their monsters hidden until the perfect moment. Each also keeps the action grounded at the character level -- Spielberg focuses on Alan (Sam Neill), Lex (Ariana Richards), and Tim (Joseph Mazzello) as they navigate a hostile environment swarming with dinosaurs, while Reeves centers on a small group of friends trying to survive a Godzilla-like catastrophe, giving the audience an emotional anchor within the destruction.
The biggest difference is that "Cloverfield" leans more into horror and isn't afraid to get a little nasty (or end on a downbeat note). In one memorable sequence, Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) suffers a bite from a strange parasite. Her condition rapidly worsens until she unexpectedly explodes behind a curtain -- a grisly moment far more intense than anything in "Jurassic Park." Spielberg's film certainly has its share of violent beats, but it never goes that hard.
Jurassic World (2015)
"Jurassic Park" never lived up to its full potential as a franchise, leading to a disappointing sequel and a redundant third film that was stuck on autopilot. Still, Hollywood being Hollywood, the dinosaur saga was far from extinct -- and sure enough, in 2015, Colin Trevorrow brought back our beloved reptiles in the quasi-reboot "Jurassic World."
Before you ask, yes, it's basically a clone of the original, albeit sprinkled with meta-commentary so that it feels more "clever" than lazy. Once again, the powers-that-be decide to open a resort full of dangerous dinosaurs to the public. And once again, the dinosaurs break out due to human error, and proceed to devour everything in sight. Cue the spiffy special effects and genuinely thrilling action sequences.
Now, the less said about the underwritten characters -- played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard -- whose personalities and objectives change rapidly depending on the script's needs, the better. But no one really goes to these flicks for the human drama -- people want dinosaurs, and in that regard, "Jurassic World" more than fulfills its obligations.
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Yeah, we know -- another "King Kong" movie? Well, kind of, but also, not really. See, the giant Kong of 2017's "Kong: Skull Island" doesn't fall in love with a blonde actress or plummet from the top of the Empire State Building to his death -- "Skull Island" is about as far removed from a "Beauty and the Beast" parable as star Brie Larson is from playing a believable action hero.
Here, the Eighth Wonder of the World bides his time before locking horns with Godzilla a little later down the road. In the interim, we get to watch the big guy wrestle a horde of prehistoric monsters on Skull Island, while our human characters -- led by Tom Hiddleston's James Conrad and Samuel L. Jackson's Preston Packard -- gape wide-eyed at the impressive CGI effects.
Sound familiar?
Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is no Spielberg -- who is? -- but, aided indelibly by Larry Fong's striking cinematography, he knows how to pump life into his action sequences. He turns what could have been a run-of-the-mill monster flick into a breathtaking adventure, transforms King Kong from a sentimental ape into a straight-up action hero, and successfully establishes the MonsterVerse.
Gremlins (1984)
No, "Gremlins" doesn't contain dinosaurs, but this Joe Dante classic from executive producer Steven Spielberg still follows the Amblin mantra of sticking a bunch of ordinary people -- read: suburbanites -- in a wild situation that quickly escalates to full-blown chaos. Here, our human guides Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates), with the aid of the adorable Gizmo, must stop a batch of unruly gremlins from taking over their small town.
Cue the surprisingly dark-for-a-family-film mayhem that again teeters effortlessly between PG-rated kiddie adventure and R-rated horror, stirring enough controversy to spur the creation of the PG-13 rating.
Suffice it to say, they don't make them like "Gremlins" anymore -- at least, not for families. Infused with Dante's goofball wit and a dash of old-fashioned movie magic, this Christmas-themed romp delivers as many laughs as scares and pairs perfectly with a large bowl of popcorn -- provided you don't eat after midnight.
Super 8 (2011)
"Super 8," the movie equivalent of a turducken, is essentially a mishmash of every single Steven Spielberg production from "Jaws" to "Jurassic Park," and we mean that in a good way. Director J.J. Abrams weaves his deep admiration for the Beard into a loving homage that stands strong on its own merits.
Starring a group of kids who could easily pass as understudies for "The Goonies," this alien saga follows Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends as they set out to make a zombie movie, only to accidentally capture a real-life extraterrestrial on film. Their discovery launches them into a perilous mission to uncover the creature's origins and figure out why the government is so determined to keep it under wraps.
Co-starring Elle Fanning and Kyle Chandler, this lively sci-fi romp moves at a brisk pace, delivers a few solid scares and a few knockout moments -- the bus scene, in particular, goes hard with the "Jurassic Park" vibes. While it never matches the brilliance of the films it's emulating, "Super 8" still goes down like a favorite childhood snack -- familiar yet satisfying.
Poltergeist (1982)
Legend has it that Steven Spielberg himself directed "Poltergeist" -- or at least shared the reins with credited director Tobe Hooper -- despite his name not appearing in the official title crawl. It's a plausible theory, as this superb 1982 production was crafted by much of Spielberg's crew and features several of his signature visual flourishes -- including shots of adults gazing wide-eyed at fantastical special effects. Like "Jurassic Park," "Poltergeist" is also pretty damned intense -- a man rips his own face off! -- but not intense enough to dissuade younger audiences from participating in the spooky mayhem.
"Poltergeist" follows the Freeling family, a suburban household thrust into a bizarre haunting that disrupts their otherwise peaceful home. At first, the ghosts are mostly harmless, bending spoons or rearranging kitchen furniture ... nothing to freak out about. And then they unleash tornadoes, killer trees, raw meat, and deranged clown toys on the poor family before finally kidnapping the Freelings' youngest daughter, Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke). Jerks.
Spielberg/Hooper does a fine job escalating the tension before uncorking a gluttony of special effects, culminating in a "Jurassic Park"-esque finale where all hell literally breaks loose.
War Of The Worlds (2005)
"War of the Worlds" is like the downbeat, nightmarish version of "Jurassic Park." Instead of adults gawking at prehistoric monsters, however, "War of the Worlds" has them running from giant tripods that shoot lasers capable of turning victims to dust.
This isn't your typical Steven Spielberg adventure.
During one sequence, Tom Cruise's character, Ray, and his daughter (Dakota Fanning) hide from a pack of nasty aliens in a scene that recalls the kitchen sequence in "Jurassic Park." It feels intentional -- Spielberg flipping his own blockbuster playbook to craft a darker, more somber tale of a terrifying event as seen through the eyes of everyday Americans in a post-9/11 world.
"War of the Worlds" defies expectations, focusing more on humanity's darker instincts at the brink of extinction than on straightforward thrills. Regrettably, Spielberg doesn't quite stick the landing thanks to a rushed ending that wraps up the story a little too nicely. Still, for much of its runtime, "War of the Worlds" digs under your skin in a way no dinosaur ever could. It still doesn't hold a candle to Ice Cube's recent remake, though. (Sarcasm, folks.)
Transformers (2007)
Who would've thought a Michael Bay movie based on Hasbro's popular toy line from the 1980s would prove to be a monumental hit? Well, "Transformers" defied the odds and punched its way into the hearts of moviegoers thanks to its dazzling array of visual effects, energetic performances from Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, and a hefty dose of Spielberg-ian magic.
Yes, the Beard executive produced this 2007 blockbuster, bringing with him the same awe-inspired whimsy of "Jurassic Park" and early Amblin works like "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Don't get us wrong, it's still very much a Michael Bay film, with the director's trademark go-for-broke "Bayhem" on full display in the final act. Still, there's a beating heart beneath the spectacle. At its best, "Transformers" is the story of a young man and his giant robot pal, uniting for the greater goal of saving the world and winning the girl. The genuine sense of wonder Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) displays when meeting the Autobots for the first time hearkens back to Dr. Alan Grant's first encounter with a Brachiosaurus -- it's pure movie magic, and a reason audiences continue to pine for more of Bay's kickass robot theatrics.
Pacific Rim (2013)
Only Guillermo del Toro could direct a picture like "Pacific Rim." Packed with his signature visual flair, strange creatures, and astonishing special effects, this trumped-up B-movie treats itself with a commendable blockbuster-level respect rarely seen in this type of picture.
Starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, and Rinko Kikuchi, "Pacific Rim" follows a crew of Jaeger pilots as they battle sea monsters known as Kaiju in the distant future. These monsters rose from a "breach" in the Pacific Ocean and began laying waste to Earth, forcing humans to respond with massive machines called Jaegers packed with enough firepower to drive them away.
Somehow, "Pacific Rim" works, mainly due to del Toro's handling of the action sequences, which, like "Jurassic Park," are often viewed from a human perspective. This approach lends size and weight to the massive fighters as they punch their way through 132 minutes of cinema gold. Every Jaeger and Kaiju has a distinct look, backstory, and personality -- they feel like part of an actual universe rather than generic CGI models.
Oh, and yes, the human characters -- like Alan, Lex, and Tim in "Jurassic Park" -- are just lively enough to keep you from checking your watch while the robots recharge their batteries.
Twister (1996)
It might be blasphemous to say, but "Twister" is a better "Jurassic Park" sequel than "The Lost World." Boasting stunning (for its time) special effects, a handful of exciting set pieces, and silly human drama, this 1996 summer blockbuster never loses sight of its objective -- thrilling popcorn-munching audiences. From its whirling opening titles to its final action sequence in which ex-lovers Helen Hunt and the late, great Bill Paxton evade a hungry tornado on a farm, "Twister" keeps the pedal to the metal, stopping only occasionally to set up the next eye-popping sequence.
With Steven Spielberg, editor Michael Kahn, and writer Michael Crichton lurking behind the scenes, "Jurassic Park" DNA fuels the production, even if it's filtered through Jan de Bont's whiplash-inducing direction. "Twister" doesn't match the ferocity or pure brilliance of "Jurassic Park," but it lingers in the vicinity. Call it a stepchild or long-lost cousin, or an enormous blast of fun that redefined the summer movie season.
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