The visual effects for The Lost World: Jurᴀssic Park have recently received a lot of praise from VFX artists, and I’m skeptical about whether Jurᴀssic World Rebirth can beat Spielberg’s original ground-breaking set pieces. The Lost World takes Ian Malcolm on a perilous journey to John Hammond’s Site B, Isla Sorna, where he attempts to stop InGen executives from bringing dinosaurs to the mainland. Alan and Ellie did not return for Jurᴀssic Park‘s sequel, which contributed to the film’s cautious reception — though its impressive effects were to account for its commercial success.

The visual effects in the Jurᴀssic Park movies still hold up today, but recent installments in the franchise have gradually grown accustomed to digital effects rather than practical over the years. This has been a strong cause of contention, but not all of Jurᴀssic Park‘s impressive feats could have been created with animatronics and puppetry alone. With that in mind, the franchise is remarkably innovative in the ways it blends different techniques. The prospect of Jurᴀssic World Rebirth, led by Gareth Edwards, utilizing classic visual effects is generating considerable excitement — but whether it’s enough to surpᴀss the original’s visual impact remains to be seen.

Jurᴀssic Park & The Lost World Have Incredible CGI That Still Holds Up Today

Steven Spielberg’s Precise Vision Translated Into Highly Accurate Visual Effects

In a recent episode of VFX Artists React, the VFX artists at Corridor Crew described the Jurᴀssic Park 2 visual effects as “mind-blowing,” particularly the big T-Rex sequence. Jurᴀssic Park 2 came out in 1997, four years after the original movie. While many films from the late 1990s can feel dated and clunky in visual exposition, Spielberg’s pre-historical adventure truly stands the test of time.

Jurᴀssic Park‘s talented crew won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 65th ceremony in 1993 for their work on Spielberg’s best sci-fi movie. The visual effects were a remarkable achievement, especially considering the era in which it was produced. The T. rex famously required a lot of work and quickly became the most iconic part of Jurᴀssic Park. The overall success can be attributed to an effective balance between practical and digital effects.

Spielberg was incredibly selective about where he used CGI in Jurᴀssic Park, and the visual effects served specific purposes throughout the original trilogy. As a result, this majorly enhanced the dinosaurs’ realistic movements and presence on-screen. Ultimately, Jurᴀssic Park and The Lost World set a new standard for realism in the industry with their visual effects. As the Corridor Crew highlights, “it’s not that the effects were better [in the 90s,] it’s the mindset behind them that was so much more integrated into everything. They are so much more planned out,” (via YouTube) — something that has become extremely scarce.

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth’s Dinosaurs Look Good, But I’m Not Sure They’ll Beat Jurᴀssic Park

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Will Struggle To Replicate The Wonder Of Jurᴀssic Park

Needless to say, the release of Jurᴀssic Park marked a historic moment in cinema, as its visual effects were unprecedented and offered audiences something completely new. Throughout six films, the franchise has continually reinvented itself and introduced new dinosaur designs and species with each installment. Of course, though it isn’t necessarily about CGI, the biggest challenge for Jurᴀssic World Rebirth is to recapture the magic of the originals. Considering the sheer variety of dinosaurs and events we’ve already seen, this seems like a rather daunting task for the upcoming movie.

Although practical effects are not ruled out in the Jurᴀssic World franchise, technology has advanced to the point where it has drastically reduced the cost and complexity of CGI effects in major motion pictures. The vast amount of detail in the dinosaurs of Jurᴀssic Park and Jurᴀssic Park: The Lost World makes it hard to see how any future film could possibly outdo them. While the Jurᴀssic World movies feature new dinosaurs, such as the Indominus rex, they still have not managed to replicate the sheer awe of the first film.

Source: Corridor Crew on YouTube