Jurassic World Dominion (2022) – Full Movie Summary
Overview & Premise
Four years after the volcanic eruption on Isla Nublar (Fallen Kingdom), dinosaurs roam freely alongside humans around the world. A fragile coexistence unfolds as new threats emerge.
Act I – Dinosaurs Among Us & The Lockwood Sanctuary
- Claire Dearing, Owen Grady, and Franklin Webb investigate illegal dinosaur breeding and cruelty. Meanwhile, they care for Maisie Lockwood, Benjamin Lockwood’s cloned teenage granddaughter, in their remote Sierra Nevada cabin.
- Owen’s raptor, Blue, unexpectedly visits with a hatchling named Beta, conceived asexually. Maisie bonds with the young raptor.
Act II – Locusts, Genetically Engineered Threat
- Dr. Ellie Sattler discovers giant swarms of locusts ravaging crops. A key clue: Biosyn-engineered seeds seem immune—hinting at biotech’s involvement.
- She teams with Dr. Alan Grant, her ex-husband, to investigate. They find the locusts are genetically engineered with ancient DNA.
Act III – Conflict, Conspiracy, and Rescue
- Biosyn Genetics, led by Lewis Dodgson, publicly claims to preserve dinosaurs while secretly plotting global food domination through locust warfare.
- Dodgson’s plan includes cloning dinosaurs with Maisie’s genetic template. He grows increasingly villainous.
- Maisie and Beta are kidnapped and transported to Biosyn’s European facility. Claire, Owen, and Franklin pursue, aided by mercenary pilot Kayla Watts.
- Dr. Ian Malcolm, now working for Biosyn, reconnects with Ellie and Grant to expose Dodgson’s schemes.
- Geneticist Henry Wu reveals he modified Maisie to save her from a hereditary disease and believes her DNA, plus Beta’s, could create a disease-targeting vector to stop the locusts. Wikipedia
- A massive showdown ensues: locusts escape, wildfires ignite, and dinosaurs attack. Dodgson tries to flee with precious dino embryos but meets a grim fate.
Act IV – Resolution & New Order
- Owen and his allies escape via helicopter, facing down a kinetic dino spectacle—T. rex vs. Giganotosaurus in a giant clash.
- Ellie, Grant, Malcolm, and Ramsay testify against Biosyn. A biological vector derived from Maisie and Beta is deployed to eradicate the locusts.
- The UN establishes Biosyn Valley as an official dinosaur sanctuary. Humans and dinosaurs embark on a tenuous coexistence.
Prologue Scene
The film opens 65 million years ago, introducing new dinosaurs like Dreadnoughtus, Giganotosaurus, Nasutoceratops, and Moros. A fierce fight between a Giganotosaurus and a partly feathered T. rex unfolds, while a mosquito sips T. rex blood—setting up the DNA premise. It transitions to modern-day California, where the familiar T. rex escapes trailer confinement and wreaks havoc.
Themes & Reception
- Locusts as the New Menace: The genetically engineered locust swarm provided a sci-fi twist on ecological catastrophe, aligning with Michael Crichton’s themes of science gone awry.
- Criticism:
- Many felt dinosaurs were sidelined in favor of human and insect conflict.
- Reviews pointed to a convoluted, oversaturated plot and underused cast.
- Some saw the film as overly nostalgic and lacking Spielbergian wonder.
- Praise:
- Visual design of feathered dinosaurs earned paleontological praise.
- Some reviews found it a fitting franchise send-off with satisfying closure.
- Roger fans appreciated the locust subplot as thematic progression.
Notable Facts
- Box Office: Grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
- Legacy Cast Reunion: Brings back Dern (Ellie), Neill (Grant), and Goldblum (Malcolm) for the first time since the original Jurassic Park.
- Dinosaur Design: Featured feathered species and new additions, welcomed by scientists.
- Extended Edition: Includes 14 minutes of extra footage not in cinemas.
