Back in 1993, Steven Speilberg turned the popular novel Jurassic Park into a blockbuster motion picture. Following a four year hiatus, the famed director went on to helm the sequel The Lost World. Although the follow up was a huge hit, rarely do I come across anyone who actually admits to liking the picture. I wasn't that big a fan and consider it one of Spielberg's worse efforts. When offered Jurassic Park 3, Spielberg wisely decided to focus his attention on the ambitious A.I. instead. He merely serves as an executive producer on this new installment while the directing reigns have been handed to Joe Johnston (Jumanji).

This time, Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcom is nowhere to be found. Instead we get the return of Dr. Allan Grant played once again by the underrated Sam Neill. Dr. Grant is offered a large sum of research money if he agrees to accompany a thrill-seeking couple (William H. Macy and Tea Leoni) back to the island that he is desperately trying to forget. Of course the couple have a hidden agenda that puts our cast in enormous peril.

Johnston has no interest in messing around with a lengthy set-up. Jurassic Park and The Lost World both had fairly lengthy introductions, but Johnston opts to cut straight to the chase. Inside of ten minutes, we witness a boat crash, a plane crash and a couple of dino attacks. This film also features many more shots of dinosaurs then the predecessors. Johnston is a master with effects films. He made the entertaining Honey I Shrunk the Kids and the fantastic Rocketeer. Here, he again shows his true talent at working with special effects. The interactions between humans and dinos are absolutely seamless. It's too bad there isn't more to this picture.

Forget all about character development. This picture features a decent cast including Leoni, Macy, Michael Jeter and Sam Neill, but they all play second fiddle to a barrage of impressive effects. For whatever reason, Johnston even throws in a scene between Neill and Laura Dern (who appears briefly as Dr. Ellie Sattler). It is the only moment in the picture that attempts to show any kind of heart. The rest of the time, Johnston seems to be going strictly for adrenaline pumping action. While this picturedoes feature some fantastic set pieces and some new dinosaurs (aside from the T. Rex and the Raptors, we also get the colossal Spinosuaras and the flying Pterodactyls), I never really got a sense of danger. I know that sounds strange, but the dinos don't seem as intelligent this time out. And while this picture moves at a breakneck speed, it doesn't seem to have a climax. It has a brief beginning and an extended middle, but no real ending. Also, at a mere ninety minutes, this movie seems to be over before anything really happens. Blink and you'll miss it.

It has been reported that there was no shooting script during production, and while watching the film, it's easy to tell. This is more of a series of effects sequences. It was also rumored that this would be a darker, edgier Jurassic Park, but that's not all together true. Actually, I found this to be the most audience-friendly of the series. Although there are some scares and a couple of nifty attacks, this movie is not hard edged at all. So for those of you hoping for a huge body count and gruesome maulings, you might want to go see The Score instead.

I wouldn't call Jurassic Park 3 a disappointment, because I really didn't expect much from it in the first place. It does have fantastic visuals and a brisk pace, but in the end it just isn't that memorable. Just like so many other films in this disappointing summer season, Jurassic Park 3 is uneventful eye candy.