Will Jurassic World (executive produced by Steven Spielberg) redefine the summer blockbuster (created by Steven Spielberg in 1975 with Jaws) with dinosaurs brought to life/engineered from prehistoric DNA for the second time (Spielberg’s groundbreaking Jurassic Park in 1993) 40 years after the supremely terrifying, gigantic great white shark scared us from swimming in the ocean?

(Fan-Made Poster by Jeff Victor)

Jurassic World opens today!

With a theatrical release almost exactly 22 years after Jurassic Park (June 11th), the fourth installment in this treasured franchise is centered on new characters and some fun new dinosaurs. Written, directed and acted (Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard) by proud fans of the 1993 cinematic epic, there is a lot of pressure to get this film right. This is especially true because of its direct connection to the original movie, one of the greatest (if not the greatest) movies of all-time.

No pressure, right?

CGI will understandably be used, but needs to be coupled with an ideal balance of practical effects. Only the director and special effects team can make this judgement, but this will be a critical dynamic for how successful it will ultimately be as part of the movie-going experience. And, equally relevant, the effects will help determine the all-important shelf-life (literally) for fans months and years from now. Steven Spielberg hand-picked Colin Trevorrow, which should immediately add some gravitas and assurances to his decision to select a relative rookie for such a massive undertaking.

Living in a point in time in film history when over-reliance on CGI can overwhelm stories, characters and believability alike, hopefully Trevorrow took cues from Spielberg, Christopher Nolan and J.J. Abrams in their lauded approaches and spent the money and took the time to develop and incorporate stunning practical effects and sets into Jurassic World. This movie is a big deal for a variety of reasons, one of which is the inevitable comparisons of the effects and settings of 1993 v. 2015. Other key elements audiences will look for include edge-of-our-seat suspense, originality with homages to 1993, heart-racing twists-and-turns, relationships with genuine connections, as well as whether this film will feature life lessons within a grand vision built for today and tomorrow.

Plus, the story/script needs to sound like it came from a Michael Crichton novel.

The excitement for Jurassic World is palpable. Fans (like myself) have been waiting 22 years to visit a fully-functioning, state-of-the-art theme park with dinosaurs, having spared no expense. Yes, I’ve seen the original and understand the results and messages of the first film. I know that humans get in serious trouble when they attempt to control nature and that dinosaurs from 65 million years ago have instincts and behaviors that are incompatible with people. Still, who doesn’t want to be a part of that amazingly awesome adventure? What kid didn’t see themselves as Timmy or Lex in 1993? Dr. Grant? Dr. Sattler? Dr. Ian Malcolm?

Steven Spielberg is the master of projecting imaginative characters, worlds and quotable moments that have the spectacular power to entertain and impact lives far, far beyond opening night.

Hopefully, Mr. Trevorrow found a way with Jurassic World.