A cracking cast (Picture: United International Pictures (UIP)

There are some movies where, despite their undeniable quality, you never feel the urge to watch them again with any great regularity.

On the other hand, there are some movies where no matter how many times you watch them, you never seem to get bored of doing so.

Everyone will have their own go-to old movies

For me, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Independence Day get the most regular airings.

However, another movie which unequivocally fits this criteria, and which turns a quarter century old this year, is Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park.


It may be turning 25 in 2018, but with a second Jurassic World movie due out later this year, it’s clear that the blockbuster’s winning formula remains as popular as ever.



With the new Jurassic World movie out, there is clearly still huge interest in the franchise, but here is why I keep going back for more from the original Spielberg classic:

Childhood wonderment

For me, a huge part of the film’s enduring appeal undoubtedly stems from being of a certain age when it was first came out.

It was released in 1993 when I was eight years old and this thrill ride delivered just the right amount of spectacle, scares and action to keep me enthralled.

It’s full of jumps (Picture: Universal Pictures International (UIP))

Even when you watch the film as an adult, there’s still a sense of wide-eyed wonderment running throughout the entire movie, a trick which Steven Spielberg arguably performs better than anyone

That first glimpse of a huge Brachiosaurus and the amazed expressions on the faces of Dr Sattler and Dr Grant is a prime example of this.

It’s a movie that taps its own characters’ sense of amazement at what they are witnessing and manages to transplant that same sensation over to its audience.

It is peak Spielberg and Williams

Jurassic Park is perhaps the most classically Spielbergian blockbuster since Jaws.

Raiders of the Lost Ark may have bettered it in terms of action-packed adventure, but Jurassic Park takes some beating for sheer cinematic spectacle.

Williams and Spielberg are an incredible team (Picture: Getty)

It has all the hallmarks we’ve come to expect from a successful Spielberg movie, including heroic characters, amazing effects, daring action and breathtaking camerawork.

Sequences such as the vibrating glass of water and the tense kitchen escape are both firmly rooted in the language of cinema, becoming benchmarks against which other blockbusters are compared.

Spielberg’s skilled directorial work is aided by another master of his craft, John Williams.

The maestro’s timeless score is a crucial part of the film’s appeal.

His stirring orchestral work adds volumes to the film’s sense of scale, and sequences such as the final helicopter flight off the island are elevated by his soaring accompaniment.

Cast – Attenborough, Neill, Dern, Goldblum, Jackson and more and more and more

As far as blockbuster movies go, there’s few that can match Jurassic Park for its sheer amount of quality casting.

Richard Attenborough, Sam Neill and Laura Dern are all perfect in the lead roles, with the latter particularly shining as the headstrong Ellie Sattler.

Jeff Goldblum steals scenes throughout (Picture: Universal Pictures International (UPI))

Even the film’s minor characters are unforgettable, from Wayne Knight’s greedy programmer Nedry to Bob Peck’s experienced ranger Muldoon.



Then, of course, there’s the Goldblum. As rock star scientist Dr Ian Malcom, Jeff Goldblum reaches peak Goldblum-ness.

Every line is delivered to perfection and he steals every scene in which he appears.

Nobody else could make lying down in an unbuttoned black shirt look that suave.

Amazing effects that are still better than some today

The film’s crowning glory is its spectacular special effects.

A mix of animatronic and pioneering computerised techniques, Jurassic Park is 25 years old and still puts many modern movies to shame.

The CGI is flawless, but its the animatronics that make the dinosaurs seem so realistic.

Obvious CGI can ruin a film by taking you right out of the moment and proving a huge distraction.

However, the incredible practical effects used here ensure that the scenes involving dinosaurs at close quarters carry the necessary heft.

I’ll never get tired of seeing a Velociraptor (Clever Girl) stalk its prey or a huge T-Rex eye illuminated by torchlight.

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It is astonishing work that helps to seamlessly immerse you into the unfolding story.

It may be 25 years old but, for me, Jurassic Park remains one of the greatest ever blockbusters.

Few other movies can match its winning balance of sheer spectacle and a gripping narrative.

It has action; horror and drama. It is a fight for survival and a mankind versus nature ethical conundrum.

It’s an unparalleled classic, and I can’t wait to watch it again.

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