Jurassic Park: Tale as old as time

 Jurassic Park: When the nerds get it right

Sometimes the nerds know what’s up. In the case of Jurassic Park, we see that knowledge is power, and can get us out of some sticky situations, however outlandish. Increasingly, I’m uncertain that a place like Jurassic Park can be safely contained in the realms of science-fiction for much longer. Companies like Colossal are already involved in precisely the kind of science that makes Jurassic Park happen. De-extinction technology is no longer science-fiction: it’s scientific fact.



But Jurassic Park isn’t purely about the mechanics behind bringing dinosaurs back to life, its main concern is the ethics around that possibility. In the wise words of Dr Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), “Life finds a way.” Just because you have the power and means to do something, does not mean you definitely should. So no, Jurassic Park is not just about nerds and their dinosaurs, it’s about how we use the knowledge that we have wisely. It doesn’t take long for Jurassic Park to get out of control so we can see how easy it is for our ambitions to only take us so far when the reality is completely beyond our anticipation and abilities. 



There are some audiences who I’m sure would take Jurassic Park as an invitation, a source of inspiration, as opposed to a cautionary tale. But that just proves that stories like these still need to be told. It’s up to individual judgement, but in the act of storytelling, I hope we can all recognise the opportunity here. Jurassic Park is by no means a new story; it’s bringing ideas forward to new audiences, offering a modern framework around which the story is set. Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein is asking the kinds of questions about hubris and ethics that Jurassic Park is, and so is a film like Alex Garland’s Ex Machina. Writers and thinkers have been trying to tell us for centuries that mankind’s unchecked ambition spells unnatural disaster, but sometimes we need a new way of seeing and reading that message. Hence a blockbuster film (franchise) like Jurassic Park is a powerful medium.



Every character in Jurassic Park has something valuable to offer, whether it’s practical skills, specialist expertise or strong survival instincts, even (especially!) the kids. The characters also show us that having weaknesses and being vulnerable isn’t always a disadvantage. In fact, they’re what make us human, and what makes these characters feel so lifelike to audiences. They bleed, they can be injured, they have phobias and dislikes, they make mistakes and get lost, but all the while they’re doing everything they can to stay alive and keep each other safe. At the end of it all, Jurassic Park shows us humans’ capacity for both horrendous hubris and great courage.

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