Chris Pratt on Jurassic Park: Insanely Great Endings
Welcome to part 2 of an ongoing series exploring exceptional storytelling through the lens of the superior analytical approach created by screenwriter Michael Arndt. Welcome to Insanely Great Endings. If you aren’t familiar with Michael or his IGE method, his videos can be found in part 1:
In brief, Arndt believes stories have the greatest audience impact when they contain not only internal (emotional) arcs for the characters, and external arcs for the plot, but a third arc, a philosophical arc, or ‘what the movie is about.’ Three arcs, each with antagonists and mentors, each one constructed, each crucial for maximum emotion, culminating in a final two minutes where the story pays off all three arcs, resulting in an insanely great ending.
1993’s Jurassic Park is a milestone in cinematic achievement. While many summer blockbusters employed successful CGI, this was perhaps the first time pixels blended so seamlessly with character it left the audience with a seemingly real, incredibly terrifying, often thrilling, edge of your seat… you know what- It was a magic trick. That movie’s a magic trick.
One could write a book about the billions of dollars the franchise rakes in, the seemingly endless merchandise — you couldn’t go anywhere in the 90’s without seeing it, that THEME song, Johnny Williams at his best — just try not to hear it, go on, try. Or the maestro, his camera work, his deft knowledge of framing, the Spielberg oner — often capturing four shots in a single take. Or his collaboration with Stan Winston, arguably the best blend of practical and CGI ever, I mean, the man was making Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park AT THE SAME DAMN TIME!
But I digress. This is story. This is Insanely Great Endings. This is Jurassic Park, screenplay by David Koepp and Michael Crichton, based on the book by Crichton.
Welcome to Jurassic Park… THE STAKES:
JP is genius, I would argue, not because of it’s star, T-REX or even the supporting cast RAPTORS, but because of the human characters. That only works because Koepp sets the stakes early. In the first act, they quickly establish all three sets of stakes. The opening sequence establishes the danger, “Shoot her!” is survival. Then the lawyer arrives and sets up his stakes. Insurance, safety concerns, full scale inspection of the park.
Three scenes in a row set the same external stakes. Lawyer in South America. Hammond at the dig, pitching Dr. Sattler and Dr. Grant. Lawyer warns Hammond upon arrival, ‘If the investors aren’t happy, I’m not happy.’
External Stakes: explore/survive the park.
“But wait…” I hear you say. “The Lawyer is there for one EXTERNAL plot, to inspect the park for the investors, all three doctors for another (eyewitness testimonial) and the children for… tourism?” Let’s not confuse motivation with stakes. Good rule of thumb, the external plot in horror is always survival, always.
Next, let’s look at emotional stakes. After we’re transported to the archeological dig and Dr. Grant terrorizes a child, Dr. Sattler confronts him, introducing his internal/emotional arc. “Kids. You want those?” ”Not him, but some form of kids, yeah.” Grant is the change character with the greatest arc, from confirmed bachelor to a family unit. Hammond changes too. Flea circus fall arc, more on that later.
Internal/Emotional Stakes: risk being family.
Meta Pitch: “No doubt our attractions will drive kids out of their mind.” Don’t you just love it when a movies pitches itself to the audience?
The best place to witness the philosophical stakes is the DNA cartoon/lab tour when they jump the ride and see the raptor hatch. Goldblum’s rock star Dr. Ian Malcolm says:
“John, the kind of control you’re attempting simply is… it’s not possible. If there is one thing the history of evolution has taught us it’s that life will not be contained. Life breaks free, it expands to new territories and crashes through barriers, painfully, maybe even dangerously, but, uh… well, there it is.”
The philosophical arc is man’s hubris in the face of creation. Respect for nature. For the power of nature to select dinosaurs for extinction. The rape of the natural world.
Hammond’s argument falls on deaf ears as he defends his park. Malcolm, Sattler, and Grant all represent sides of the philosophical stakes. IF science can do it, IF you have great power, do you also have great respons-
Philosophical Stakes: Man vs. nature, playing God.
Meta Pitch #2: “Welcome to Jurassic Park.”
Meta Pitch #3: “We’re gonna make a fortune with this place.”
Part of an insanely great ending is establishing the dominant value at the start of the story and the underdog value fighting for attention. An IGE final two minutes overturns the dominant value and embraces the underdog value.
Dominant value: Hubris. Science gives us control over nature. The story establishes Hammond’s control over nature, his use of science to play God and create dinosaurs. This is the dominant value.
Underdog value: is chaos. When all three doctors try to explain versions of ‘can’t control nature’ theory, they’re met with scorn.
Arndt establishes an antagonist, mentor, and a clear arc for each set of stakes. Now that we have our stakes, let’s look at our three antagonists/mentors.
If the external stakes are survival, the External Antagonist is mother nature. The storm and dinosaurs serve as antagonistic forces trying to keep the protagonists from their goal, survival. The ARIA, or speech cannot be given by a storm or raptor, but we repeatedly hear things reminding us of the threat. “That storm isn’t changing course.” “They are lethal at eight months, and I DO mean lethal.”
The External Mentor is Dr. Grant. He represents survival, the children’s guide, father-figure, and protector. The ARIA, or speech establishing his bona fides is when a shell-shocked Lex repeats, “He left us. He left us.” Grant offers a hand and says; “But that’s not what I’m going to do.”
The Internal/Emotional Antagonist: Confirmed bachelor and the most boring Indiana Jones ever, Dr Grant is the major change character. His journey to father figure is hampered by his own stubborn perceptions. He doesn’t want kids. He doesn’t even want to ride with Tim, “Which car are you riding in?” “Whichever one you’re riding in.”
Hammond changes too. His stubborn belief is also his emotional/internal antagonist.
Laura Dern’s brilliant emotional center, Dr. Ellie Sattler is the heart of the film. Ellie serves as the Emotional Mentor for Hammond when she confronts him in the melting ice cream flea circus scene. He still hasn’t accepted her argument.
John Hammond: When we have control again —
Dr. Ellie Sattler: You never had control! That’s the illusion! I was overwhelmed by the power of this place. But I made a mistake, too. I didn’t have enough respect for that power and it’s out now. The only thing that matters now are the people we love. Alan and Lex and Tim…John,they’re out there where people are dying.
She’s also Grant’s Emotional Mentor pushing him into riding with the kids “She said I should ride with you, said it would be good for you.” You could argue the children themselves mentor Grant on his emotional arc to ‘fatherhood’ but I would argue Ellie gave them the push.
Philosophical Antagonist John Hammond and his unabashed enthusiasm; breeding only females, thinking fences will keep them apart, opting to build a system to allow the park to run out of a control room with minimal staff… Not to mention his insistence that “Our scientists are doing things…” Over and over he embodies the philosophical antagonism by attempting to exert control over mother nature.
Philosophical Mentor: Ian Malcolm’s “Chaos theory… Life cannot be contained.” “Lack of humility before nature…” “Life finds a way.”
I mean, philosophically, this is a story about men. Men who dominate. Men who control. Men who play God. The hubris of men. Then mother nature teaches some lessons, the storm, the dinos breeding in the wild… but don’t take my word for it.
https://www.amazon.com/Jurassic-Park-Philosophy-Terrifying-Popular-ebook/dp/B00L7828RW
ACT I
OPEN: p1 Who what when where equilibrium? Worker is killed. Lawyer is nervous. Doctors are happy, digging in the desert. Theories about dino herds, hunting, intelligence, and communication, but no proof.
ORDINARY WORLD: Daily Routine + introduce unresolved issue. For Grant/Sattler, that issue is family.
How is his future fixed, how does he have a stable self image? He is a man fixed in the past. This who we are and what we do. Content to live alone.
Is your character or world flawed? Character’s flaw is an aversion to technology and family. And change.
THEN ONE DAY: 10% Bolt from the blue: Hammond shows up with an invitation to the island.
In a world of pure imagination.
How does it change sense of self? “We’re out of a job.” “Don’t you mean extinct?” Seismic shift in sense of self.
Sense of the future? Everything must be re-examined.
How is it worst possible to happen to him? Dr. Grant hates technology. Hates the future. His identity has been destroyed by technology, repeatedly says “Tech is out to get me.”
Adding insult to injury? He’s stuck with kids. He hates kids.
How does it create GLOBAL PROBLEM? Dinosaurs are deadly. He knows, but will they listen?
What are dominant values? Hubris. Control.
Underdog values? Humility. Chaos.
ACT II:
EMBARKS: 25% On the quest? The tour begins. “Welcome to Jurassic Park.”
Short term problem A? Storm rages. Can’t continue tour, must get back to visitors center. Problem A is getting back.
Long range problem B? Dinos are out. Problem B, they must survive the park.
MIDPOINT SETBACK: 50% — Jeep stops, loss of power. T-Rex attack. They’re on foot. Explore turns into survive. Cut off from the world. On their own. Isolation. Nobody coming to their rescue. Their world is in danger.
MA calls this a ‘midpoint reversal.’ The task of the midpoint to to upend the status quo and deliver a whole new paradigm for your audience. How is this a reversal? The rules of the park are smashed. Reliance on technology cannot save them. Loss of power is a loss of control. It almost feels like ‘another movie’ as it’s not the fun ‘tour the dinosaur park’ movie anymore, now it’s about survival.
ACT III
75-90% solves Problem A — they do get back to the visitor center but not before a series of setbacks.
External Setbacks: Almost crushed. Almost drowned in mud. Almost eaten. Almost smashed. Lawyer dead. Group divided. Goldblum injured. Grant/children on foot. Chased by a truck — in a tree. Power out. Fences are down. Sam Jackson can’t get Jurassic park online without Dennis Nedry…
Further external setbacks: Chased in jeep by T-Rex. Must re-set the power. Chased by Raptors. French fried Tim.
Internal Setbacks: Grant responsible for others (his Achilles’ heel) and Hammond is forced to see his power/responsibility in a new light.
Philosophical Setbacks: They find eggs, life found a way. To contain life, to turn 65M years of evolution into a guided theme park tour, failed. Fences failed. Tech failed. Playing God isn’t looking so heavenly.
Closest ally chooses dominant value, domination and control. This is the hunter who still thinks the power of technology (rifle) can save them.
Act 2 all is lost? Power is out. All fences off. Raptors are loose, hunting us and they’re smart.
NO RETURN: 75% No going back, total commitment? Dr. Ellie Sattler goes to turn the power on. Restore power, use phones to call for help.
How is this a reversal? She hasn’t been leading. She takes power. Femergy wins.
The 75% end of act one solves Problem A but forces Problem B. How does it solve problem A? Gets the power on, everyone makes it back to the visitors center, they have phones. Force the stakes in problem B? They brought the Raptors back with them, they’re inside, hungry. Survival.
Emotional failure: Separated. Tim/Lex in kitchen. Ellie outside. Not yet working as a family. Can’t hold the dinos back (door).
External failure: Sam Jackson dies. Hunter dies. Tim’s fried. Ellie’s injured. Dinos can open doors. Linux operating software, jeesh. Dinos break glass. They jump and hunt. No place is safe. Gun is empty.
Philosophical failure: Ice Cream Flea circus, “The illusion was thinking you had control.” Hammond still isn’t buying the underdog value, he still clings to the dominant control over nature saying “Even Disneyland had problems.”
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but, John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don’t eat the tourists.
FINAL TWO MINUTE CLIMAX
CLIMAX: 90% The final two minute climax. The moment everything comes together. The Kamikaze moment where the Hero Listens to the mentor and Chooses Underdog Value against their own self interest leading to a moment of despair, causing External, Internal and Philosophical Failure where there is no possible positive outcome before the decisive act embraces the underdog values, overturns the dominant value, leading to internal, external and philosophical success? All in two minutes? THAT’s why you pay Koepp the big bucks.
Let’s take a look at this wordless final sequence:
Kamikaze moment of commitment? No place to run, no place to hide from mother nature, the raptors on their tail, the ‘family’ leaps onto the T-Rex skeleton.
Mentor returns/Hero listens (embracing underdog value)? Chaos reigns as the skeleton cannot support their weight and cables snap. Surrounded, they have no option but to bow before nature’s majesty.
Hero fails internally? Fails to protect family.
Hero fails externally? Fails to survive the park.
Hero fails philosophically? Hubris to think they can outrun Raptors.
MOMENT OF DESPAIR? Resigned to their fate, they hug — raptors about to pounce.
Decisive act? Accepting the will of nature.
Embraces underdog value? Dr. Grant bows his head before the chaos of nature, humbled.
External success/resolution of global problem? The T-Rex jaws snap the Raptor in mid air, nature saves them.
Emotional success? Grant overcomes his doubt, they become a family unit.
Philosophical success? Chaos wins, life DID find a way. The power of mother nature is greater than man’s hubris/control over it.
Is it an insanely great ending? “After careful consideration I’ve decided NOT to endorse your park.” “So have I.” Family is a unit. The dominant value is overturned, the underdog value is proven. Each of the three arcs pay off. The banner falls, T-Rex roars. Dinosaurs once again rule the world. Insanely. Great. Ending.
Chris Pratt is a Los Angeles based screenwriter currently re-booting public domain IP in the style of MARVEL films. Whatever the eff that means.
