Movie Review — Battle at Big Rock
Recently, I surveyed different students at Latitude to find out what their favorite movie was, and one answer that frequently came up was movies from the Jurassic Park franchise. Growing up, Jurassic Park has always been a film I found enticing to watch. It’s a thrilling, action-packed movie series that will always keep you on the edge of your seat. I was excited when I saw Jurassic Park released a short film called Battle at Big Rock! I decided to review the film, and although it’s a small-scale production, I think it fits perfectly into the flow of the Jurassic Park franchise.
Battle at Big Rock, released in 2019, is a film directed by Colin Trevorrow. This short film follows the events after the movie Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which was released in 2018.
This 8-minute, action-packed sequel is set at Big Rock National Park and follows a family of five. There’s the father (played by Andre Holland), the mother (Natalie Martinez), and three children (Melody Hurd, Pierson Salvador, Noah and Ethan Cole). They are eating dinner in their trailer van when suddenly they hear a noise coming from outside. This is where the action starts to unfold. The family sees a pair of Nasutoceratops, a mother and a baby, who come face to face with the jaws of a mighty Allosaurus! The parents try to get their children to stay low as they witness the action in bewilderment and terror. Ultimately, the Nasutoceratops escape unharmed, but the youngest child of the family starts to cry, which attracts the attention of the Allosaurus to the family’s trailer.
I think the location (filmed in Ireland) and production design enhance the overall feel of the film. The lighting, camera angles, and effects of the dinosaurs are all well-mastered.
I did think the general plot line of the film was quite transparent. After the allosaurus sets foot on the campground, I could predict the oncoming horror of the dinosaur attacking the family, breaking its head through the side of the trailer. Although I could see this coming, I did think the cool effects, cinematic feel, and overall performance of the actors were so well executed that they made up for the film’s predictability.
In conclusion, would I recommend Battle at Big Rock? Yes, I would! Not only was it fun to watch, but after it ended, I wanted more. I would definitely enjoy watching other shorts like this in the future!
