Jurassic Park/World Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best. On this week's special edition, I rank the Jurassic Park/World franchise. 

5.Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018):

Deciding to revisit and expand upon the "using dinosaurs as military weapons" subplot from Jurassic World sends Fallen Kingdom down an extraordinarily stupid path that results in a project that is equal parts bad ridiculous and fun ridiculous. The major final act reveal involving the Maise Lockwood character (Isabella Sermon) caused what remains one of the hardest laughing fits I've ever had in a movie theater.

Grade: C+

4.Jurassic Park III (2001):

The near consensus pick for the worst Jurassic Park movie is unquestionably bolstered here by the fact that it was the 2nd Jurassic Park movie I'd watched, and I was 9 or 10 when I saw it. The introduction of the Spinosaurus as a new alpha dinosaur was cool as hell, Sam Neill's return as Dr. Alan Grant was welcome and the kid (Trevor Morgan) hanging out in an overturned supply truck and living off of expired candy bars really made the most out of being stranded on a dinosaur-filled island for a few months.   

Grade: B-

3.The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997):

In retrospect, The Lost World's primary contribution to the Jurassic franchise was confirming early on that the original was lightning in a bottle. No attempt at creating more extravagant dinosaur setpieces, effort to bring in a new group of talented actors (Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, Peter Stormare, Pete Postlethwaite) or return of a key player from its predecessor (Steven Spielberg, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough) could help The Lost World replicate the blockbuster magic that Jurassic Park so effortlessly and abundantly possessed.  

Grade: B

2.Jurassic World (2015):

Returning to the Jurassic Park well after 15 years away from a world where humans were stupid enough to bring dinosaurs back to life and put them in a theme park was definitely pretty fun. Chris Pratt-who was still riding the new charismatic action hero high he received from Guardians of the Galaxy- gives a really magnetic lead performance as cool guy raptor handler Owen Grady, the tense, energetic dinosaur action is easily the best since the original and the idiotic, melodramatic absurdity that derailed Fallen Kingdom is at a much more palatable level here.   

Grade: B

1.Jurassic Park (1993):

Escapism doesn't really get any purer than Jurassic Park.  Steven Spielberg transports the audience into a world where dinosaurs are living among humans and allows them to feel every ounce of wonder and fear that the characters experience during their 2-hour journey on the grounds. It's one of those timeless works that will continue to introduce people to the uniquely spellbinding power that top-tier blockbuster entertainment has for generations to come, and no amount of not overly impressive sequels will be able to soften its enduring legacy.  

Grade: A