Director Gareth Edwards, a student of ‘Jurassic Park,’ didn’t try to put his own spin on the franchise, but instead to emulate his hero.

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Gareth Edwards knows a thing or two about sci-fi films. And whether he’s creating his own unique worlds, like Monsters or The Creator, or working in someone else’s, like Godzilla or Rogue One, the director thinks one thing links the entire genre together.

Jurassic World: Rebirth feels like an old adventure movie and a homage to those that came before. While it's impossible to emulate the three-time Oscar winner, Edwards honors what Spielberg laid the foundation for all those years ago. It's fantastical, romantic, awe-inspiring, but most of all... fun.

This is all a windup to this: “Jurassic World Rebirth” tries very hard to evoke that same moment of awe. But in the story, the ubiquity of the dinosaurs has left humanity feeling bored and annoyed, cutting the feet out from under those moments. And it’s starting to feel like the movies are getting bored, too.

After several installments focused on silly human stories, the latest gives due respect to the creatures that made the whole franchise possible.