THE PARK — I don’t think there’s anyone reading this article that isn’t aware people die in the latest Jurassic chapter.

Nothing has changed about the franchise formula — people show up on the island, dinosaurs escape, they eat people, and a few survivors find safety and of course a new perspective on life. True, part two added a twist at the end, but the point is still valid.

So, I suspect if you’re reading this, you’re curious about just how violent “Jurassic World” gets. You’re probably also wondering if there are any other seedy details studios managed to sneak into their PG-13 ratings, and you might want to know if “World” is even worth seeing in the first place. We’ll touch on all of those, but like always when I write a parental perspective, we need to start with a few caveats.

First, this is not a review. John Clyde did a fine job of covering the critic’s perspective here at KSL.com. Also, I added some additional notes over at FlixJunkies.com and the two of us will be chatting again about the film on this weekend’s Flix Junkies podcast.

Second, you’re probably a far better parent than I am. I’ll give you my age recommendation, but conservative parents will want to add a few years to whatever number I come up with, and progressive parents can drop a few.

Related:

'Jurassic World' is no 'Jurassic Park'

The latest dino flick "Jurassic World" is a fun time at the theater, but it is a far cry from its predecessor "Jurassic Park."

Finally, if you’re looking for a play-by-play on every stab, kiss and naughty word, this article is more of an overview. But please check out additional resources like kids in mind for the complete skinny.

With that out of the way, let’s go ahead and get started

The people dying part

It’s been a while since I’ve seen parts two or three, but I’m going to say “World” is probably the most violent of the Jurassic stories. Every movie in the series has at least one or two characters who endure especially graphic, or at least spotlighted demises, and “World” sticks with that formula. However, because “World” takes place in a setting with an actualized theme park, the body count escalates quickly, and if we throw in injuries, “World” suggests a significant aftermath.

Also, there’s one character that meets their fate in a very exaggerated way during the pterodactyl chase. It may split the audience, leaving some people to find it so over-the-top it’s not to be taken seriously and others calling it an unnecessary torture sequence.

Tank-tops

ILM/Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment via AP

As far as sex and nudity goes, “World” is very tame. So tame in fact, all I could come up with for this section is the fact that Bryce Dallas Howard’s character reveals her under-tank-top half way through the movie and continues to wear it until the end. Directors didn’t even look for a reason to pull a Chris Pratt “Guardians of the Galaxy” shirtless scene. The movie does take place during summertime at a theme park with water attractions, so maybe a few background characters wear shorts … and maybe flip-flops. I think what I’m saying here is you're safe in this category. Move along.

Potty mouths

Not quite as safe as the tank-top section, “World” does manage to sneak in a few questionable words. Still, left only to tank-tops and potty mouths, “World” would’ve ended up as a very safe PG movie. There are no heavy-hitting R rated words, and not even the classic suggested-drop-off sentence. If you have a zero tolerance rule in place for language, you’ll need to sit this one out, but just barely. The first 20 minutes of “Goonies” would put “World” to shame in this category.

The verdict

On a personal note, let me just say I really enjoyed “Jurassic World.” If you want to get hyper-critical, sure it has its issues, but this is a solid summer blockbuster that most people will have a good time with.

On the topic of content however, “Jurassic World” reined way back on sex and language so it could stack the PG-13 box with violence. It has some disturbing images, drawn-out death scenes and a crowd killing sequence that would give any young child nightmares. As a parent myself, I wouldn’t take any of my children younger than 13 for sure, and even then I’d need to believe said child had a burning desire to see a dinosaur movie.

As a general recommendation, I’m going to call “Jurassic World” a movie for ages 14-and-up.

Travis Poppleton has been covering movie news, film reviews and live events for Deseret News and KSL.com since 2010 and co-hosts the FlixJunkies podcast. You can contact him at tspoppleton@gmail.com.

Related topics