Jurassic World: Rebirth

JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH is a 2025 science fiction action adventure film directed by Gareth Edwards, from a screenplay by Michael Crichton and David Koepp. The film is a standalone sequel to Jurassic World Dominion (2022), it is the fourth Jurassic World film and the seventh installment overall in the Jurassic Park film series. 

Five years post-Jurassic World Dominion, an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.

The cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, and Ed Skrein.

JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH made its debut in theaters July 2nd, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

When summer movie season kicks off I always have my eyes set on the movies that are just meant to be seen in theaters, and the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World movies have been fitting that criteria for over 30 years. You can show up to the theater for one of these movies with a pretty good idea what to expect, which is some amazing special effects and a ton of great action. This franchise has benefited greatly from the technological advancements in the industry, and I have personally enjoyed the journey. Admittedly the story has taken a back seat to the action for the most part as of late, but in my opinion that is to be expected.

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH fits the bill as far as the action and special effects taking center stage, but I actually thought the film had a decent enough story to keep me engaged during the slower points in the film. The story set the stage in terms of a good reason to embark on a dangerous mission to the land of dinosaurs, and I really liked how the story set the stage as far as human interest waning in terms of the appeal of dinosaurs as of late. The film also features a talented cast led by Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Rupert Friend. The story won’t blow you away but the cast helps to maximize the potential.

At the end of the day the primary appeal of a film like JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH is the visuals, and that is the reason why viewers will be buying tickets to see it in theaters. The film absolutely holds up its end of the bargain in the category of just sheer entertainment, providing a ton of action and some incredible looking dinosaurs. In typical Jurassic World fashion many of the scenes will have you on the edge-of-your-seat and the action pretty much always delivers. The premise of the film also touches on the potential for dinosaurs with mutations so you are always left guessing in terms of what you may see next.

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH didn’t blow me away or anything, but the film kept my attention and provided more than enough of what fans of the franchise are looking for. I also really enjoyed the cast and was very pleased with the chemistry between Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and the lesser known Jonathan Bailey. I really liked the performance from Manuel Garcia-Rulfo who plays Mickey Haller in the Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer.

The technical elements are on point in general, but similar to the majority of the films in the franchise the cinematography was fantastic as well. JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH benefits from some great locations including the vast ocean and a great tropical and beach setting. For me a big draw of these films is how immersive they are and I found myself just appreciating the gorgeous environments. JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH utilized several great filming locations including Thailand, Malta, and the U.K.

THE VERDICT

A summer blockbuster packed with edge-of-your-seat action and impressive visuals, JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH admittedly plays it safe but is still a solid entry in the franchise that deserves the big-screen treatment. The film does enough to justify the price of admission so I have no issue whatsoever recommending it, and assuming they continue with the franchise I will surely see the next film as well.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.5/10

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

M3GAN 2.0

M3GAN 2.0 is a 2025 science fiction horror thriller film directed by Gerard Gladstone (Housebound), from a screenplay by Akela Cooper (Malignant, The Nun 2) and a story by horror legend James Wan, the man behind the Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring franchises. The film is produced by Blumhouse, the production company behind the Halloween films, The Black Phone, and The Invisible Man. It is the sequel to the 2023 horror film, M3GAN (our full review here).

Two years after M3GAN's rampage, her creator, Gemma, resorts to resurrecting her infamous creation in order to take down Amelia, the military-grade weapon who was built by a defense contractor who stole M3GAN's underlying tech.

The cast includes Allison Williams, Jermaine Clement, Violet McGraw, Ivanna Sakhno, Amie Donald, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jenna Davis, Timm Sharp, Aristotle Athari, and Jen Van Epps.

M3GAN 2.0 made its debut in theaters June 27th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Blumhouse catches their fair share of crap for their obsession with PG-13 horror films, some of which is certainly warranted. It is a difficult balance after all, but sometimes they deliver. Two years ago they released the sci-fi horror M3GAN and I was very impressed with it. I thought the film pushed the envelope as far as the PG-13 rating, while also adding a unique element of style and humor.

When they announced a sequel was in the works I was very much intrigued, and I was looking forward to seeing where they wanted to take the franchise. After the first teaser trailer dropped my excitement was growing as it looked like we were in for yet another entertaining visit from our favorite killer robot.

Unfortunately unlike the first film, M3GAN 2.0 was not all that I wanted it to be. The follow-up film in the franchise took an interesting approach as it seemed to embrace the PG-13 rating appealing more to the teen audience as opposed to more of a mix. The film was much goofier this time around, and in many ways M3GAN herself was a background character for a good portion of the film. I thought M3GAN 2.0 had an interesting premise overall as it continued to focus on the risk that would come with an all-powerful AI, but the horror element was basically dead and buried. I also thought the film was pretty slow at times, and even though some of the action sequences were fun, the appeal just didn’t last for me without the horror feel.

I would categorize M3GAN 2.0 as much more of a sci-fi action comedy as the horror thriller elements are basically non-existent. The majority of the original cast returns for the sequel, but a notable addition to the cast who serves as one of the films primary antagonists is Jermaine Clement. Now I love me some Jermaine Clement, but he is not the guy I would call when I am assembling the cast for a horror film. Clement is actually a nice addition to the film from a comedic perspective, but as I said I didn’t love the approach in general. To be honest M3GAN 2.0 probably could have been better as a standalone film.

From a technical perspective M3GAN 2.0 was actually pretty great and a much bigger film as far as budget. I thought the production value was on point, I liked the energy of the soundtrack, and as I said most of the action sequences were solid. M3GAN and her nemesis Amelia look great, and the use of AI and robotics had a creative edge to it. In general the writing was fine, I just thought the film suffered from pacing issues and what I thought was a detrimental identity crisis when you try to connect it to the original.

THE VERDICT

M3GAN 2.0 is a step back for the franchise as the film subverts the horror element entirely while choosing to embrace the PG-13 rating, and ultimately a broader appeal to a younger audience. As I mentioned earlier M3GAN was a great film for all of its unique qualities, but at the end of the day the sad reality is that a sequel was just a bad idea altogether. I’m not saying it is unwatchable, but you need to go in knowing what to expect otherwise you will be disappointed.

TED TAKES RATING - 5.4/10

M3GAN 2.0 is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

28 Years Later

28 YEARS LATER is a 2025 post-apocalyptic horror film produced and directed by Danny Boyle, and written by Alex Garland. The third in the 28 Days Later film series, following 28 DAYS LATER (2002) and 28 WEEKS LATER (2007). The film marks the returns of Boyle, Garland, and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle to the series, all of whom worked on the original film, with Cillian Murphy also serving as executive producer. The film was confirmed to have been shot back-to-back with its sequel 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE which was directed by Nia DaCosta, written by Garland, and produced by Boyle and Garland.

28 years after the Rage virus escaped a medical research laboratory, survivors have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When a father and his son leave the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, they discover secrets, wonders, and horrors of the outside world.

The cast includes Jodie Comer, ​Aaron Taylor-Johnson, ​Jack O'Connell, ​Alfie Williams, ​and Ralph Fiennes.

28 YEARS LATER made its debut in theaters June 20th, courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched 28 Days Later which came out way back in 2002. The film, which starred Cillian Murphy, was a hit and easily one of the better films in the survival horror genre. Clearly way ahead of its time as the premise focused on a deadly virus, it is still a favorite of mine. I fully intended to give it another refresher watch before seeing 28 YEARS LATER but it wasn’t streaming and I was too cheap to pay for it VOD. So instead I relied on my fantastic memory as far as the events of the first film, as well as the sequel 28 Weeks Later, which came out in 2007 and starred Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, and Imogen Poots. That film was fantastic as well, which begs tHE question why did it take so long for us to get another film in this great franchise. Oh well, better late than never, right?

Getting back on track, 28 YEARS LATER was absolutely fantastic, and honestly better than I expected it to be. As a film junkie I always appreciate the technical elements of a film and everything here was top notch. The cinematography had me floored from the opening sequence, the editing was ridiculous, and the soundtrack was just so damn good. Plus don’t let me forget about the special effects because they were glorious. A film like 28 DAYS LATER shines when the technical elements all come together seamlessly, but acting still matters and they did it yet again with a very talented cast.

This time around we have Aaron Taylor-Johnson at the helm alongside Jodie Comer and Alfie Williams. I thought the entire cast was awesome, which of course was to be expected from season vets like Taylor-Johnson and Comer, but I thought Williams was really good too and he definitely impressed me. We also get a strong supporting role from my guy Ralph Fiennes, who is always a fan favorite for good reason.

In many ways 28 YEARS LATER feels like a blend of the first two films with the intensity and focus on the horrors that led to the unfortunate circumstances these people were forced to navigate. I also really liked how the writing made it a point to focus on the fact that these people were essentially left for dead and forced to find a way to survive amongst the infected, which gave it a Walking Dead feel in many ways especially considering the time that had passed between films. I also really liked how the film opens with a sequence that comes full circle in the end, but as per usual I will not give anything away. 28 YEARS LATER is just such an intense film that has powerful emotional moments blended with some crazy action sequences.

This film is never boring, and by the end I was pumped and ready for more. Speaking of more, it was confirmed that the follow-up film, 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE (the title will make more sense once you see the film), was filmed back-to-pack and has already wrapped with a release date of January 16th, 2026. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was when I heard that news. LETS GO!

THE VERDICT

An intense and immersive survival horror film fueled by breathtaking visuals and a spectacular soundtrack, 28 YEARS LATER makes a statement as it kicks off a fresh new trilogy. I personally cannot wait for January to get here so I can check out 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE. It remains to be seen if the 3rd film will get the green light depending on how the first two films do, but if all goes as it should theater goers are in for some fun times.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

28 YEARS LATER is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.