Jurassic Games: Extinction, the sequel to 2018’s The Jurassic Games, follows the same basic setup: there’s a virtual reality gladiator-style arena game wherein contestants can become dinosaurs for 20 seconds. Writer/director/visual effects supervisor Ryan Bellegardt has been playing in this world he created for his own delight for some time now. In many ways, this demonstrates that superb, effects-driven science fiction is possible at any budgetary level. You simply have to put in the hours to make it happen yourself. I am glad to say, gentle reader, that Bellegardt excels at all three hats he wears here.
Jurassic Games: Extinction picks up from where the first movie left off. Tucker (Adam Hampton) won the most recent games in a face-off against Joy LaFort (Katie Burgess). Prior to her spectacular demise, LaFort confessed to killing Tucker’s wife and leaving him a widower. We learn in the first act that any player’s death is a fib. In point of fact, it seems no one actually dies in the Jurassic Games. When a tyrannosaur consumes the last host, Adrian Kane (Ryan Francis), LaFort is allegedly brought back from the dead to host the next round. How did this come to pass? Simply put, the VR game only disconnects you from the server when you “die.” In the real world, you’re still alive. While death row inmates power the game, players can only die if a lethal injection is administered in the real world. Until now…
The latest iteration of the game has become a bit buggy. A digital memory of Adrian Kane is activated. Sage (Leila Anastasia Scott) and her team of coders have been dubbed “vicious terrorists” and have been outfitted with digital collars of a lethal nature. Further, Tucker’s son has been kidnapped and conscripted to play in this surprise live version of the Jurassic Games. As we learn from that new psycho tapped to host it, LaFort, there was not supposed to be a new round of the games for months.
“…Tucker’s son has been kidnapped and conscripted to play in this surprise live version of the Jurassic Games.”
This flick’s deconstruction of reality competition games is very good. Here we have a scenario reminiscent of The Running Man, yet way more hyper-stylized and sanitized. This is truly how a competition game in a VR environment could play out. In the traditional version of these games, contestants endure four distinct challenges: race, rescue, capture the flag, and a surprise challenge. I greatly enjoyed how Bellegardt uses Jurassic Games: Extinction to deviate from the course and create an impactful and challenging series of twists that will keep the audience engaged.
The acting is pretty great. Everyone comported themselves well. Special mention, however, goes to Burgess. At times psychotic and cold-blooded, and playfully manipulative at other points, the actor powers the performance with rarefied scene-chewing energy. She was deeply invested in the performance, and it is a highlight.
Bellegardt has written, directed, and devised some delightful special effects. I really enjoyed the activation mechanism in the game that allowed players to become dinosaurs. The players release a drone, which they then tap. It’s reminiscent of several AAA games we have now. The effects themselves are truly impressive for an indie production and even look better than some recent big studio releases.
Jurassic Games: Extinction is an action-packed and explosive ride. I really hope this gets released to movie theaters because this is the sort of popcorn fare that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Seek it out if you’re looking for a great action film.
"…an action-packed and explosive ride."
