When Darius Bowman wins an all-expenses-paid sneak peek at Jurassic World's new "Camp Cretaceous" attraction, he is over the moon. Not only is Darius a huge dinosaur aficionado, but a trip to Jurassic World was a lifelong dream for him and his father. Dad unfortunately passed away before that dream became a reality, but this is a chance for Darius to feel close to him again. And see all kinds of dinosaurs up close, which is awesome, right? Even when it turns out the other five teens who got invitations are rather less than avid dino-fans, Darius feels like this is pretty much his dream come true.
Of course, we all know exactly what happens to dreams at Jurassic World, and sure enough the events of the 2015 film of that name are unfolding. Darius and the other five teens find themselves lost and alone on an island teeming with now-uncaged dinosaurs. And if they don't cross the island in time to make it to the evacuation point before the last boat leaves, they'll be lost and alone forever.
Its gonzo finale aside, I was not much of a fan of the Jurassic World film. My feelings for this animated spin-off, however, are a lot more positive. This is not because it does anything especially novel or unique - what we have here is pretty much your standard 'dysfunctional group has to pull together to succeed' narrative, where the glue for group cohesion is rampaging dinosaurs - but because it executes well. The characters are flawed but empathetic, and once they realise Things Have Gone Wrong, they generally act like they realise just how soft and squishy they are compared to a nine-ton dino. On the technical side, the animation is decent and the voice acting is really solid.
Do you like dinosaurs? If so, you'll probably like Camp Cretaceous.
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