JURASSIC WORLD (12A, 124 mins)

Director: Colin Trevorrow

4 stars

The only logical way forward for any Jurassic Park sequel is to become what is was always intended to be before the running and screaming started, a full on theme park chock full of munchable tourists.

The original Isla Nublar is now home to Jurassic World, a hugely popular attraction off the coast of Costa Rica where 20,000 holidaymakers can pet and ride all the dinosaurs they can handle.

The film is self aware enough to tie in the fact that old school dinosaurs won't cut it with park punters with the knowledge that the same old thing now won't cut it with cinema audiences.

To that end the star of the show here is a genetically-bred monster that breaks out of its enclosure and runs havoc on the island, while Bryce Dallas Howard's park boss and Chris Pratt's military man try to save Howard's nephews.

It would be futile to try to compare this against Jurassic Park, because no sequel can ever hope to live up to it.

But there are more than enough well executed set-pieces, and everything is on such a massive scale, that it works very well as its own thing.

The sense of sheer wonder may be gone, but some of the dinosaur attacks are harrowing and, as the majestic score kicks in, there are even one or two moments of awe.

One of its trump cards, which seemed disastrous out of context in the trailer, is that Pratt has been training and bonding with a group of velociraptors, and this allows for a terrific final third where some of the dino on dino action is breathtaking.

There are one or two ponderous stretches before the midpoint, logic is often right out the window, and it's unlikely to endure as a repeat watch, but despite all that Jurassic World is the Jurassic Park sequel we've been waiting for for 22 years.