When the firstJurassic Parkmovie premiered in 1993, it would go on to launch a 30-year franchise. The first movie, about a corporation who uses fossilized dinosaur DNA to breed them in a park, only for things to go wrong, was a major blockbuster that has stood the test of time. Its visual effects on the dinosaurs, done in a combination of animatronics and CGI, showed just how good and impactful that technology could be. The results wouldchange visual effects forever. Here are the best visual effects in the franchise, ranked.
11The Sick Triceratops – Jurassic Park (1993)
While on their tour inJurassic Park, Ellie (Laura Dern) stops to look at a triceratops suffering from a mysterious illness. While it doesn’t have any major action, what makes the scene so special is how real it looks. The stegosaurus is an animatronic, moved by puppeteers, that looks like a real, living creature. When Alan leans against its side, we watch its body move with each breath. It’s a small moment that lets the visuals be appreciated, without any danger.
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10The Indoraptor – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdomsees the birth of the Indoraptor, which is made from breeding the Indominus Rex with a velociraptor. The Indoraptor is advanced and highly intelligent. Its dark coloring and long, sharp claws make it look dangerous and frightening. The dinosaur was made with a combination of CGI and animatronics, like the arms, for the actors to interact with.
9Velociraptor Training – Jurassic World (2015)
Jurassic Worldintroduces us to Owen(Chris Pratt), who works in the new park. As part of his work, he is training a group of velociraptors, and has even bonded with them. It’s the introduction of these raptors, and gives a new perspective on the dinosaurs who were the antagonists for much of the original trilogy. We watch them behave like real animals, responding to Owen’s signals. The scene mixes CGI and practical effects to look seamless.
8Spinosaurus vs T-Rex – Jurassic Park III (2001)
InJurassic Park III, Alan (Sam Neill) returns to the park with a couple who are searching for their son. Soon after arriving, the group is ambushed by a spinosaurus, who attacks the plane and eats the pilot. He then turns on the group, but a T-Rex emerges, and begins fighting with the spinosaurus, who wins. Thoughdinosaur fights had been seenin the franchise, this one introduces a new dinosaur with the spinosaurus; it shows how powerful it is by defeating the T-Rex. Both were lifelike animatronics that add to the realism.
7Raptors in the Kitchen – Jurassic Park (1993)
One of the scariest scenes comes in the first movie, where Lex (Ariana Richards) and Tim (Joseph Mazzello) are on the run from velociraptors. They take refuge in the park’s kitchen. What follows is a tense scene that shows the depth of the velociraptors’ abilities: they’re able to open the kitchen door, and jump on the counters. It shows the raptors’ intelligence, along with the effects that make them so frightening. The scene was also tricky to film; SlashFilm shared that it was done with animatronics and puppetry, withstunt workers inside velociraptor suitsfor some movements.
6Pterosaur Attack – Jurassic World (2015)
Jurassic Worldpresents a new theme park, and a new opportunity for things to go wrong. The first major attack is a big one, and shows just how much danger everyone is in. A flock of pterosaurs descends from the sky, and begins eating the fleeing guests. Chaos rages until a giant mosasaurus emerges from its tank and eats a pterosaur and the victim it was carrying. The CGI is strong in the scene, and it creates what SyFy considers one of thefranchise’s best dinosaur attacks.
5Motorcycle Chase – Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)
InJurassic World: Dominion, Owen meets a group that has trained dinosaurs to hunt and kill a target. When he becomes the target, he must race through the city on a motorcycle, while the dinosaurs run through the streets and on top of buildings chasing him. It shows the dinosaurs being used in a new, dangerous way, with sharp visuals and close-ups that mix CGI and practical effects that enhance the danger.
4Cliff Rescue – The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
InThe Lost World, Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) teams up with scientist Sarah (Julianne Moore) to investigate dinosaurs on a separate InGen site. Things come to a head when the RV trailer they’re using as base is attacked by two T-Rexes. They roll the rear half over a cliff, while the other half stays on land, and is being pulled up by a cable attached to another car. The scene’s length makes it more tense, especially when Sarah falls on the trailer’s windshield. It’s also realistic – T-Rex animatronics were used, and caused actual damage to the prop trailer; while a prop mountain was made for the trailer to dangle off of.
Related:Every Jurassic Park Movie Ranked by Box Office Gross
3Volcano Eruption – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
InJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, there is a hearing to discuss whether the dinosaurs left in the park should be saved from an upcoming volcanic eruption. When rescue is denied, Owen and Claire return to the island to save Blue. As the volcano erupts, the group must outrun the lava and dinosaurs, with Claire and Franklin fleeing in a gyroscope. Finally, a brontosaurus emerges from the smoke and ash, pleading to be rescued, adding surprising emotion. Though digital, it still feels real.
2“Welcome to Jurassic Park” – Jurassic Park (1993)
This scene occurs on the tour when John Hammond grandly welcomes everyone to the park. We then watch the field open up to a variety of dinosaurs, each one vivid and breathtaking. Similar to the stegosaurus scene, the calmness and lack of danger lets the visuals – a mix of CGI and animatronics – really shine. You get time to take in the scene and appreciate it, and it genuinely feels like you’re in the park.
