JURASSIC PARK (1993)
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Thanks to some dino-sucking mosquitos stuck in amber — and the judicious use of frog DNA — a wealthy coot resurrects dinosaurs for his theme park. And, naturally, science runs amok.
WHY IT DOESN'T WORK: There are plenty of Spielbergian major chords (the T. rex harassing the SUV) and grace notes (the forging of a surrogate family under pressure), but once you get past the awe-inspiring majesty of the dinosaurs, there's not much movie there. Not until the last 20 minutes, anyway, and by then there's not enough time to make this a satisfying meal.
