Let’s get real—few franchises have trampled over pop culture with the same force as Jurassic Park. What began as a pioneering Spielberg masterpiece evolved into a decades-long epic of dinosaurs, destruction, and a whole lot of questionable choices. From awe-inspiring special effects to genetically modified plot turns, the franchise has seen its peaks and valleys—but which installments fly and which land in the tar pits?
Here’s an absolute ranking of all seven Jurassic World and Jurassic Park movies, from the ones that are best left in the fossil record to those that still make life roar.
7. Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)
This film had all the ingredients of greatness: the original cast returning, a world taken over by dinosaurs, and a purported epic conclusion. But rather than end on a high note, Dominion just ambled off into strange subplots with giant locusts (um, really?) and forgot, for the most part, that it was a dinosaur film. As Awards Radar noted, it’s like a movie that lost sight of what made the series so great in the first place. Even with all the legacy characters in the mix, the energy just isn’t there, making this the weakest link in the chain.
6. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Fallen Kingdom goes big or goes home with a combination of natural catastrophe, horror atmospherics, and genetic dinos in a mansion. It’s a visually fashionable movie and full of crazy ideas—but not every single one of them pays off. The film changes gears midway and loses the equilibrium that previous entries had. Criticists liked its darker, gothic attitude, but as Awards Radar indicates, the payoff never quite pays off, and this sequel feels more like a strange experiment than an important chapter.
5. Jurassic Park III (2001)
The third film is lean, quick, and. largely good. Jurassic Park III abandons the high themes and just goes about it: a rescue expedition, a new island, and lots of running away from dinosaurs. The Spinosaurus attempts to upstage the T-Rex, and Alan Grant is back for some nostalgia factor (and a weird dream sequence that turned into meme gold). Awards Radar deems this one a movie where the skimping becomes apparent—still enjoyable, but appreciably leaner on story and ambition.
4. Jurassic World (2015)
This reboot revived the series with a shiny, crowd-pleasing spectacle. The park is open at last, the dinosaurs are bigger and nastier, and Chris Pratt takes a motorcycle ride with raptors. It’s not in your face, but it does exactly what it’s doing. Although it preys heavily on nostalgia, Jurassic World hands over the blockbuster shebang that the fans were hungry for. In the words of Awards Radar, it does work good enough—although it paves the way for the more chaotic sequels that followed.
3. Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)
Gareth Edwards injects fresh energy into the franchise with Rebirth, a leaner, back-to-basics installment that cranks back the Dominion chaos and returns to old-school survival scares. A new dino menace—the Distortus Rex—brings some added terror, and a stranded family and mercenaries provide emotional stakes to the story. Viewers adored the Spielberg references and mind-blowing set pieces (that river-raft T-Rex sequence!), though some critics complained it played things a little too conservatively. Still, with solid visuals and emotional center, Rebirth deserves its spot near the top of the list.
2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
Spielberg came back for round two with a grittier, more action-oriented sequel. The Lost World may lack the magic of the first one, but it delivers mayhem in abundance—from the terrifying cliffside trailer attack to the T-Rex on the loose in San Diego. It’s more rough-around-the-edges, but the thrills remain. As Awards Radar points out, even when Spielberg isn’t entirely engaged, his sense of spectacle saves the day. It’s brash, bold, and more of a hoot than it’s given credit for.
1. Jurassic Park (1993)
Noshock there—the original remains the unbeaten king. With its pioneering effects, unforgettable theme, and ideal blend of awe and fright, Jurassic Park revolutionized the genre. From that initial glimpse of a Brachiosaurus to that heart-thumping raptor kitchen sequence, each moment is legendary.
Jeff Goldblum’s sarcasm, Sam Neill’s reluctant heroism, and Spielberg’s directing genius render this a close-to-perfect film. As Awards Radar phrases it, this is lightning in a bottle—and nothing that has come since has equaled its magic.
And so there you have it—seven films, dozens of dinosaurs, and one enduring classic at the head. If you’re here for the spectacle, the nostalgia, or just another reason to be treated to that John Williams score, the Jurassic franchise is still one of cinema’s wildest rides—even if some entries might have benefited from a little more bite.