There is no need to lie. This is, without any doubt, my all time favorite film. Nothing has ever come so close to capturing those dreams and nightmares that I and just about every other child had growing up. No, this film doesn't have some barely noticeable underlying purpose. No, it doesn't have deep, depressing drama. It doesn't need any of that. "Jurassic Park" does, in flawless fashion, what every movie should set out to do: Entertain its audience. In that, it succeeds on every level, even today 11 years after the initial release. (***** out of *****)

Brought out on DVD in many different versions (including a must-own-for-fans limited edition box set), Universal wasted no time in milking the franchise when it came time for the second sequel. Reviewed here as always is the widescreen version, presented in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

Sadly, all of that lush island photography is butchered here, mostly due to some awful compression problems. The issues begin early on in the film and become annoying during the paleontologists first meeting with John Hammond in the trailer. Overly noticeable blocks begin moving across walls and the actor's faces. Once the film takes it's dark turn past the hour mark, things clear up a little bit thanks to rock solid black levels, but when night passes, things go right back to normal. Other than this compromising problem, the print used is flawless, while the transfer is sharp and accurate. (***)

The first film to ever use Dolby Laboratories DTS format, "Jurassic Park" is a tour de force in the audio department. To get this DTS track at home, you must purchase a separate and somewhat overpriced edition of the film, which also deletes some of the special features. Reviewed here is the standard 5.1 edition.

Subtle sound effects of the island habitat are just the beginning for this discs sound. Footsteps of the titles Tyrannosaur are filled with massive bass, easily shaking the room to enhance the experience. Rain, which is relentlessly falling during the creature's initial appearance, bounces off the cars roof and directly into all five speakers without any compromises. These are the little touches that go a long way to immerse the viewer and make this one of the best sounding discs on the market. The DTS versions is, of course a step up, but the slightly more impactful bass and just a little more noticeable separation in the front are hardly worth the loss of special features for all but die-hard audio buffs. (*****)

This is likely not the final time we will see this film on DVD as this is not the ultimate JP package*, but still offers up some good stuff. Originally available on VHS (and premiering on network TV), "The Making of Jurassic Park" is an extensive look at how the film came together. Hosted by James Earl Jones, this is a much better documentary than most discs come with and accompanies the film well. One of the more interesting features is a short stop-motion animatic of the raptor kitchen scene, created by Phil Tippett. Though soundless, it gives fans a look at what might have happened if the film had used the effects format as originally planned. More of these were done and have been shown in various other specials but are not included.