Bonus Features: ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ Extended Edition can’t solve problems on 4K

The “Jurassic World” franchise has had its ups and downs – and the same can be said for the “Jurassic” franchise as a whole.

There’s no questioning the iconic status of 1993’s “Jurassic Park,” which first set the stage and pushed the boundaries of what seemed possible in film. But then came the series’ second and third films, dismal followups that failed to fully recapture the wonder of original. Enter, “Jurassic World,” a franchise revival 14 years in the making that once again put dinos on top with a fresh twist on the saga. It was well-received, and with extraordinary advancements in moviemaking since the original trilogy wrapped, it took things to a whole new level.

Unfortunately, now that this trilogy too has come to an end with “Jurassic World Dominion,” it can officially be ruled that the new films have met the same, disappointing fate as their predecessors. What started as promising, evolved into flat-out horrible in “Fallen Kingdom,” before salvaging a few bits and pieces for a better, yet still underwhelming finale in “Dominion.”

“Dominion” pulls out all the stops in the legacy sequel/reboot/revival playbook, taking things a step further than in the past two films. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are once again front and center, but so are the original trilogy heroes, Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, in order to get the biggest nostalgia play possible. Ultimately, though, nostalgia alone can’t salvage a weak, incoherent screenplay that trades the awe of the franchise’s roots for corporate drama instead.

Now, coming home on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital, “Dominion” boasts a brand new “Extended Edition” of the film, featuring 14 minutes not seen in theaters. Perhaps this could help fill in the many plot holes and abrupt edits in the theatrical cut, but that’s not the case. Instead, the “new footage” mainly focuses on the previously released alternate opening, which fans saw in theaters ahead of “F9” and online afterwards.

What “Dominion” does have going for it on 4K, though, is beautiful visuals and killer sound design. The 4K transfer shows off the film’s VFX even better than the big screen, with deep blacks, brilliant colors and an overall sharp look to it. The sounds is immersive as ever, but perfectly balances the dialogue with the louder action sequences. It’s a shame these technical elements can’t elevate the plot.

The home release comes with a slate of additional bonus features as well. Let’s take a look at everything it has to offer.

Special Features on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital

• EXTENDED VERSION – An extended cut of the film with 14 minutes of additional footage featuring more dinosaurs, action, iconic character moments and an alternate opening.
• BATTLE AT BIG ROCK – Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the short film takes place one year after the events of “Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom” in Big Rock National Park.
• A NEW BREED OF VFX – VFX supervisor David Vickery and the magicians at ILM discuss the incredible visual effects work featured in “Jurassic World Dominion.”
• DINOSAURS AMONG US: INSIDE “JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION” TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME – Cast and filmmakers discuss the evolution of the franchise and the special union of characters from “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World.”
• UNDERGROUND DINO MARKET – Join filmmakers for a tour of the amazing dino market set and discover how they brought it to life.
• MAYHEM IN MALTA – A behind-the-scenes look at the Atrociraptor rooftop chase and Owen’s harrowing motorcycle ride through the narrow streets and alleyways of Malta.
• SCARY REAL SPIT TAKE: THE RETURN OF THE DILOPHOSAURUS – Live-action dinosaurs supervisor John Nolan and his team reveal how they created the impressive Dilophosaurus animatronic.
• INSIDE THE DIMETRODON – Learn how the filmmaking team operated the terrifying Dimetrodon animatronic and hear from Laura Dern and Sam Neill on what it was like working with it.
• CREATING A PLAGUE – Laura Dern and Bryce Dallas Howard discuss the enormous locusts featured in “Jurassic World Dominion” and the creature effects team reveals how they were created and deployed.
• PASSING THE BATA..N – Discover the craftsmanship behind the realistic-looking Beta animatronic and hear from Chris Pratt and Isabella Sermon on why they enjoyed working with it.
• GIGA-BITE – Go behind the scenes with the cast of “Jurassic World Dominion” as they are introduced to the biggest star of the film, the Giganotosaurus, for the very first time.
• FINAL NIGHT – Witness the emotional final night of filming with the cast and crew of “Jurassic World Dominion.”

“Jurassic World Dominion” is available now on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD + Digital.