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Jurassic Park III

Jurassic Park III

This time, it's not just a walk in the park!

200192 minPG-13Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Director
Joe Johnston
Starring
Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Téa Leoni, Alessandro Nivola

In need of funds for research, Dr. Alan Grant accepts a large sum of money to accompany Paul and Amanda Kirby on an aerial tour of the infamous Isla Sorna. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose and the stranded wayfarers must fight for survival as a host of new -- and even more deadly -- dinosaurs try to make snacks of them.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Jurassic Park III?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Jurassic Park III streaming on STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Jurassic Park III?

Jurassic Park III earns 6 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Jurassic Park III worth watching?

Jurassic Park III's Midcredits score is the 40th percentile of all films, from 957K ratings across 6 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

40th percentile

Better received than 40% of films

56th percentile among Action39th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)46th
Approval (how many liked it)35th

60 /100

46th percentile of all films

63rd percentile among Action45th percentile among 2000s

Critics 42 · Audience 62

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

49th percentile among Action32nd percentile among 2000s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

Critics 49% · Audience 37%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 16 noms overall

78th percentile

956K ratings across platforms

65th percentile among Action70th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 32% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$93M
Opening weekend$51M
Domestic gross$181M
Worldwide gross$369M

Returned 4.0× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A short, action-driven creature feature that prioritizes dinosaur mayhem over story and character depth.

Fans praised

  • Sam Neill's return and committed performance
  • Fast-paced, lean 92-minute runtime with relentless dinosaur action
  • Spinosaurus and pteranodon scenes add fresh spectacle

Detractors panned

  • Threadbare, contrived plot with gaping logic holes
  • Underwritten, annoying characters led by Tea Leoni's screaming
  • Visual effects a downgrade, rubbery at times

What stands out

PacingDivisive78

Relentless momentum at expense of breathing room

Effects and spectacle72

Impressive animatronics; mixed CGI and occasional rubbery look

Acting65

Sam Neill carries the film; supporting cast ranges from adequate to grating

Atmosphere63

Jungle setting provides immersion but less awe than predecessors

Tension45

Action-heavy but lacks sustained suspense or buildup

Characters35

Forgettable paper-thin roles with little development

Originality35

Rehashes familiar chase-and-survival template

Plot and story25

Simple rescue mission riddled with contrivances and plot holes

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 21 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Jurassic Park III like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseThrillingDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its survival story straight but incorporates wry humour through the Kirby's deception and Grant's reluctant reactions.
The rideThe film maintains a near-constant tension from arrival to escape, with only brief respite moments.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the deception to the crash, the search, the aviary, river, and finale.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the audience with the excitement of a dinosaur chase and the relief of the survivors' rescue, making it a fun, lightweight adventure.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeDr. Grant is lured to Isla Sorna and, after a plane crash, must guide a group through a hostile dinosaur-infested island to find the missing son and escape. The story is a survival ordeal focused on constant pursuit by predators and the struggle to reach safety.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% (this title) · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Parenthood · 2% of filmsSurvivalAmbition · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe driving motivation is the Kirbys' desperate search for their lost son, with Grant becoming an unwilling protector; survival against the dinosaurs is the constant pressure, and Grant's scientific ambition versus his moral compass adds tension.
StanceThe film centers on Alan Grant as the protagonist, framing his reluctant heroism and the Kirbys' parental love as worth fighting for.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Don Davis
SettingIsla Sorna, a remote dinosaur-inhabited island off Costa Rica
MusicDon Davis delivers a bombastic, tense orchestral score that amplifies the dinosaur chases, though it lacks the thematic memorability of John Williams' original.

Content guide

Is Jurassic Park III okay for kids?

PG-13

Jurassic Park III is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi terror and violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (68/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at intense (65/100). Overall it is heavier than 75% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 29 other countries
  • UKPG
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Belgium14
  • BGC
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • Finland11
  • GreecePG
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO18
  • Russia12+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan保護級
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 47% of all filmsHeavier than 75% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 90%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 9%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 15%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 31%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 85%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Jurassic Park III have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Jurassic Park III?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sam Neill
as Dr. Alan Grant
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
William H. Macy
as Paul Kirby
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Téa Leoni
as Amanda Kirby
Alessandro Nivola
as Billy Brennan
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Trevor Morgan
as Eric Kirby
Michael Jeter
as Udesky
John Diehl
as Cooper
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Bruce A. Young
as Nash
Laura Dern
as Ellie
Taylor Nichols
as Mark

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Jurassic Park III?

Movies like Jurassic Park III include The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Jurassic Park (1993) and Runaway (1984). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set on an island, and several are stories about scientists.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Michael Crichton wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Jurassic Park III?

578 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.