The Jurassic Park franchise was pumped full of new life with the release of Jurassic World. It’s a great adventure-comedy, showing us how refreshing and entertaining an old concept can be when executed with love and care. It’s truly special, isn’t it? However, I ask, what’s the reason for this succesful return to form? The cinematography is great, and the directing is solid, but I think it’s the Jurassic World dinosaurs and the characters. As per usual, I guess!
With the likes of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard joining the cast, adding a new flavor to the Jurassic Park franchise, the cast of characters is very vivid and distinct. It’s what gives the Jurassic World movie it’s silver lining, even during some “grey moments”. So the characters, including dinosaurs like Blue, are the highlight and focus of this movie! But who’s the best? What character steals the show? Well, it’s time to jump into the list and find out! Here are the 10 best Jurassic World characters! 🐱🐉
10. Barry
Played by Omar Sy
Barry Sembéne is a Velociraptor trainer, working alongside Owen Grady, who has a deep love and keen interest in the well-being of the Velociraptors. It’s something that makes him likable. While he’s a small character, without much screen time, he creates a wholesome environment in and around the Velociraptor cages. It’s like he’s a parent, taking care of his children. While I should give most of the credit to Omar Sy, in making Barry so warm and gentle, but I have to credit the writers as well. It’s obviously a part they worked well to incorporate, and they did it well, all parties involved. I just wish Barry had a bigger role in Jurassic World.
When you consider his small amount of time on the screen, it’s hard to make a case for him to be much higher. While I like Barry, I don’t think he does enough to rank any higher. Therefore, I’m more than happy to start off my list of the top 10 best Jurassic World characters with him!
9. Karen
Played by Judy Greer
Karen is the mother of Gray and Zach, who’s worried about her sister, Claire, and her handling of her children, Gray and Zach. Rightfully so, considering that Claire doesn’t care enough to be with her sister’s children. While she’s a bit busy with work, it’s a source of conflict between the sisters that actually adds another layer to Jurassic World. It’s something I wholeheartedly like, as it puts family at the forefront, something that Jurassic Park tried with a few movies, but did not really invest in to. In this movie, the mother’s role is well-written, and she doesn’t take up too much screentime from better, more interesting, characters.
What really made me want to include Karen was Judy Greer’s emotional performance during the phone call with Claire. It’s a scene that comes out of nowhere, without much set up. But it makes perfect sense. I guess you could say that pushing your emotional limits is always a nice way of showing your ability as an actor. It’s something I appreciate, and Judy Greer did a good job. She was believable as a mother. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s good enough for a ninth spot on my list of the best Jurassic World characters.
8. Lowery
Played by Jake Johnson
Lowery is the nerdy dino-fan, who collects figures, trashes his setup at work, and masks it all with his awkward and quirky sense of humor. He’s the type to explain too much, focus on the wrong things, and struggle focusing his haphazardly thrown together brain. While it functions as expected, as brains do, but his mind is definitely something out of a bad 90s comedy. But I guess you could say that in Jurassic World makes good use of his awkward sense of humor, as he’s a pretty decent comedic relief character.
7. Zach
Played by Nick Robinson
Zach is a very odd character, isn’t he? First and foremost, In the opening of the movie, we are shown that Zach is in a committed relationship, but he spends most of his time trying to cheat on his girlfriend? I’m not kidding. Didn’t anyone notice this ridiculous story point? Sure, he’s a 16 year old boy, but what’s with him staring at every girl, like he’s single? He’s not. However, I think that the writers forgot this plot point. Well, considering that it’s never mentioned again, it’s safe to say that it wasn’t something that mattered. But then I wonder, why mention it in the first place? Well, it’s safe to say that this doesn’t make Zach more likable.
Nobody saw a problem with Zach trying to cheat on his girlfriend, get rid of his parents and brother the entire of the movie?
When he’s not trying to cheat on his girlfriend in Jurassic World, Zach spends his time ignoring his little brother, Gray. While their relationship is well woven into the storyline, it doesn’t come across authentic or real. It just seems very plastic. However, I must say that some scenes with Zach and Gray were genuinelly well-written and funny. If I’d have to give an example, I’d say every single argument with the two of them was rather interesting. It showed the difference between Zach and Gray, with the older brother being the tough, emo-type, while the lil’ bro was more vulnerable and sweet. This balance was rather good, and one thing that elevates Zach in my book.
Why isn’t Zach ranked higher? He’s simply an angsty teenager, who’s constantly thinking with his other head, instead of the one connected to his neck. While it’s a logical take on someone who’s 16 years old, it’s also the only character trait that makes him stand out. It’s not enough for me to give him more credit, but the role he plays, he plays rather well. I just wanted Zach to show more depth, like Gray, and not just be very one note. With that being said, Zach lands on this respectable 7th spot!
6. Masrani
Played by Irrfan Khan
Irrfan Khan plays the role of Masrani with an elegant touch, making the character come across wealthy both monetarily and spiritually. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but it’s one that Irrfan Khan was able to hit. In this balance, we find Masrani, a character that shows love and care for his employees and dinosaurs, even asking Claire to prioritize the level of happiness. Sure, we saw a different side of him when Indominus Rex escaped, but wanting to contain the problem instead of causing panic makes sense from his high chair. After all, we’re talking about the 6th richest man in the world, according to Jurassic World. But it’s exactly this human element of making mistakes that makes Masrani so likable, at least in my opinion.
5. Indominus Rex
Wait a minute, am I placing the bloodthirsty test-tube dino as the 5th best character? YES! And I’m not even going to spend time explaining why, but know this; the Indominus Rex is a better character than many who are played by real humans and actually speak. Therefore, I’m happy to put this horror movie villain dinosaur on my list of the best Jurassic World characters list!
Indominus Rex represents what happens when humans meddle with evolution, playing God, thinking that they know better, even when they are clueless in what they’re doing. Therefore, the Indominus Rex’s role is at the core of the Jurassic World’s story. He’s the “freakshow” that was far “freakier” than he should’ve been. But what do you expect when people at the lab are supposed to create a new dinosaur that never existed in the first place? Well, you end up with a dinosaur that’s a “freakshow” grew into something extremely “freaky”!
Do you know the main reason I’m including Indominus Rex on my list? He’s in the majority of the best moments in Jurassic World, and that counts for something. In addition, he showed a great deal of intelligence in his actions. He was able to lure people into his cage, and escape it. Then, he roamed around killing dinosaurs without anyone noticing. He was even able to talk to the Velociraptors and make them switch sides. If that’s not enough, he held his own against T. Rex. Well, I guess you could say that Indy did enough to earn a spot on my list!
4. Gray
Played by Ty Simpkins
Ty Simpkins is an impressive child actor, being capable of acting vulnerable, scared and sad in a movie where he’s face-to-face with a creature on a green screen! At his age, the acting chops are jaw-dropping. As jaw-dropping as he is in the picture above!
Gray is a very likable character, who has deep issues with various things. He’s emotions are all over the place, but it makes sense. You see, on one hand, Gray is very excited to visit Jurassic World, ready to explore and enjoy the park. However, on the other hand, he’s sad and worried about his parents getting divorced, while struggling to get along with his big brother. For such a young child it must be hard to bear this burden, not knowing what to do or what to think. In turn, Gray is just a kid dealing with his family issues, being an innocent bystander in all of it. It is something that makes him interesting, as he personally grows throughout the events of the movie, and it’s a sight to see. From bonding with Zach to becoming more courageous, Gray’s sub-plot is among the most heartwarming and giving.
🥉 Blue
The highly intelligent Velociraptor with a blue streak on his back, approriately named Blue, is one of the highlights of Jurassic World. She’s one of the main reasons to watch it, as she has it all. From her unlikely bond with Owen to her heroic deeds in the climax of the movie, Blue did not disappoint. She’s the dinosaur that you will leave the movie thinking about, and you will yearn for more, because she is just that awesome!
Best of all, Blue has a distinct behavior, even moreso than many human characters. She has a tentative behavior, almost as if she’s thinking about her every move, not allowing her instinct to take over. It’s something she learned from Owen and Barry. She learned to trust people just a little but, and also learned respect. She learned loyalty. All of these qualities are showcased, but do you know what? Blue isn’t perfect. She joined Indominus Rex for a while. But you see, it’s in her nature to follow an alpha. It shows us that Blue is still a dinosaur, and that she still needs to grow. This almost makes Blue relatable, doesn’t it? It’s crazy to think, but Blue does have really likable and relatable qualities. Best of all, she has a good heart, and remembers the good things people like Owen did for her. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
I honestly like Blue. She’s great. I love everything about her, and the idea of having a dinosaur on your side is an angle that was surprisingly good. It made sense in the context of the story. I guess I’m a sucker for a lovable animal character!
🥈 Owen
Played by Chris Pratt
Oh, Chris Pratt! Where do I even begin with you? First and foremost, let me just say that I know how much you love playing different variations of yourself. You’re like a rugged and charming Nicolas Cage, a white Will Smith, or a bunch of other actors who don’t change for the role, but who bend the role to their will. It’s not a diss, just an observation. I like every actor that I have mentioned. But you see, it’s Chris Pratt’s charm and charisma that makes Owen entertaining. He’s rugged and manly behavior, topped off with his high self-confidence and assertiveness, makes Owen truly stick out in this star-studded cast. He’s able to play the funny guy and the badass hot guy equally as well, as he always does. So I’m not surprised, but I’m just happy to see Pratt make Owen his own and add so much color to this Jurassic World movie!
Owen is the soul of Jurassic World.
Owen is the reliable individual, who has great knowledge of dinosaurs, and an understanding of what’s right and wrong. It’s something that seperates him from the likes of Claire, who isn’t keen on moral questions, but who tries her hardest at her job. Work over morals. It’s actually what makes Claire interesting and polarizing, but Owen isn’t like that. Quite the opposite. He is our moral pillar; the one’s opinion we value the most when there’s a moral conundrum. It’s a great quality, and together with his excellent personality, Owen becomes very noteworthy and memorable.
Owen and Claire’s past, and disagreement on the Indominus Rex situation, are just a couple of examples of what makes Owen interesting to follow. Aside from the eye-catching badass stuff, his sub-pluts are genuinelly interesting. Seeing him talking to Claire about anything is superb. The chemistry between Pratt and Howard is there, and it’s crystal clear. That’s also the reason their failed dating history gets more spicy, as it almost feels like they’ve actually dated before. There’s an underlying uncomfort that makes their scenes together so believable, and I love it.
Last but not least, let me just say that Owen is the most entertaining character in the film, and his humorous presence makes Jurassic World more fun to watch altogheter. His relationship with Blue and Claire are the two most important ones in the story, and Owen’s integral part in the film can’t be denied. He’s the core of it. Without him, it doesn’t work at all. A lot of it has to do with his importance, but most of it has to do with Pratt’s brilliant performance.
🥇 Claire
Played by Bryce Dallas Howard
Owen or Claire? Claire or Owen? That’s the question, isn’t it? Whatever way I flip things inside of my head, I just have to put Claire Dearing at the number 1 spot! She’s just well-written and has enough characteristics to be split into 2 different characters altogether. I’m simply in awe of how well Bryce Dallas Howard portrays Claire as well, considering that the character goes through the biggest changes and has the hardest scenes to shoot. Add the emotional scenes on top of that, and you got yourself a character that goes through some genuine struggles. In both the inside and outside. With that being said, I have crown Claire as the best character in all of Jurassic World! 👑
Claire Dearing Is Really Well Written!
When it comes to Claire Dearing, she’s an uptight individual, who shows some obvious signs of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Whether it’s the way she looks or presents herself, Claire’s always in control of everything. At least she tries to be. But these qualities work well with her line of work, as she’s the operations manager at Jurassic World. Here, mistakes are unforgivable and everything has to be perfect. This also means that you have to live and eat the park, but not literally. Figuratively, of course. But what I want to say is that her behavior fits her position at the part, while her uptight personality works well to show her growth in the story of Jurassic World.
The same way evolution, and the dinosaurs, can’t be controlled by humans, neither can Claire control every part of her life. It’s what makes her journey so special. She not only has to focus on saving the park, its visitors and the other dinosaurs, but she must go against her own self. What I mean is that she has to get down and dirty, not care about her looks or the ways that she presents herself to others, in order to get control of the situations. It’s an ironic twist, but one that works extremely well in showing how Claire is willing to give up a lot of herself, just to save people. It’s honestly a movie in its own right.
Bryce Dallas Howard makes Jurassic World a polarizing adventure, where you will either hate or love her character. It’s great.
Claire isn’t just the most well-written character in Jurassic World, but she’s one of the funniest as well. Do you remember the way that she bossed up, and got herself ready to save Gray and Zach? The say she pulled up her sleeves and was standing up against Owen? It was marvelous. But what about the way she tried to connect with her nephews? Every scene with the three of them is absolutely uncomfortable and awkward, but that’s the genius of it! While I’m sure that the writers are to thank for these spots, I have to shine a light on Bryce Dallas Howard’s great performance.
Blue is at the heart of Jurassic World.
Indominus Rex is the legs.
The children are the arms.
Owen is the soul.
Claire is the body.