Steven Spielberg is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time, from directing the summer blockbuster “Jaws,” to more recently acclaimed films like “The Fablemans,” and everything in between. However, none has ever gotten more public attention than the 1993 hit film “Jurassic Park.”

The main reason the film did as well as it did was its revolutionary special effects. It was the first movie to combine animatronics and computer effects in a live-action setting. While the computer effects by ILM have not aged the best, the animatronics built by Stan Winston Studios are some of the best practical effects Hollywood has ever made. This movie would eventually make other movies like “Avatar” possible through its advances in computer effects.

Now, having good effects doesn’t automatically make a good movie, so it’s a good thing “Jurassic Park” also has great characters. The paleontologist Alan Grant has a simple yet effective arc where he learns to like children. Ian Malcolm is the most entertaining character and that one scene on the table most likely awakened something in countless people. Ellie Sattler, Tim and Lex Murphy, and Donald Gennaro fit their respective niches well. Dennis Nedry is a good villain that also became the template for Redditors and Discord mods. Finally, John Hammond himself serves as a wonderful Walt Disney-esque character that showed how horrible events started with the best intentions.

Another thing the movie is known for is its tense sequences of prehistoric terror. The one that stands out the most to me is the kitchen sequence. The way the velociraptors stalk the kids slowly should be studied in film school. The main road attack has an excellent build-up to the T-rex and a great payoff. Honestly, there are so many incredible sequences in this movie alone that it’s hard to narrow down which are the best ones.

To wrap things up, “Jurassic Park” was made a household name due to its effects, but the characters and well-choreographed sequences made it last as long as it has. The movie would go on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time until “Titanic,” and spawned an enduring six-movie franchise, but each proceeding entry got a mixed reception.