Photo: Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
In “Jurassic World Rebirth,” Scarlett Johansson’s character takes a job for the cash—passion? Who needs it when there’s money on the table?
Hollywood storytelling 101: Make sure your heroes have something personal at stake. “Jurassic World Rebirth” decided to scrap that rule, opting instead for a more thrilling premise—who has the biggest paycheck? As pointed out by my brilliant colleague Alison Willmore, the characters in this cinematic wonder hardly seem enchanted by dinosaurs. So, what drives our legendary mercenary Zora Bennett, played by Johansson, to tread upon an island swarming with genetically engineered monsters? Spoiler: It’s the cash. There’s a flimsy excuse involving harvesting dinosaur blood to concoct a miraculous drug for heart disease—which incidentally claimed her mother—but really, when a $10 million paycheck is waved before you, your moral compass might just spin with glee. Who wouldn’t want to rappel down a cliff to battle a Quetzalcoatlus that, as the film delivers, is “the size of an F-16”?
Watching “Jurassic World Rebirth,” one can’t shake off the feeling that the lure of millions might also apply to Johansson herself. Because why else would she trade acclaims and accolades for a role in yet another Jurassic venture? Perhaps her Staten Island Ferry is draining her finances faster than we thought. This suspicion isn’t quelled by her performance, which matches a “summer Friday” energy level—flattering yet seemingly relaxed. You won’t exactly see her phoning it in, but she seems to be one caffeinated beverage away from a cozy nap instead of an intense transformation into a battle-hardened soldier of fortune.
Whether or not this salary subplot serves as a clever commentary on Johansson’s aspirations is debatable. Yet, as the first act rolls out, a burning question lingers: Who rakes in more dough—Zora Bennett or Scarlett Johansson? Rumor has it the latter is pocketing $20 million—a figure that coincidentally mirrors Zora’s negotiated pay in the film (before she generously offers half to Mahershala Ali’s character, but let’s focus on the cash flow, shall we?). It takes a distinctive kind of audacity to mention a character’s salary in a project everyone assumes is a mere payday, but honestly, I’m all in for the boldness. In a blockbuster destined to mint billions regardless of quality, that’s a refreshing twist of self-awareness. Perhaps $10 million is the actual going rate for a dino-harvesting project manager. Who could say? This summer has been a showcase for salary revelations in cinema. What next, a breakdown of the Fantastic Four’s rent?
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