In 1993, cinema-goers were amazed to see Jurassic creatures on the big screen, but they may also have been frightened by the idea of being devoured by dinosaurs. And although many of us believed that the villains of Jurassic Park were the dinosaurs, time has revealed the true antagonist: the park’s management system.
If we remember, Steven Spielberg’s science fiction film shows us the worst side of project management. Yes, a park where the attractions are animals that have been extinct for millions of years and have been brought back to life is striking, but what is the point of showing them as a spectacle if they cannot be controlled? Let’s go back to the evidence.
Perhaps the interpretation that could be given to the film in those years was about the risks of genetic experimentation. In other words: ‘playing God.’ However, in the background we have another warning that was perhaps ignored amid the visual spectacle surrounded by suspense: capitalism. Broadly speaking, precarious jobs and wages in unfinished projects.
As reported in Medium, one of the major flaws within the park was its software system, which was almost inaccessible except to the only expert in the field: Dennis Nedry. He, in turn, was so poorly paid that he decided to betray the company. When he dies, a chain reaction is set off that no one knows how to stop.
To begin with, the control systems fail. As everything is automated, the vehicles are stranded and the electric fence around the Tyrannosaurus rex does not work. While the animal escapes, the power to the facilities has to be restarted. How? By turning on the switch located at the other end of the complex. The worst part: there is no staff.
Anyone would think that, as it is a pilot test, such a large workforce would not be necessary. But there is no need to go to such extremes. Key areas of the park are supervised by just one person. Robert Muldoon is the only ranger. Phil Tippett is the only dinosaur supervisor. Nedry is the only computer developer. Ray Arnold is the only engineer.
In fact, Vodzilla lists more than a dozen mistakes made within Jurassic Park that clearly led to the destruction and threats posed by the dinosaurs. There is no contingency plan, no well-defined business plan, let alone a prior assessment and, of course, no consideration of possible risks. You could even say that it was all down to a tropical storm.
If your park is located on a Caribbean island, it is obvious that you need to take weather conditions into account. And of course, given the result of all these bad decisions, the best option is to evacuate the island and leave the dinosaurs to their own devices. What if someone goes on holiday there without knowing anything about it? True, that question is answered in the second film.
We won’t even get into Jurassic World, which seems like they didn’t learn their lesson. While we can see John Hammond’s dream come true, along with greater technological development, the park’s negligence persists. If you can’t find the dinosaur in its cage, do the logical thing: send a defenceless group of workers to confirm that it’s there.
Oh dear, it was there and now it’s escaped. Next idea: send in a S.W.A.T.-type team to locate it. Right, the creature is capable of camouflaging itself in the forest you had built so that it would feel at home. Oh, and it seems that your team’s bullets don’t work on the dinosaur. To top it all off, they don’t want to kill it because ‘it was expensive’.
As we know, all projects or companies have their flaws, but if you’re trying to build a theme park with potentially dangerous creatures, think twice. Let’s just stick with the idea that it’s fiction from a film. And if you’d like to enjoy Jurassic Park, remember that you can find it on the Universal+ channel on Amazon Prime Video and Claro Video.
