Jurassic Park’s DNA plot hole gets a new explanation from the head of a biotechnology firm. Released in 1993 and based on the Michael Crichton book of the same name, Steven Spielberg’sJurassic Parkfollows visitors to an island park filled with resurrected dinosaurs when a power failure leads to the prehistoric beasts getting lose. While the film is acclaimed, it has previously been pointed out that the method used to resurrect the dinosaurs – extracting their DNA from a prehistoric mosquito encased in amber – is not scientifically accurate.
In a recent interview withScreen Rant, Ben Lamm, the co-founder of Colossal, a leading biotechnology company currently working to resurrect prehistoric woolly mammoths, offers more details regarding this DNA plot hole inJurassic Park. Lamm confirms thatthe DNA extraction method used in the movie is indeed inaccurate. He also touches on how the movie gets Lysine wrong, revealing that Henry Wu’s use of this amino acid to prevent the dinosaurs from surviving if they escaped wouldn’t actually be effective. Check out Lamm’s comment below:
“Taking DNA from amber with a drill and a syringe makes me roll my eyes. If our work was that easy, we’d likely already have a mammoth or even dinosaurs for that matter. It’s much more accurate to see researchers crushing up bones in clean rooms in full PPE gowns to prep libraries in an effort to gather DNA.
“Also, the lysine dependence framed in the story as a way to keep the dinosaurs on the island won’t actually work.Basically, all animals are already lysine dependentand nearly all foods contain lysine. So, this idea is problematic. Also, as opposed to the movie, we’re not setting out to create dependencies in the animals we de-extinct. Instead, we are working to help repopulate species that will be able to survive on their own.”
What Jurassic Park’s Plot Holes Mean For The Movie
The Film Succeeded Despite Its Inaccuracies
As seen in the chart below,Jurassic Parkremains the best-reviewed entry in the franchise. The film is also widely considered one of the best movies of Spielberg’s storied career. It was a commercial hit at the time of its release, grossing $978 million worldwide on a budget of $63 million, solidifying Spielberg as the king of the summer blockbuster. The film was so successful that it spawned five sequels, withJurassic World Rebirthnow confirmedto be on the way.
92%
53%
49%
71%
46%
29%
Complete Jurassic Park & World Timeline Explained
Starting 65-million years ago, the timeline of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World spans 29 years and includes 6 movies and Netflix’s Camp Cretaceous.
The entire franchise, then, is based on flawed science. Clearly, however, this hasn’t stopped audiences from flocking to theaters to watch each newJurassic Parkmovies. The 1993 filmis a product of its time, which means prior to the internet. Knowledge that the premise is highly flawed wasn’t as widely available to audiences at the time of the film’s release. Even now, though, with this plot hole being fairly widely known, it’s clear thatmovie-goers are willing to suspend their disbelief, and the original film’s reputation has remained intact.
Our Take On Jurassic Park’s Plot Hole
What Michael Crichton Got Right
Movies don’t need to be highly accurate to be fun and entertaining, andJurassic Parkis a perfect example of this. The storytelling, direction, performances, and effects are all strong, meaning it’s easy to set aside the movie’s fudging of real science. Exploring the film’s inaccuracies remains an interesting exercise, however, as it provides an insight into Crichton’s creative process and the research he did.
Crichton undoubtedly knew thatJurassic Park’s science didn’t have to be accurate, it just had to feel accurate to readers (and, eventually, to audiences). This is ultimately what helps to giveJurassic Parka pass when it comes to its deviations from fact, and it’s why Spielberg’s film remains a classic to this day.
Jurassic Park
Cast
Jurassic Park is a science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Michael Crichton’s novel. Released in 1993, it follows a wealthy entrepreneur who creates a theme park with living dinosaurs. When security systems fail, experts and visitors experience the perilous reality of the park.
