I adore the Jurassic Park/World franchise, so it was a very quick and easy decision when it came time to purchase my ticket for the opening night of "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom."

Back in 2015, I enjoyed "Jurassic World." While it wasn’t a direct rehash of the films that I knew and loved, it was similar enough that it still felt like a Jurassic Park movie: There were questions on ethics, drama, horror, dinosaurs, and - naturally -  people being eaten by said dinosaurs.

However, with the latest installment into the franchise we, unfortunately, circle back around to the age-old adage by Dr. Ian Malcolm: movie makers have become so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should. Paraphrasing, of course.

"Fallen Kingdom" lacks the charm and poise that a Jurassic Park film should have, and in consequence feels the least like a natural part of the franchise.

What I’ve always loved about the Jurassic Park movies is there’s a grey area surrounding who the antagonist is (save for maybe in "The Lost World"). It’s not really the dinosaurs; I’d even hesitate to even consider them “movie monsters.” Sure, there are shady people with bad morals in each film, but in reality, the films’ core struggle is against chaos and against mother nature. “Life finds a way,” remember?

My point is that there shouldn’t be a “bad guy dinosaur.”

The first Jurassic world got away with villainizing a dino because the centerpiece of the film – the Indominus Rex – was surrounded by a moral, ethical dilemma on whether or not it should have been created in the first place (pay no mind that the debate was wrapped in razor-sharp teeth).

I was surprised early on in Fallen Kingdom’s advertising before release that we would once again be dealing with a newly manufactured dino. Didn’t we learn this lesson in the last film? Making a bigger, badder dinosaur is a no-no. 

Instead, the new “Indoraptor” takes away from two new intriguing questions to ask in the Jurassic film universe: What should come of the dinosaurs already on the island, and what if they were weaponized and monetized?

Both these questions are tackled in the film, although one is used almost more as a means to an end than an actual plot point.

The weaponization (and sale) of dinosaurs was briefly touched on in Jurassic World, and could easily feature as the main antagonistic plot point in its own film. Instead, it’s smushed in with several other plots and subplots, including the unnecessary “bad dino.”

The other (and far more interesting) question surrounds the dinosaurs that are already living after the events of Jurassic World. Do they have animal rights? Should they be saved? Should they be let to go extinct again? This entire idea could easily be made into its own story. In many ways, the concept had a compelling beginning, middle and end already written into "Fallen Kingdom" that could have been fleshed out so much more.

Instead, this question is merely used as a device to get Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) back to the island of Isla Nublar.

Along with the loss of the entire point of the Jurassic movies, "Fallen Kingdom" also comes across as rather goofy in spots, feeling more like a lampooned Indiana Jones with a prehistoric backdrop. Sure, even Indiana Jones has its comic relief moments, but I never wanted Short Round or Sallah to get offed in the way I desperately wanted Justice Smith’s Franklin character to get swallowed by a T-rex.  

"Fallen Kingdom" also pays a fair amount of fan service by alluding back to the original film, which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Unfortunately, these recreated scenes feel more like a poor attempt to gain fans’ favor in the middle of a mediocre film. The return of Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) is also rather an ironic letdown, as Malcolm is used to bookend the entire film. It’s rather sad that for the role he plays in "Fallen Kingdom," the movie itself so misses the mark on everything the character stands for. 

Worst of all, everything seems to end abruptly. Villains long established (whether in this movie or the last movie, minor spoiler) are toppled quickly. For a movie surrounding another “bad dino,” the indoraptor’s time in the movie is rather minimal and rushed.

One thing "Fallen Kingdom" does do well is provide probably the most diverse collection of dinosaurs than any of its predecessors. While it’s nice to see so many dinosaurs that have never been seen on screen before, it still doesn’t make up for the rest of the muddled content, however.

"Fallen Kingdom" falls flat more than it provides a compelling “next chapter” in the Jurassic franchise. If there is to be another Jurassic World movie, filmmakers need to look back at how and why the original Jurassic Park became such a beloved classic, before patenting it, and packaging it, and slapping it on a plastic lunchbox.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is rated PG-13 and runs for 128 minutes.