Coming hot on the heels of Steven Spielberg's legendary "Jurassic Park" in 1993, we were introduced not only to the visceral thrill of resurrected dinosaurs running amok but also to the inundation of computer-generated special effects. Ever since audiences gasped at the sight of virtual brontosauruses, VFX has been thrown around Hollywood with both admirable and questionable results.

Our beloved "Jurassic" franchise hasn't been guilt-free, often overreliant on flashy visuals and fumbling where it truly matters - a compelling storyline. But here's the good news: Enter "Jurassic World Rebirth". This seventh installment of the $6 billion franchise ditches its previous cast entirely and welcomes in its stead, screenwriter David Koepp, known for his adaptations of the original bestseller and its '97 sequel, "The Lost World."

Koepp and filmmaker Gareth Edwards, whose entire filmography revels in the judicious use of CGI, have crafted a narrative that gracefully juggles between ground-shaking dinosaur action and sincere character arcs, with the humans stealing the show as much as their colossal counterparts.

Central to this ensemble is Scarlett Johansson's Zora Bennett, a laconic special-ops veteran brought on board for a risky mission by shadowy Big Pharma bigwig Martin Krebs, played by Rupert Friend. At her side is pragmatic paleontologist Henry Loomis, wittily portrayed by Jonathan Bailey, and together, their exploits keep the narrative racing along with vintage Hollywood urgency.

The mission takes this party to the prohibited equatorial Eden of Ile Saint-Hubert, a breeding ground for dino hybrids, home to our old favourites and some freakish newcomers like the six-legged Distortus rex. And yes, it's just as terrifying as you're imagining.

Aiding our protagonists along this death-defying expedition is the seasoned adventurer Duncan Kincaid, played with a gruff charm by Mahershala Ali, together with his ragtag crew and an unsuspected family struggling for survival in the backdrop of beastly battlegrounds.

"Rebirth" treats its dinosaur features with all the awe and terror they deserve, the Mosasaurus emerging from the water being a particularly heart-stopping spectacle. At a runtime of just over two hours, the movie balances well-paced tension with moments of organic creature observation, lending an almost gentle touch to the beastly battalion.

Although the movie occasionally dips into predictable horror tropes, it more than compensates with clever homages to its predecessors and a surprising narrative shift suggesting the dinosaurs’ rights to exist. Still, 'Jurassic World Rebirth' is a roller coaster ride largely unburdened by the trappings of an overarching narrative. While it gleefully updates Spielberg's classic tale for a new audience, it doesn't hint at the future trajectory of the franchise either.

An entertaining romp through familiar yet renewed territory, "Rebirth" contains just enough novelty to let newcomers hold onto their seats and enough nostalgia to satisfy hard-core franchise fans. And yet, given this latest dino serving, we can hardly say it’s a truly essential addition. Nonetheless, it's a roaring return to the elements that made us fall in love with the franchise in the first place.