HEY, THIS PLACE IS REALLY NEAT!: Brothers Zach (Nick Robinson, left) and Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins) are enjoying their ride around the dinosaur theme park in a “geo-sphere” made of bullet proof glass surrounded by harmless dinosuars until they encounter the hybrid dinosaur that was created by the park’s scientists. The monster dinosaur goes out of control and starts attacking everyone in sight, causing mayhem in the park. (Photo by Chuck Zlotnick-© 2015, Universal Pictures)

How do you revive an expiring film series that fell out of favor 12 years ago after audiences became jaded with visual effects that they no longer found spellbinding? In the case of Jurassic World, the writers created a sequel that is laced with allusions to earlier episodes and that even point out how dinosaurs don’t capture people’s imaginations to the degree that they once used to.

This is the fourth film in the science fiction series that is based on novels by the late Michael Crichton. Jurassics 1 and 2 were directed by Steven Spielberg and adapted from Crichton’s bestsellers (Jurassic Park and The Lost World). Jurassic 4’s creative team includes director Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) and four writers who wrote a screenplay that remains faithful to the feeling of the source material.

The story is about two siblings — Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins) — whose Christmas vacation goes bad off the coast of Costa Rica. As the film unfolds, the pair bid their parents a fond farewell, but not before their prophetic mother (Judy Greer) gives them an ominous piece of parental advice — “Remember, if something chases you, run!”

They are going to Isla Nublar, the same tropical resort where, in Jurassic 1, raptors ran amok during the christening of a dinosaur populated amusement park. The place has been renamed “Jurassic World” and is set to reopen under a greedy and inept management team.

Karen Mitchell isn’t all that worried about her sons’ welfare since she is sure that they’ll be under the watchful eye of her sister (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is the theme park’s operations manager. However, upon their arrival, instead of spending time with her nephews — whom she hasn’t seen in seven years — Claire issues them a VIP all-access pass and tells them to have a good time.

They roam around the park in a gyro-sphere made of bulletproof glass and run into the escaped Indominus Rex, a prehistoric hybrid dinosaur that was bred in a test tube. Unfortunately, no one in a position of authority — that is (BD Wong), who created the hybrid; the war profiteer (Vincent D’Onofrio), who has secret plans to sell it to the military; and Jurassic World’s owner (Irrfan Khan) — wants to destroy the creature until it finally goes on a rampage and starts attacking the park’s visitors.

As a result, thousands of tourists run for their lives, and Aunt Claire searches for her nephews with the help of her boyfriend (Chris Pratt). Overall, the movie is a riveting roller coaster ride with eye-popping effects and a satisfying resolution.

Very Good (***). Rated PG-13 for peril and intense violence. Running time: 124 minutes. Distributor: Universal Pictures.