Jurassic World Dominion doesn’t find its footing in seamlessly blending stories throughout the run (extended included), but it certainly understands what it wants to do with the original Jurassic Park characters. It especially understands the importance of allowing Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant to give their love a second chance.
Thereby, as massive fans of the second chance romance trope, Jurassic World Dominion gives us everything we could’ve hoped for, with Alan affirming how important Ellie’s been to him his entire life. “I am coming with you.” There’s no doubt about it this time. This declaration is their endgame. This love is forever. They needed this separation to figure out and finally understand that they’re better together than they are apart.
We covered layers of Ellie and Alan’s relationship before the film, stating: “The romance is interlaced so seamlessly throughout the film that while it isn’t nearly as evident as it tends to be in the genre, the subtle layers within always made them a fascinating couple. Obvious glances here and there are one thing, but it’s throughout the separation where much of their concern for one another becomes the discernible saving grace that we’re holding out for. |…| In Ellie’s words, he’s still “the best,” and in our words, she’s the best part of him—everything that their love represents, quiet moments on excavations or on the edge of chaotic adventures that would not have been nearly as meaningful without the other. If nothing else, the two of them are the best kind of kindred spirits—the last call at the end of the world, colliding when the rest of the world explodes as they stand still in all the memories they’ve made together, the lasting bond that they have created.”
The same can be said about Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant’s kiss in Jurassic World Dominion, which hits like a ton of bricks because, as short and sweet as it is, it’s laced with promises that cement the fact that their adoration for one another hasn’t wavered. They’ve established a foundation based on an understanding of finding comfort together in a way they couldn’t with anyone else.
It was always different with them. It was effortless even when it wasn’t. The trust they have for one another goes far beyond anything they have experienced because there are layers of protection in a world where their days can be numbered because they’ve always taken care of each other.
I am coming with you. It’s not merely a statement that affirms Alan’s listening to Ellie again, but rather, it’s a promise reiterating that there was never going to be any other option. This time, he wasn’t going to step back. This time, he isn’t going to stop fighting for her. I am coming with you directly equates to where you lead; I will follow. And while that’s always been the case for them—something about these words brilliantly confirms that their tethers have always been connected.
In addition, to have Ellie be the one to initiate the kiss, take charge of her agency, and validate that she’s always cared about him profoundly made my heart grow three sizes. Because the reality is, where their relationship is concerned, he’s always allowed her to just be—even while they weren’t together. His shoulder was offered as a place to rest her head, and his lips would always be a place to fall. There was a push and pull that was so brilliantly palpable from day one, and it made the Jurassic Park franchise a romantic joyride little ol’ me couldn’t get enough of. And the same can be said today, as adult me spends way too much time replaying only their scenes in the new film.
They could’ve ended the film after that kiss. It would’ve been enough to show the audience that forever is a promise Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant intend to keep this time. Instead, we watch Ellie fix his tie, paralleling the moment from the original film where she places the bandana on his neck.The same aching tenderness that makes them riveting in the earlier days takes center stage here, allowing us to understand that what we’re seeing is a genuine partnership—a give and take in equal measures.
Alan commands respect wherever he goes because of how much her trust in him has shaped his very being—every excavation, every decision, every calming, comforting thought has been brought on by his choice to adore Ellie.
They’re just friends to a degree, yes, but they’re so much more than that because it’s their friendship that’s led to a romance worth adoring for years. Their steadfast friendship through the years made their second chance romance much more captivating because in temporarily losing it, they lost some of the best parts of themselves. They lost the pieces of themselves that intermingle together seamlessly in a dance full of profound understanding. But today, they’re embarking on every new journey together, smoothing creases where necessary and looking forward to the unknown as one. Today, they’re tucking the second chance they have deep into the crevices of their hearts where they’ll forever remain cherished not from afar but closer than ever before and through everything.
Jurassic World Dominion is currently streaming on Peacock TV. What are your thoughts on how the film handles Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant’s second chance? Let us know in the comments below.