Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Jurassic World Rebirth.Since I first saw it as a child, one of the most epic and terrifying things I have seen is the Tyrannosaurus rex ambling out of its paddock and letting out an ear-piercing scream in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. It became a trademark moment and helped to launch a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Yet, time never stands still, and we have seen many attempts at recreating this kind of iconic moment and creature with the inclusion of the Spinosaurus in Jurassic Park III and the Indominus rex in Jurassic World. The most recent result of this trend came in Jurassic World: Rebirth with the Distortus rex, a hulking, six-limbed, head-bulging mutant who acts as the antagonist in the climactic getaway for our human characters. Some may be frightened of the mutant dinosaur that was introduced in Rebirth. However, one thing I couldn’t get out of my mind while watching was “it’s a huge xenomorph-dinosaur.” There are pros and cons to this inspiration from Alien, but because it’s so similar to such a well-known horror monster, it creates a familiarity in the viewer that makes the mutant dinosaur less scary.
Gareth Edwards Incorporated Multiple Movie Monsters into Distortus Rex in ‘Jurassic Park: Rebirth’

Before anyone cries out plagiarism, in an interview with Vanity Fair back in early February, Gareth Edwards noted that some of the designs of H.R. Giger, who designed the terrifying chest burster/xenomorph in the Ridley Scott original, “went into” the mutant. This was not the only monster whose design guided the artists working on Rebirth, as the Rancor from Star Wars is also present in the design. Yet, while the hulking size and crooked arms do resemble that of the rancor when it is pointed out, the protruding head and teeth with its little grabby arms are too close to the xenomorph to ignore. Perhaps if the Distortus rex’s head wasn’t completely smooth and a translucent white, there would be a larger distinction, but the proportions being the same has caused almost too strong a parallel.
‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ Has Pros and Cons in Its Distortus Rex Design

Image via Universal Pictures

Like all things in life, this is not a one-sided condemnation of the creature’s visage, but something more complicated that probably leans towards this being a less effective choice from the filmmakers. It is a valid argument that this design does help reflect the fact that the evolution and mutations of these creatures have created something too dangerous for anyone to control. There is a distinction here in how the similar designs convey different messages. While the xenomorph represents how evolution could create the perfect killing machine, the Distortus rex reflects a bastardization of evolution through human intervention. Both creature designs are therefore based on evolution and how humans affect or are affected by it, with Rebirth’s approach arguably creating more sympathy for the creature. While the Distortus is scary, the unnatural development of its body portrays it not as a vicious hunter, but as an animal that has been abandoned by humanity and lives in the wild now, conveying the theme of humanity’s ill-fated involvement in such aspects of life.

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However, in the end, the reason Edwards and his team made the wrong choice is the simple fact that, in making the Distortus something to almost feel sorry for or familiar with, it made the mutant less scary. In horror, we aren’t scared of something we have seen before. Films such as The Blair Witch Project and The Babadook proved that we are most scared when we can never get to grips with what we are battling against, and Jurassic Park kept the Tyrannosaurus rex scenes to a mere handful. Of course, Edwards and his team were trying to create something unique, and using one of the most iconic monsters of all time as a starting point wouldn’t be a bad idea if it were only suggested to you. Yet, once we realize the connection, even subconsciously, the creature becomes something we feel we already have a kind of relationship with, making it less frightening. There’s still great action that includes the Distortus rex in Rebirth, such as biting the helicopter in the smoke and appearing from seemingly nowhere. In this regard, Edwards’ directing is masterful. But maybe these scenes would have been even better if it were a monster we truly hadn’t seen before. It may have been for a noble reason, but the use of the xenomorph as inspiration was a decision that the team adhered to far too closely for comfort.