Jurassic Quest will offer a drive-through experience at Fair Park, June 26-July 5.
Photo courtesy of Jurassic Quest
UPDATE: Jurassic Quest's stay in Dallas has been extended through July 12, with the attraction being closed on July 6 and 7.
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Jurassic Quest, the dinosaur exhibit that features ultra-realistic, life-size animatronic dinosaurs, is adapting to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to offer a drive-thru experience in Dallas.
Starting on June 26, Jurassic Quest will set up camp outside of the Tower Building at Fair Park, providing a 30-60 minute interactive experience featuring over 70 moving and roaring dinosaurs, including a 50-foot-long Megalodon.
Jurassic Quest has made Fair Park an annual stop, usually coming to Dallas in January or February every year. With entertainment options limited during the COVID-19 outbreak, organizers have decided to break with that tradition and give fans something new.
Visitors will be able to go on a quest with an online audio tour that will take them throughout the exhibit, where they will encounter some of the largest dinosaurs to ever roam the earth, and some of the eeriest marine creatures to ever lurk the ocean’s depths.
Taking place nearly every day through July 5 (it will be closed on June 29 and 30), the exhibit will be open from 11 am-8 pm on opening day, and then 9 am-8 pm until the end of the exhibit. Tickets are good for entry at any time during a given time slot, which generally run around three hours.
Tickets, which will be sold online only, are $49 per vehicle, with add-on packs featuring "dinosaur surprises" starting at $12. Each vehicle will receive a free digital souvenir photo and a dino doctor will be available via text to answer any prehistoric questions. Tickets are available now at JurassicQuest.com.
Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich in Wild Horse Nine.
It’s difficult to nail English writer/director Martin McDonagh down when it comes to his interests. Prior to his new film, he has set films in Bruges, Belgium; Los Angeles; the fictional small town of Ebbing, Missouri, and a remote island in Ireland, with stories that deal with crime, grief, lifelong friendships, and a kidnapped Shih Tzu. What all his films have in common though, is comedy that is mined through absurdity, something that is on full display in Wild Horse Nine.
Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are CIA agents in 1973, currently stationed in Chile, with a mission that Lee tries to hide but Chris broadcasts willingly. Their assignment is to undermine support for the newly-elected socialist president, Salvador Allende, but the film is not really about that. Instead, it follows the duo on a break from work as they decide to take a side trip to Rapa Nui (aka Easter Island) so that Chris can fulfill his dream of seeing “the big heads.”
Once they’re there, Chris and Lee bicker over various things, including Chris being too open with two younger women, Monica (Mariana di Girolamo) and Alicia (Ailín Salas); who gets control over their rental car; the long-distance interference of CIA station chief MJ (Steve Buscemi); and more. All the while, a mostly unspoken agreement between Chris and Lee colors every decision they make, including why they came to Rapa Nui in the first place.
McDonagh has full control over the narrative of the film from minute one, establishing the tone through the super-quick banter between Chris and Lee that points to the strong bond the two share. A later revelation deepens the meaning of the story without taking away from the humor that comes from Chris and Lee sniping at each other. Despite the two characters not getting much of an introduction, they become a very memorable movie twosome as the film goes along.
A good working knowledge of 20th century world history is helpful, as McDonagh drops in subtle and not-so-subtle hints about the CIA’s involvement in certain notable events (including the JFK assassination, which takes on larger importance as the story goes on). Using real history like the impending coup d'état in Chile as a backdrop for the fictional story grounds the film, allowing the characters to engage in sometimes farcical elements without ever seeming like unserious people. It’s also a sly commentary on current events, with the U.S. continuing to insert itself into other countries’ affairs.
The impact of the film is immeasurably improved by the fact that they filmed on location in Chile and Rapa Nui. Having Chris and Lee visit the “big heads” (aka moai) while referencing them in their dialogue is both awe-inspiring and hilarious. There’s just something about the characters being able to get up close and personal with the ancient sculptures that makes the film feel more important than if they had employed CGI to put them there.
Malkovich is a two-time Oscar nominee with a storied career, but this performance ranks as one his best. With a face that unashamedly shows his 73 years and pitch perfect line deliveries, he nails every scene that he’s in. Rockwell complements him extremely well, giving a performance that fits in with his previous work but rarely on such a high level. Buscemi is also a pleasure to watch, popping up to steal small moments just like he did in the recent The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.
Save for a few action scenes, Wild Horse Nine is mostly filled with characters talking, but the level of the conversations and the comical moments that McDonagh has created contain cannot be understated. With a tour-de-force performance by Malkovich, a real world setting, and a funny twist on history, it’s one of the best movies of the year.
