Jurassic Park III (2001)

The story for Jurassic Park III is the first of the series not adapted from a Michael Crichton novel although it uses characters and concepts created by the author. Working with writers Peter Buchman, and Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, as well as resident dinosaur expert Jack Homer, the filmmakers created an adventure that begins with a parasailing accident near Isla Sorna.

"We trick Sam Neill's character into going back to these islands, which he's sworn he will never do," explained William H. Macy, who plays Paul Kirby. "Everything is fine until we crash. From then on, we're on the run — to avoid ending up in the belly of the beast."

Johnston savored the idea of bringing back Neill's character. "This is a different Dr. Grant," said the director. "He barely survived Isla Nublar and he's been hardened by his experience. He's more cynical and he really doesn't want to be there."

His character may have been reluctant to enter the fray, but Neill was eager to don the doctor's fedora — and his shoes." I've never played a film role twice, and coming back to play Grant was like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes."

But not too comfortable. "We have a story that moves like an express train driven by some very alarming dinosaurs," said Neill. "This film is more extreme, a full-on thing from the time you get to the island, which is almost immediately, to the time we get off — for those who do! Who will survive? I'm sorry, I'm not at liberty to say. Joe said this would probably be the most physical film I'd ever do," the New Zealand-based actor said of the grueling 20-week shoot. "He was right."

Macy agreed. "We got banged up pretty badly. When we shot in the fuselage of the airplane, it was like spending the day in a clothes dryer. The good news was that almost all of us, sooner or later, ended up on top of Tea Leoni."

Leoni, who portrays Macy's estranged wife, wore the scars of her effort proudly. "I had bruises everywhere. As we went along, more of my makeup was to cover the real bruises than to create fake ones. But it was all worth it," said the actress, who accepted the role before the script was finished. "Joe promised she would be heroic — that she had a little Rambo in her — and that was good enough for me."

Leoni's attitude impressed Johnston. "Tea is an amazing athlete. There were some things I was ready to ask her stunt double to do, but she said no, let me do this, it looks like fun. She really did get bruised and cut and scraped, and never complained. I had heard great things about both Bill Macy and Tea, which turned out to be even truer than I had expected."

Johnston put each of the film's main characters in classic Jurassic jeopardy — a head to-head encounter with a carnivorous dinosaur. "I think my favorite scene was when a Pteranodon picks me up," said 14-year-old Trevor Morgan, referring to the flying reptile that make its mark in Jurassic Park III. Morgan plays Eric Kirby, the son of Paul and Amanda Kirby (Macy and Leoni).

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