This image released by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment shows Luna Blaise in a scene from " Jurassic World: Rebirth." (Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment via AP)

Early in “Jurassic World: Rebirth” an on-screen prologue mentions that interest in dinosaurs has waned in recent years.

It’s a statement that some might argue isn’t just confined to the fictional world, especially considering this is now the seventh film in the series since the original took the world by storm in 1993.

Time has not been kind to this franchise, which briefly re-surged in 2015 with “Jurassic World” but that was followed with two lackluster sequels.

“Rebirth” tries to capture lightning in the bottle again – another reboot that brings back original writer David Koepp.

Unfortunately, “Rebirth” fails to get the franchise back on track – in fact it sends it spiraling into further descent. This is a film that has a slick, factory produced presentation that makes it feel like a pale imitation of all the things that made the original such an iconic film.

You know it’s gotten bad when you start rooting for the dinosaurs instead of the humans.

“Rebirth” features Scarlett Johansson as Zora, a hired mercenary approached by a representative from a Big Pharma company named Martin (Robert Friend). He wants Zora to lead a team to a remote island where the dinosaurs have been left behind. Once there the mission is simple – find three specific species and get blood samples, which in theory will be used to help the pharmaceutical company with a revolutionary treatment for heart disease.

Zora sets out with her team – including Duncan (Mahershala Ali in one of those truly ‘what are they doing here?’ kind of roles) – and a paleontologist named Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) to complete the mission.

If the story had just been this extraction team, “Rebirth” likely would have been predictable and mediocre but it wouldn’t have been the convoluted slog it becomes thanks to subplot that is completely unneeded.

That story revolves around a father (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) whose boat is capsized stranding himself, his two daughters and his oldest daughter’s dim witted boyfriend.

Any time this story is on screen, “Rebirth” grinds to a half even when director Gareth Edwards tries to spice it up with a few action sequences.

I will concede all of the action sequences are well made, but the problem isn’t the execution. It’s that they all feel similar to high points in the previous films in the series.

All the magic of the original has faded, making long stretches where these characters gaze upon these creatures feel empty.

Even when a couple of mutant creatures are revealed in the final act the result is more “ho hum” than “wow,” because at this point there really isn’t much more you can do with this franchise.

Johansson and Ali do their best to make it work, but they can’t save this tired material. “Rebirth” proves to be anything but a rebirth for a franchise that is way past the point of extinction.

If You Go
“Jurassic World: Rebirth”
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence/action, bloody images, some suggestive references, language and a drug reference
Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)
Grade: D+