In the 90s especially, Hollywood couldn’t get enough of Michael Crichton and his popular techno-thrillers. Here are six adaptations of his popular works that take science and technology in a weird direction:

Congo (1995)

From our review: “It’s hard to relay the hackneyed plot of Congo with a straight face. But fortunately, the sheer mad, mad, madness of it all means more fun for the rest of us. Congo isn’t anywhere near honest science fiction, but it happily falls right into the spirit of a campy Indiana Jones romp.”

Sphere (1998)

From our review: “It’s not that Sphere is merely a bad movie. It’s that Sphere is a bad movie that wants to make your brain hurt in as many ways possible.”

Timeline (2003)

From our review: “If you’re going to make a stupid, light-hearted time travel adventure that plays fast and loose with history, then don’t take on airs. Just be Bill and Ted.”

Westworld (1973)

From our review: “While supposedly science fiction, the look and feel of Westworld is so decidedly ’70s that you can’t really fool yourself into thinking that this is any possible future of ours.”

Jurassic Park (1993)

From our review: “One of the best moviegoing experiences I ever had was seeing Jurassic Park in theaters in ’93. This was THE summer blockbuster of the year, and I was blown away by its sheer scope, artistry, and storytelling.”

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

From our review: “How do you possibly follow Jurassic Park — the cultural phenomenon that dominated 1993 — with a sequel and not, in some way, botch it? Both Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton attempted to answer that question, and both failed to produce anything as amazing and perfect as the original.”