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Sam Neill was a beloved actor and starred in a diverse range of movies and even TV shows. Fans of 90s horror adored his villainous role as Dr Weir in Event Horizon, and he also played Inspector Campbell in the TV show Peaky Blinders. But Neill's most iconic role for many was Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise.
He featured prominently in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. Neill revisited his character again more than two decades later in Jurassic World Dominion, which also saw the return of Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum).
Dr Grant became a household name and remains an important part of pop culture. He's a likable protagonist for many reasons, and one of the biggest is how relatable he is. Alan Grant is an archaeologist with a love of dinosaurs. He isn't an action hero, and he doesn't have survival training. He has his dinosaur knowledge and a disdain for kids, at least during the first half of the 1993 movie.
He retains those traits in Jurassic Park III. Grant is certainly physically capable, but his wit and instincts are what keep him and those around him from becoming dinosaur food. Sam Neill made Alan Grant unconventionally cool and introduced a generation to dinosaurs and archaeology. Recent events make the Jurassic Park movies feel different, but here are some of his greatest moments across the franchise.
The Velociraptor Nightmare - Jurassic Park III (2001)
Jurassic Park III never reached the lofty highs of the original, but it did feature several scenes that have now become ingrained in audiences' minds. Few of those moments are as memorable as Dr. Grant's nightmare on the plane about velociraptors.
Grant is on a plane at the start of the movie and dreams that he wakes up with nobody on board. He then spots a velociraptor sitting beside him, which says "Alan," in a friendly voice, abruptly waking him up.
It's an unintentionally funny scene. Grant is likely traumatized by raptors after the events of Jurassic Park. The nightmare sequence is arguably a heavy-handed way of portraying Grant's fears, but it's an unforgettable part of the title nonetheless.
Dr Grant 'Talks' To The Raptors - Jurassic Park III (2001)
We mentioned earlier that Alan Grant is not a conventional action hero, though he does do heroic things. One of those is using his knowledge of dinosaurs combined with his calm demeanor while those around him are panicking.
One scene that exemplifies this perfectly occurs near the end of Jurassic Park III. We know a pack of intelligent raptors is hunting the group as they have their eggs. The dinosaurs circle, and while the survivors return the eggs, Dr. Grant attempts to communicate with them to shoo them away.
Grant blows into the replica of the resonance chamber we saw at the start of the movie. The raptors are clearly confused and leave the survivors unscathed. It's a tense scene, especially when the raptors in Jurassic Park III are shown to have problem-solving skills and the ability to set traps.
Escaping The Car Stuck In The Tree - Jurassic Park (1993)
Dr. Grant's dinosaur knowledge saves him multiple times in the Jurassic Park movies, but one scene in the original Jurassic Park stands out for his bravery. The T. Rex has just launched a car into a tree, with Tim still inside.
Grant tells Lex to stay put while he climbs the tree to rescue Tim. We know he doesn't like kids, so his reaction to Tim revealing that he threw up is on-brand for the character. The scene becomes far more intense when the car starts to fall, forcing Grant and Tim to race it to the ground.
We see Grant immediately assume a guardian role when his and Tim's lives are in danger. He also puts himself between the car and Tim when it falls on top of them, when they reach the ground.
The Electric Fence Scene - Jurassic Park (1993)
Grant, Lex, and Tim encounter a large, powered-down electric fence on their arduous journey through the park. The trio has no choice but to scale it if they want to get back to the Visitor Center.
It's a great obstacle in the movie for many reasons. Grant pretends to get electrocuted, which is a joke that doesn't land with Lex. He climbs over the fence first, but something happens that changes the situation entirely.
Unbeknownst to the trio, Ellie is attempting to restore power to Jurassic Park. An alarm on the fence activates, prompting Grant to immediately assume a guardian role and try to coax Tim into jumping the rest of the way. He also resuscitates him when he doesn't jump in time, saving his life.
Dr. Grant Sees Living Dinosaurs For The First Time - Jurassic Park (1993)
One reason Jurassic Park is such an iconic movie is its unique portrayal of dinosaurs. They are more than just bloodthirsty monsters, and we see this clearly when the group arrives at Jurassic Park, unsure what to expect.
The team are passengers in a jeep and stop beside a large herd of brachiosaurus. It's a wondrous moment, showing that humans are quite safe next to these gentle giants. The music swells, and Ellie and Alan's reactions to what they are seeing are unforgettable because they seem genuine.
Dr Grant almost faints, which would be an understandable reaction to seeing something you've researched for so long in the flesh. There's no fear, and the entire scene is such a spectacle that it remains powerful even during a rewatch.
Dr Grant Learns Velociraptors Can Open Doors - Jurassic Park (1993)
It's tough to pinpoint one specific moment during the climax of Jurassic Park because Ellie, Lex, and Tim would likely perish without Dr. Grant's guidance. Still, Alan fights to keep the door to the control room shut as a raptor tries to push itself inside.
It's a nerve-wracking scene, and the dinosaurs almost get in until Lex figures out how to restore the door locks. The raptors are smart and follow the group through the vents and into the visitor center. Alan takes charge, ferrying everyone to safety in one of his most heroic moments.
The raptors ultimately corner the survivors using the same tactics Grant explained at the start of the movie until the T. Rex gives them an opportunity to escape. It's a poignant moment as Grant tells Hammond (Richard Attenborough) he won't endorse the park. It's also a sad moment when he lightly prompts Hammond to enter the helicopter while he's clearly devastated about what's happened.
"Try To Show A Little Respect" - Jurassic Park (1993)
Dr Grant's introduction scene is incredible because it tells audiences so much about his character. Within a few minutes, we know that Alan is an archaeologist, is very knowledgeable about dinosaurs, and doesn't really like children.
The archaeologist has a memorable exchange with a loudmouthed kid who mocks the on-screen velociraptor skeleton at a dig site. Grant decides that the best way to educate the boy is through a practical demonstration.
He pulls a claw from his pocket, explaining the raptor's hunting efficiency before simulating how the dinosaur might use its sharp appendages. After shocking the kid, he calmly says, "The point is, you are alive when they start to eat you. So you know, try to show a little respect."
Dr Grant Communicates With The Brachiosaurus (1993)
Every survivor in Jurassic Park faces a dinosaur in one way or another. The movie could have turned into pure action horror after the T. Rex escapes, but it still treats the dinosaurs as creatures rather than monsters.
Alan, Lex, and Tim take refuge in a tree to rest. Despite the perilous rescue moments earlier, it's clear that Grant is still full of wonder about dinosaurs. A herd of brachiosaurus approaches, and Grant attempts to communicate with them, and he even feeds them.
It's a great scene that allows audiences to catch their breath. Grant even encourages the kids to interact with a dinosaur, showing them and the audience that they aren't just mindless killing machines.
The T. Rex Escapes - Jurassic Park (1993)
The greatest moment in Jurassic Park is arguably the T. Rex's escape from its enclosure. We hear its iconic roar for the first time as it steps between the cars nearby and takes an interest in the vehicle with Lex and Tim inside.
It's an unforgettable scene, and it also tells us so much about Dr. Grant. He instructs Malcolm to freeze because the dinosaur's vision is based on movement. He springs into action, luring the T. Rex away with a flare as it attacks the kids' car.
Grant doesn't panic and quickly takes control of a desperate situation to rescue Lex and Tim. He may not like kids, but he'll go out of his way to save them in a heartbeat. Despite the well-known movie mistake where a sheer drop appears out of nowhere, the T. Rex escape scene is phenomenal and a pivotal moment when the audience realizes the humans have no control despite the high-tech park's facilities.
Dr. Grant Gets An Overdue Happy Ending - Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
One part of Jurassic Park III that baffled fans worldwide was that Alan and Ellie were not a couple. The pair were together in some capacity in Jurassic Park, leading to an uncomfortable exchange between Ian and Alan, where Ian apologizes for asking if Ellie was available.
Many audiences assumed they remained together after their adventure on Isla Nublar, but it seems that never happened. Ellie was in a relationship with someone else by the time the events in Jurassic Park III occurred, and even had a child.
Fans had to wait almost three decades, but Ellie reveals that she is single when she reunites with Alan in Jurassic World Dominion. Several aspects of the movie proved divisive among fans. Still, Alan agrees to go back with Ellie in the movie's closing moments rather than return to his dig, giving the couple a long-overdue Hollywood ending.
