THE END OF OAK STREET is coming … along with the end of all of its residents. Most moviegoers are up for a good Dino movie and this one has enough originality to keep us entertained. Do you see it in theaters or wait for it to hit streaming? That is always the go to question. Though it feels like a straight to streaming movie in scope and writing, the theater experience will give you the full on thriller experience with loud noises and unexpected jumps.
Synopsis: The Platt family bands together to navigate their new surroundings after a cosmic event transports their suburban neighborhood to someplace unknown. | 1h 39m | Rated PG-13 for some strong violent content, bloody images, some strong language and suggestive material.
Stars: Anne Hathaway Ewan McGregor
A Nostalgic Setting with Missed Potential
The film is set in 1982, but other than the lack of technology and a few retro props, you would not know it. That was a bummer, really. Not that we are all “Rocking the Casbah,” but there were enough strong ’80s themes that could have been thrown in to appease the audience who thrived in that decade. I assume the budget was spent more on the monsters than a good soundtrack.
The Premise & Family Dynamic
Writer/Director David Robert Mitchell tells a good story and captures the family dynamic nicely. It is textbook with Mom (Anne Hathaway), Dad (Ewan McGregor), Brother (Christian Convery), and Sister (Maisy Stella). There are cracks in the spine, though, and the family is drifting apart. Nothing a good old survival adventure can’t solve—if they can survive.
Mitchell does not spend too much time explaining the science behind what happens. But then again, wormholes are pretty much a mystery. In a nutshell, the Oak Street neighborhood is sucked back to prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pratt family has to find a way to get back to good old 1982 while navigating a world lost to mankind.
Monster Action Over Scientific Accuracy
For dino lovers, there is a lot to cheer for—and against. The well-known ones are there, as well as many I have yet to see on the big screen. It doesn’t seem like the filmmakers were going for Jurassic accuracy, but rather scary monsters that fit the time period. A smart move on their part. We have the other movies for the history lessons; here we just need the thrills.
Strong Lead Performances
Anne and Ewan are a great onscreen couple. You believe the marriage and the struggles. Both actors are experts at conveying personal emotion in the most fantastic of situations, and that comes across wonderfully here. The story within the story is that survival hits us all on many levels, and the strength is in getting through it together.
Pacing & Storytelling Flaws
If Mitchell has any faults in his storytelling, it is falling into the pitfalls of inclusion. No spoilers here, except to say that one glaring misstep in character arc creates an eye-rolling mess—one that fits neither the time period nor the situation at hand. A few other scenes felt a bit repetitive, but for a movie that is only 90 minutes long, all that is very forgivable and the run time to be applauded. Mitchell certainly proved you can make an entertaining, thrill-filled ride in under two hours.
Final Verdict & Viewing Recommendations
Most of the scary moments involve quick attacks with loud noise. Unless you have a 7.1 surround home system, some of these may be lost when not seen in the theater. If you are there just for the story and scary monsters, you could wait for this one to come home. It is safe for your early teens, depending on how squeamish and skittish they are. There are a few shocking and gory scenes that you won’t expect, but it certainly does not extend far from the PG-13 rating.
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